Chapter 44
Thanksgiving Day started out so well with beautiful fall weather and 50 degrees of crisp air. I enjoyed coffee outside on the patio with Lonnie. It's good to have a brother you can talk to and share experiences. Lonnie has always been funny and kind and a gentle man with a good heart. We shared our faith and our dreams as we sipped our coffee that morning.
I came in and took my shower and cleaned up which took a good amount of time and considerable effort. What with the catheter bag and my weakened condition, it took a while. I dressed for the holiday in my $12 three-piece pant outfit from Salvation Army. It was the color of green similar to my hazel eyes and consisted of a loose top and pants as well as a long sleeveless coat that reminded me of something Bea Arthur would wear in her role as Dorothy on The Golden Girls. That role also reminded me of my mother.
Amber, Benjamin and Summer arrived and we all went over to Lloydine and Charlie's for Thanksgiving dinner. It was wonderful to be together with so many family members. Jesse, Jr and his family were there and baby Samuel was the cutest little guy. Lanita's son, Bill, and his family, Lloydine's son, James, and his family and her daughter, Patricia and daughter Andie were all there. It was a lovely day filled with joy and comfort and good food!
Later in the afternoon Amber, Benjamin and I went to the movies to see Master and Commander with Russel Crowe. We had been planning on doing this as soon as I had surgery and recovered enough to go. However, thirty minutes into the movie, I started hemorrhaging and had soaked my clothes and was bleeding excessively.
Amber drove us back to Mother's where I changed my clothes and layered several pads before Amber drove me to the OB Triage. Summer met us there and I was immediately put into a triage room. As God would have it, both of my surgeons, Elliot and Benevides, were on duty that evening. God is good! Dr. B even asked me, "Do you know our schedule?"
God's timing is always perfect and I received such excellent care and remain forever grateful for the public health care system for those who are uninsurable.
I continued to recover at Mother's for another week or so before I returned home. Benjamin, Amber and Summer were all wonderful to me and made my recovery easier.
When I had doctor appointments in Fort Worth, Benjamin and I would go over and spend the night with Mother the night before.
I had an appointment the first Wednesday in December with Dr. Elliot and didn't sleep well the night before. God had a reason for that. I woke up about 3:00 AM to find sparks and flames around an electrical outlet. Mother got up and was quick to turn the breaker off to the room. It's good she thought of that because I'm not sure I would have. Summer came over the next day and put in a new plug.
I had my appointment and gave Dr. Elliot the Santa painting I had been working on for him. They took the catheter out and it was decided I would self-catheter until my bladder got used to being in the proper place. I had no idea then that it would take seven months before that would happen. But you have to do what you have to do and that's what I did.
Leah took us to see Christmas lights that night and we all had a good time. I was humbled that my twenty-one-year-old niece would spend time with us. Young people seem to hang out with other young people but our Leah has always been attentive to her family.
Benjamin had a good attitude about us going back and forth from our house to Mother's but he much preferred to be home. When we were, he would invite some of his gaming buddies over and I would cook up big pots of spaghetti or soup to feed then all. Everyone liked coming to our house and I heard one of his friends say, "I love this house!"
After just missing two Sundays, I was back in church for Ed Young's new series Cribs. I sat beside my friend, Juanita, who was in the singles class and she said Jesse sang a special that morning. I quit going to the class myself. Most of the ladies were looking to meet men, not to have lady friends to hang out with.
I came home the next day and it was nice not to have to sleep with a catheter. I was grateful for my family and for my friends who helped me get through 2003. Stephanie's mother was visiting and they invited me over and I had my first glass of wine in over three weeks. Amber came in about 10:00 from work and she and I sat talking in front of the fireplace. I didn't have real firewood but Benjamin had gathered up fallen tree branches and they burned just as well. It comforted my heart to be home with my two youngest children.
Monday morning, I drove over to Fort Worth and was at the clinic by 7:45. Dr. B was running late because his son was ill but I was so happy to see him and give him the other Santa canvas I had painted. The one I did for him was a jolly red Santa because I knew he had young children. Dr. Elliot had grown children so I painted an old-world Santa for him.
Now that I was recovering so well, I didn't stay in Fort Worth but drove right back home. It was an especially lovely day and I loved hearing the wind rustling the dry leaves on the pecan trees, kids laughing as they played hide-and-seek in the neighborhood and the sounds of birdsong in the air. I had potato soup cooking on the stove and my heart was overflowing with the goodness of God in blessing me with all these good feelings.
Amber moved out on Monday, December 15, 2003. She was so excited and I was happy for her. Leah had given her a huge sofa set along with lamps, tables and mirrors. Her dad helped her move the furniture with his truck and other of her friends helped her set up the apartment. I went over late that night to see it and I loved it. Great apartment in a good location. Things are always changing. Nothing stays the same, nor should it. Not only things change, but we change with them.
