Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Happy Anniversary


This afternoon I went to the nursing home for a surprise party for a couple who are celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary. Their son and daughter-in-law live out of state, and set this up after their visit a week and a half ago. This couple is amazing.

Following their marriage, his plane was shot down and was captured by the Germans. He was held in a POW camp for a couple of months. He was fortunate, as by the time he was captured the war was almost over so his captivity was relatively short. That didn’t mean it was easy for C, who was at home with their infant son.

He is a cancer survivor. Several years ago he was going in for more cancer surgery (a different cancer) when his heart stopped on the operating table. I walked into the surgical waiting room as an official came out to tell C that they were doing CPR on her husband. The next day, Easter, they told C that if he D survived, he would probably be severely brain damaged. Well, he survived, and he isn’t brain damaged. He sits in a recliner in the nursing home reading books. I always enjoy my visits with him.

Earlier this year, C decided to move out of their home and join D in the nursing home. They read their books, and when I go in we discuss politics and what’s going on in the world. They are both very content in their life together. They are amazing people, and I was honored to be there today to share in their anniversary celebration.

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