January 7 - “A Date”

We took advantage of our one slow day (aka no doctor appointments). Chris went for a walk. Sam stayed in bed. I did my back and hip exercises. I watched part of a movie I had seen before. Snow White and the Huntsman.

 

Update on Chris’ eye. She is still getting the drops four times a day. The sight seems to be getting progressively better, but it still feels like there is an eyelash in it.

 

Last night Chris and I had a date. Been a while since I could say that and not have to explain it. A friend gave us day passes to Moody Gardens, so we strolled hand-in-hand through the Festival of Lights, a mile or so trail of Christmas lights. Gorgeous. We also went to the ice exhibit. Some artists transformed a massive tent into a winter wonderland all carved from ice. The theme was The Caribbean, so there were all sorts of sea creatures and corals, along the expected Christmas trees and a Huge Santa. Of course, my favorite was the wall the honored the Astros as World Champions. There were several jerseys and a model of the trophy. Nice.

 

Great date. Chris, I mean. What we did was fun, too.

 

John 13:34 says,”A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

 

Father, thank you for the generous gift that enabled us to see the sights last night. Bless the giver. Amen.

January 6 - “Sam’s big doctor day”

Well, this was a busy day among those currently residing in the Vaughan house. It was Sam’s big doctor day. She did save one appointment for the next day, though. She didn’t want us to get bored around the house, I guess.

 

I was up early again, so I went ahead and backed the car into the driveway, so we could more effectively get Sam into the car. I also kicked some the sycamore tree leaves out of the way. I really do need to get those raked up. Been waiting for a day when my back feels like it can withstand the raking and bending motions again - at least for a few minutes. On the list. I’ll get to it.

 

And I guess I got put on notice that I wasn’t to attempt maneuvering Sam in the wheelchair over the two elevations on our front porch. First, Chris yelled at me to call Corey for help. Corey came over to help and between him and Sam, I got a good chewing out. OK. Consider myself notified.

 

Speaking of Sam, she had several appointments. First was just a blood draw. Then a check-in with the oncologist. Because she has been having some reactions to the chemo, he canceled it for this week, so no appointment today. Finally, we went across the street to her orthopedic doc. He gave her a grease shot in her knee. She basically needs a knee replacement, but that’s not in the cards for the foreseeable future. He did say she should use the sore leg as much as possible.  He even ordered physical therapy. After talking to him, she tossed aside use of the walker as a middle step to get in and out of the car. That’s a win. Back home she even walked a couple of steps using her walker. First time in two weeks. She did pretty good, too.

 

We stopped at Gringos for Mexican food on the way home. Chris was overjoyed. That’s her favorite place. Sam didn’t remember ever being there. We all enjoyed our late lunch, then headed home to get ready for home group. It’s been a few weeks since we met, so it was great seeing everyone.

 

Matthew 6:34 says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

 

Father, please help Sam as she works on using that leg again. And thanks for the ones who help us as well. Amen.

January 5 - “Swollen in the middle”

Follow up day number one happens quickly with cataract surgery. We had to be back up in League City again the day after surgery for Chris’ first follow up appointment. And a pretty early appointment it was. 9:45 in the morning we had to be there. That meant leaving home around 8:45. I was up with no problems, but I tried to let Chris get some more sleep. We still made it. Checked in at 9:40. Nothing like cutting it close.

 

The doc was quite pleased with her handiwork. She “oohed and aahed” and gushed over the technical aspects of the job she had done.  But Chris said everything was still really blurry. Not a problem, we were assured. See, Chris was, in the doc’s official words, “swollen in the middle.”  I may or may not have quietly snickered at that comment.  I’m pretty sure she meant in the middle of the eye, though.  Anyway, the fact it was in the middle meant another day or so of blurriness until the swelling goes down.  Should clear up in a day or two.

 

In the meantime, Chris is not supposed to bend over or lift anything for a week or two. Guess who gets to step up now?  I can handle things like the dishes, but pardon my dust in the midst of Chris’ usually antiseptically clean house.  She also has to continue the eye drops as scheduled until the next follow up, at least. That comes next week.  Oh, and she has to wear the plastic eye patch thingie at night for at least a week.  That means figuring out how to get it into place next to her C-pap machine’s face mask.

 

In the meantime, we still have to get Sam to her appointments today and tomorrow.  And I have two MRI’s of my back on Saturday, physical therapy for my back on Monday, and an appointment with a neurosurgeon (Surprise, surprise. For my back.  Not sure what can of worms that will open) on Tuesday.  Chris then has physical therapy on Tuesday, followed by her sleep doctor on Wednesday and the eye follow-up number two on Thursday. I’m sure Sam has something else in there as well, but I don’t have her full schedule in my book. Just a bit of a busy schedule to start off 2023, wouldn’t you say?

 

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

 

Father, thank you that all these doctors and surgeries and hospitals are available to work with you in your grand plan of healing.  Amen.

January 4 - “Cutting in (but not to dance)”

Chris got a call around 9 telling her to come on in for the surgery as soon as she could get there. We didn’t race madly, but we arrived about an hour early. And ended up waiting for more than an hour past the original time. The nurse was really entertaining, though. That made it not so bad, at least for me. The fella in the bay next to us almost walked out on them. Well, he couldn’t actually walk out because he “didn’t have his wheelchair or crutches.”  We prayed for him to have some peace. And for Chris to be calm too.

 

They finally came to get her and moved me to a different waiting room. The text message that they were beginning the procedure came in at 12:55 (just ten minutes under two hours after they were supposed to start). And the next text came in at 1:06 (that’s eleven minutes by my figuring), indicating that the procedure was complete.

 

Chris came though the whole thing pretty well. She did have quite the headache for a while, and she was frustrated that she couldn’t see. But we made the best of her blind girl act. She wore her sunglasses when we stopped at Spring Creek Barbecue on the way home. She was starving!  The dark glasses and me guiding her didn’t buy us any sympathy, though, so any we can get after the fact will be greatly appreciated. The doc’s orders were: no work of any kind the rest of the day. Take it easy for a week. Keep putting in the eye drops until further notice (we see her again today in the clinic for a follow-up).

 

Revelation 3:20 says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

 

Father, thank you for the peace you gave Chris today. Please help the healing go quickly. Amen.

 

January 3 - “REQUIRED”

Chris won the early morning round this time. Oh, I woke up before her (12:30, then 2, when I moved to the recliner).  But she had to be at physical therapy at 7:30. Yep. Actually there and ready to start her eye PT at 7:30 on the nose (hah! See what I did there? Eye…Nose?).

 

My day didn’t become official until 11:15. On the nose. I was REQUIRED (actually, that word was capitalized in the card I received in the mail as well as in the THREE emails I received in the three days leading up to the event) to appear for jury duty. Don’t get me wrong. I have always wanted to be on a jury. But this week? Chris has eye surgery. And I have two MRI’s on my back on Saturday. Not to mention Sam has an appointment somewhere in there.  Not a good time at all.

 

Fortunately, the ladies who check jurors in agreed. The one who took my case heard my plea concerning my wife’s impending surgery, and she immediately said, “Oh, no. We can take care of that right now.”  Working together with my calendar, she rescheduled me for a week in February that should be open. Well, unless my new neurosurgeon has something else to say about it. I see him next week (after my two MRI’s on Saturday). 

 

But now I am free to get Chris up to League City today for her cataract surgery. She’s a little apprehensive about someone coming at her with a scalpel. She said she’s handed off a scalpel to a doctor too many times to want one of them headed toward her eyeball. Sam and I, the old pros at this, have been doing our best to encourage her. I’m sure she’ll do fine.

 

Revelation 3:20 says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

 

Father, please be with Chris today. Give her peace and trust. Amen.

January 2 - “God stories”

I slept all the way to 4 am on New Year’s Morning. Not because I stayed up to watch the New Year come in or anything. Never did get a twinge of excitement from watching the mercury slowly seep out of a massive thermometer in Times Square. I guess it would have been fun to hang out with friends, but then I would have had to drive home. Maybe next year.

 

Nope. I was with the one I love. She kissed me and said “Happy New Year” when she went to bed just as the second half was beginning. Not sure when that was. 9:30? 10:00?  I went on to join her after the third quarter, but I may or may not have watched the end of the game on my phone in bed. That counts as a Happy New Year, doesn’t it?

 

Church was a really exciting time of testimony-sharing. What has God done for you over the past year? A couple of out-and-out sermons and quite a few brief but impactful stories were shared. Even a young couple who just happened to be visiting both shared their stories. Always great to hear from other folks that God is really doing stuff in their world.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

 

Father, thank you for working in so many lives this past year. Thanks as well that the folks were willing to share their God stories. Amen.

January 1 - “Read here ‘wilder’”

No, I’m not talking about a wild and crazy New Year’s Eve celebration, although I heard there might have been one or two of those out and about town. The fire department certainly had more than its share of fireworks calls.    

 

The morning for us was a time for … cleaning house. This time it was more than just picking up and putting away the remnants of a Christmas celebration. This time it was sweeping and dusting and vacuuming and mopping and moving furniture and relocating plants. Granted, Chris did the bulk of the work, but I pitched in a little bit, mainly with sweeping and moving the couch.

 

In the afternoon we made a supply run. Walmart first, of course. That was for fruit and cabbage. Gotta have that New Year’s Day meal complete. Ham and black-eyed peas were already on site. We also had to make a prescription stop over at Randall’s.

 

Now, Walmart was really packed. But Randall’s? Neither of us had ever seen that many people at Randall’s. I think I might just have found a new favorite time to shop/ people watch. Yep. It was better (read here, “wilder” – And there it is. It no longer takes much to achieve “Wilder” status in my world) than Christmas Eve out there.

 

Once back home, I settled in for some college football. TCU was the Texas representative, and they did the job. They only won be six points, but they scored more than fifty total. Major offensive showcase, this one. So was the Georgia-Ohio State game.  I guess all the fireworks outside were fitting to the very close, high-scoring game.

 

Job 19:25 says, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.”

 

Father, thank you for one more year completed. Please walk with us in this new one. Amen.