December 2 – “Mercy”

My first follow-up physical therapy appointment is now behind me.  I had heard a lot about this one, about how truly difficult it was sure to be.  When we were checking in, I received an encouraging text from Josh: “Praying for strength and a merciful therapist.”  I thought that was really sweet, so I read it out loud.  The receptionist heard it and replied, “Aww.  You didn’t get that one.”  Ouch.  I told Josh what she said and he responded, “You better start praying for God’s mercy then.”  The only reply I could come up with was, “Aaaaaaarrrrrrrgggghhhh.”

It was a pretty tough workout.  She had to do all the initial measurements, and she also had to explain everything to the student who was working with her.   She was also supposed to have a family medicine resident shadowing her, but that lady left soon after I met her.  Guess I scared her off.  The workout itself was actually easier than the regimen I was sent home from the hospital with.  Well, not so much easier.  But shorter.  Certainly shorter.  My favorite part, though, was when she showed her merciful side.  Ready for this one?  She slipped a WalMart bag over my foot.  Called it her “leg lift assist paraphernalia.”  It did make it easier to slide my foot along the mat.  All in all, the workout, as “easy” as it seemed, did knock me for a loop.  I was ready to crash when we got home.

But first, on the way home, we stopped at the post office to mail a package.  Chris went in while I stayed in the car and attempted to recover (read here “nap”).  Suddenly my phone rang.  It was a call from New Orleans.  Normally I don’t answer calls I don’t recognize, but I was groggy anyway, so why not?  I thought it might be entertaining.  As it turned out, I did know the person calling.  It was the father of the bride of that wedding I did right before Thanksgiving.  He was just calling to check up on me after the surgery.  After I told Chris about it she asked if I had asked about his wife.   She was scheduled to have the same surgery.  Of course I did not ask.  I was lucky I remembered who the guy was.  I will pray for his wife, though.  Dianne is her name.

Jim and Charlett came by to chat for a while.  I thought at first they were being good friends and checking up on me after surgery.  And I’m sure there was that.  But I think deep down, Jim just wanted to make sure Chris was going to be at church this morning for hanging of the greens.  She’s coming, Jim.

Psalms 119:1 says, “Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.”

Father, please be with Dianne as she undergoes her surgery over in New Orleans.  Give her an easy recovery and a merciful physical therapist.  Amen.