October 22 – “I have veins”

We had a visit from Christina and most of her library-going kiddos yesterday.  Kel stayed home with Josiah, the vomiting one.  Yuk.  While they were here, Noa was explaining to us the ins and outs of what vascular plants are, and how they have veins to carry water into their leaves.  Three-year-old Ezra was listening intently.  Finally, he could hold it in no longer.  He chimed in, “I have veins in my penis.”  Yes, you do, Ezra.  Yes, you do.

 

A rather heavenly smell wafted through the house much of the day as well.  Chris was cooking a huge slab of sliced bacon for the hamburger fund-raiser at the church on Saturday.  I only tested one slice.  Hey, somebody had to make sure it was headed in the right direction.

 

OK.  Now we get down to the neurosurgeon visit.  I’ll get right to the point.  He entered the room and asked if the back was better, worse or the same.  I opened my phone to the notes page and began listing my current symptoms.  I got down to number three out of six, and he quietly said, “Let’s fix it.”  I told him, “Hold on a minute.  I worked hard compiling this list and I want to get through all of them.”  He chuckled and listened patiently top four through six.  Then he said again, “Let’s fix it.”  When I agreed, he added, “When can you not do it?”  That one kind of slipped past me.  I was still processing the fact that I agreed to a back surgery.  But Chris was there.  She answered quickly, “Next week.”  That’s right.  I have a wedding to officiate next week.  I finally came out of mu funk a bit and remembered to ask things like “what is recovery time?” That answer kind of surprised me.  He said I might go home the same day as the surgery.  Or maybe overnight in the hospital.  WooHoo, I guess.  The surgery people are supposed to call and set up a time.  I also queried, “is the surgery on the lower back still an option?”  It is, but I never should have opened that can of worms.  I think I awakened a sleeping monster.  Last night I felt like I was sleeping on a rock right in the middle of my lower back.  No position was comfortable.  I did doze fitfully.  But I suppose that is a story for another day, another surgery.

 

Psalms 119:114 says, “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”

 

Father, thank you for the exciting ways kids learn.  And please help us get through this surgery, whenever it takes place.  Amen.