October 29 – “What could go wrong, right?”

First, Christina.  The transfer orders came through.  The ICU doctor shook her hand and said., “Well done.”  As of last night she has been moved to Kindred Acute Care in Webster (not nearly as far from their house).  Here is her FaceBook post from last night:

I busted out of St. Luke’s!  25 days there.  So, so grateful for eth medical team there!  Now I’m at an acute facility.  Time to get moving!  They said 10-40 days, but I’m going to get out sooner!   Pray that they can bend the rules a little so my 3 youngest can visit.

 

Now onto our immediate adventures.  Josh and Christi left around 10:30 or so.  They hadn’t been gone five minutes when it happened.  I was playing “Lions” with Luke and AnnaGrace.  “How do you play ‘Lions’?” you might ask.  Well, everybody knows that one.  The two kids were baby lion cubs.  I was the visitor to the zoo.  They told me to press the imaginary button next to the invisible bars of their cage.  What could go wrong, right?  As I stood there, apparently the bars began to move downward and out of sight.  Also apparently, these particular bars are visible only to the animals within the cage.  They knew what was happening.  I did not.  They eased over toward me looking all cute and cuddly.  Suddenly, the invisible bars had disappeared entirely.  I know.  Invisible bars disappearing.  But hey, it was their fantasy.  Who am I to question, much less challenge?  As the bars reached the cage’s bottom, the two sweet cubs within became growling predators, hungry for blood.  My blood.  So I did what any self-respecting tourist to the zoo would do.   No, I didn’t pull out my imaginary camera to document the moment for Facebook.  I ran away.  And they chased.  From their sunken living room, I leapt upon the landing to the next level (It’s only two steps, so my leaping may be somewhat exaggerated).  As I turned to check the forward progress of the approaching felines, five or six of the bricks on the floor came loose from their mortar moorings and slid completely out from under me.  Needless to say, I went tumbling to the ground.  Flat on my back.  It was one of those slow-motion, out-of-body-experience kind of thing, like in the cartoons.  Here’s where I say that I wish it had been part of the aforementioned fantasy escapade.  But no.  Suddenly it was painfully real.  There I was, on my back.  And within seconds I was looking up to at least four young faces, all wrinkled with concern.  It didn’t really hurt at the time, although I did anticipate a certain degree of residual “oof” as the adrenaline of the fall wore off.  I wasn’t disappointed in that department.  It’s still a little more sore than usual this morning, but the offending area of bricks has been puzzled back together and is presently marked with, well, with the duct tape we used as mortar to set them back into place.  Hmm.  Wonder if Mom and Dad will notice? 

 

I went to Zak’s basketball practice.  It was most definitely a varsity-junior varsity atmosphere.  Let’s just say, I’m pretty sure I was the shortest one in the room, except maybe for the younger brother who was watching as well.  Lots of running for conditioning.  All were pretty good athletes.  Much higher expectations from the coach.  Zak did well.  He’s a really good shooter, and he has point guard instincts and skills.  I predict their team should do well this year, if they can stay focused and work as a team.

 

Philippians 4:9 says, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me – put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.”

 

Father, thank you for the good Christina news.  Give her the focus and determination she will need going forward with her rehab.  And please grease some wheels so those little ones can go see Mommy.  Amen.