I brought my uncle home from the hospital
yesterday. He called around 7:15 a.m. to
“put me on notice” that he was planning to come home that afternoon
sometime. It wasn’t until after four
that he finally called back to say “I’m back in my room, so you can come any
time.” In an effort to determine with
how much haste I should make my way that way, I asked if he had already been
released. His reply was cryptic, “I’m
back in my room. I figure there’s
nothing else for me to do here. That’s
close enough.” OK. Close enough.
I was in WalMart at the time, so I finished up my purchase (some toner
for my printer) and headed on out to UTMB.
Sure enough, he was packed and ready to go
when I arrived. But they had not yet
done his discharge instructions. We
talked while we waited. He said he was
really hungry, but no sooner were the words out of his mouth than his supper
tray arrived. So he munched his way
through his roast beef. Finally the
nurse came in with the papers and with his final “shot for the road.” It was a blood thinner and the needle was
stuck into his stomach. Ouch. I heard the final instructions: “You are to
eat a heart healthy diet and increase your level of physical activity.” He nodded his uh-huh’s and okay’s, and she
approved his release, pending arrival of transportation. But when she opened the door a wheelchair was
already there. No driver, though. Apparently budget cuts meant that I got to
drive him down. WooHoo, let’s go. I managed to behave myself all the way down
to the front door, and I left him by the curb and went for the car.
Finally we were on the road. Headed home.
Well, at least to our house where his car was parked. I offered to get Nathan to help me bring it
over, but he insisted he hadn’t had any pain killers and he was fine to
drive. As we approached 61st street
he made another decision. He asked me to
take him to Jack-in-the Box. With those
final words of the exit interview ringing in my ears – “heart healthy diet …
heart healthy diet” – I pulled into the drive-through and he ordered his …
ready for this one? … bacon ultimate cheeseburger. Did I mention that this man was the very
first male role model in my life outside of my Dad? I think I’m getting hungry …
Psalms 33:16-19 says, “No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his
great strength. A horse is a vain hope
for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear
him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and
keep them alive in famine.”
Father, help Uncle Jerry heal quickly. Amen.
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