Mews from Meowmix

I don’t know how to even put into words what this weekend has been like.  But remember a post or two ago, I made the statement nothing much was going on at my house?  Well, that statement turned out to be the kind of omen that washing the car is a lot of times.  Just as sure as you wash the car?  It’s going to rain, right? 

Well, anyway, there is plenty going on now.  If you read my notes on Facebook, or if you stopped by my blog on Friday, you know that our Holly (wife of Doris’ oldest son, Johnny) is in very serious condition following surgery to 1) fix an aneurysm in her head/brain, and 2) remove a blood clot.  The first information was that she’d had a stroke.  Not being familiar with all the terminology, I don’t know if there’s a difference or not.  I do know there was an aneurysm.  She is in ICU and expected to be there for quite a long while with a longer-still hospital stay and then therapy.  And that’s if all goes well.

Holly is mom to two daughters, one around 20 and one that is 15.  They also have a grandson who is about 2 that they take care of and another due to arrive in October.  Holly is in her early 40s.

We continue to solicit your prayers on her behalf, as well as for Johnny and the girls, Holly’s parents and brothers and for us on Johnny’s side of the family.

I could go into a lot of detail and tell you just how awful this has been, but with what I’ve told you already, you know it’s serious.  So I will leave it at that and expand to some sort-of funny stuff and some heart-warming stuff that has gone along with this weekend.

None of us see a lot of Johnny and Holly and their family, for various reasons, although we all talk by phone.  Until this year, Doris and I put in a lot of effort to get all of the family together at our house three or four times a year plus Thanksgiving and Christmas.  You may recall my blogging about our suspension of these at Christmas time due to the size of the crowd, among other things.  We have a large den and space for a crowd, but any house is only built to hold so many, y’know?    But all the family came to the hospital to wait through the surgery.  I’ll just share a few things I observed.

Brigitt, who you hear a lot about, is an RN at the hospital to which Holly was airlifted.  Holly’s brother came with her, and Brigitt met the helicopter.  Brigitt was able to pull some strings and ask for the doctors to attend Holly that she thought would be best for her.

Michael, who was on duty with the fire department, beat Doris and me to the hospital and he and Brigitt both hung in there with big brother.   At first, we were in one of the family rooms adjoining the ER.  After the doctors came in to tell everyone what would take place in the next hours, Michael asked all of us to step in and close the door while we had a prayer.  He, as well as the rest of us, were crying before he finished, but it was brotherly love at its best when he said simply, “God, we need you,” and choked on his words.

Michael and Brigitt both tenderly helped to reassure Chandler, the 15-year-old daughter.

Rhonda, one of Doris’ daughters, came up from N. Mississippi, along with one of her kids, to be there for the surgery.

Elisa, another daughter, and her friend, were there for most of the surgery, also.

So Johnny could look around the room and see, not only Holly’s family, but his own, as well.  All his siblings, his mother and me, and also a cousin.

I called our friend Cheryl to let her know what was going on.  Not only did she offer everything but the moon, but she called Phil, our minister, and he came, without being asked, to pray with all the family and bring his own brand of comfort and humor.

Now to some things that, in retrospect, are slightly funny but sure weren’t at the time!  When surgery was over and we were leaving the hospital, near 10pm, we were walking to our car and I tripped over a speed breaker!  If my elbows and knees had not taken the fall, my face would have hit the pavement.  This little bitty skinny guy yelled “Oh no!” and was at our side lickety split and picked me up, all ______ pounds of me.  I was in pain, yes, but you know it goes.  Your pride hurts worse than anything else!!  I have bumps and bruises and scractches and, if it didn’t hurt already, it does now!    Nobody is surprised at this.  It’s my normal thing to do!!!

Then, after getting in bed about 11:30 and falling into an, ahem, uneasy sleep, the phone woke us up at 3:30 am.  Doris grabbed it on the first ring, expecting the worst.  However, somebody was asking for me, and it turned out to be my brother’s nursing home calling to say they were sending him to the hospital due to some gastric problems!  You know that old saying about when it rains it pours?  However, turns out he was not critical, and he’s already been taken back to the nursing home.

It’s all just the drama of life.  But there IS humor, after all, in a fall that COULD have been serious but wasn’t and an extra phone call that could have really complicated the already tough situation but didn’t

Other than the heartwarming things I noted at the hospital, I have a few smiles to share:

1. Wonderful cool temperatures, in the 80s, making a beautiful weekend.
2. Lunch after church today at the PS with Cheryl, Bill, Farris and Mae.
3. Our favorite waitress, Gail.
4. The bunny rabbit that got out of its cage and escaped BEFORE all the massive trees fell in Michael and Brigitt’s yard when the tornadoes came through in June?  That bunny was not expected to be anywhere but bunny heaven by now.  But guess what.  The little scutter has been sighted in their back yard.  They haven’t been able to catch him, yet, but he’s alive and well!  How about that?

Stopping now.  Time for church, and we’ll be going to the hospital afterward.  I’ll see you tomorrow night.  May God bless and keep you.