Amazing People

The folks here at Capital continue to amaze me. I had a woman having surgery early yesterday morning. I had intended to be there prior to the surgery, but we had talked Sunday, and with the predicted weather, she told me not to try. I offered to come out Sunday afternoon/evening, but again there was concern about the weather. She assured me a phone call would be enough.

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So, I tried to call her Sunday evening. They only have cell phones, and I realized that I didn't have her number here at home. The roads were horrible, so I wasn't going to go to the church to get it. I called someone I thought would have it, but the number they gave me was disconnected. I called her husband's cell, and there was no answer. I went to bed feeling bad about not calling. Yesterday I got a call from some friends of theirs in the church. They had gone to the hospital and been with them through the prep and wait. They had been assigned to call and let me know the surgery was over and had gone well. When I got home yesterday, there was an update on my voice mail from her husband, saying she was doing well.

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This morning she called me from the hospital. She wanted to apologize for not responding to my call. She tried to call before surgery, but there wasn't a signal in surgery. I told her I was supposed to be calling her! This afternoon I went up to see her. Her husband and their friends were in the lounge on her floor while physical therapy worked with her. We went in to see her, and she again apologized to me! We had a good visit. I prayed for her to be patient with the healing process, and for patience for her family and friends that they might gently remind her of her limitations. Her husband was chuckling beside me. As soon as I said amen, she turned to him and said, "Gently. She said gently." It was a good visit.

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I also took communion to an Alzheimer's patient today. Her son, daughter-in-law, and some friends were there. I had never met her, but they want me to do the funeral as she used to be very active in the church (then they moved her and didn't inform the church where she was). That was a good visit, too.

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I have a small potted rose and two bouquets of flowers in my study right now. The rose was a birthday gift, one bouquet was from the son and daughter-in-law of the Alzheimer's patient who came to see me last week about the possibility of doing the funeral, and one was given to me today by a woman who wanted to share her concerns/perspective with me on some committee changes we're making. I agreed with much of what she had to say, and am setting up a meeting next week to talk to to committee chairs about how we can improve things.

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Daughter spent much of the day working on filing for Administrative Assistant. Her program was closed today because the roads are still bad. The main road in front of the church hasn't been cleared yet. Our municipality doesn't do a good job of snow removal. Everywhere else I was in the area today the main roads were in good shape. I think my next vehicle will have 4 wheel drive....