Surgery on "Frankenfoot" Day 196

Dear friends,

It’s kind of strange to be going back to Albany Med for another surgery (albeit a minor one). Tomorrow Smitty will return to the OR where he spent many an hour, and have some of the hardware removed from his right foot. All of his other metal stays in – elbow, tibia rod, internal femur fixator - but for some reason some of the foot screws and pins have to come out. Bob the Builder (Dr. Bagchi), who is better acquainted with Stephen’s bones and joints than anyone (save the Great One), will once again put him out, cut him open, and fix him up. He’ll also be doing a manual shoulder manipulation, in an effort to break up the scar tissue in Hercules’ busted (now healed) shoulder since physical therapy hasn’t been able to budge the blasted thing. There is a risk of rebreaking the shoulder, so your prayers are appreciated. He has to be at the hospital at 5:30 AM for a 7:30 surgery. He’ll take all of tomorrow and Wednesday off, and barring any complications it’s back to work on Thursday. I told him when he gets home it will be Vicoden all the way (although knowing him he’ll try to get by with Advil), and feet up and lunch on a tray. We’re going to watch the season finale of 24 together (on tape) so don’t give away the ending before tomorrow whatever you do! Jack Bauer will no doubt save the day for the last time (until the movie comes out). Anyway, it gives my sweetie something to look forward to besides a sore foot and a really sore shoulder.

Bought my first watermelon of the season today at my most frequented grocery store, Aldi’s. $3.99, and the fruit was firm and sweet. Double yum. I also purchased a pint of blueberries in honor of Judy W. (and they were the cheapest I’ve seen them this year). Ah, summer. Stuff on the grill, corn on the cob, potato salad, ice cream… The ocean, the sky, the heat, the thunderstorms, bare feet, hot seats in the car, baseball, summer tomatoes… It’s a million miles from November, even though November is never very far from me. The seasons change, and it’s the ultimate metaphor for living. God satisfies our need for variety and sameness, using the rhythm of the seasons as the vehicle. Just when we need to get out of winter’s grip, spring peels back that season’s icy fingers, and summer takes the baton from spring. Over the many moments of sorrow these past 6 plus months, I have had to remember the changing nature of life. Nothing lasts forever. Night becomes day again, thank God. I’m grateful beyond words to the Great One, who was with me on the floor in that crummy bathroom at Albany Med when no one else could help me. He continues to stick with me when the long arm of consequence again entangles my soul. And the wave passes. It will no doubt return, but I’ll never ride out any storm alone. All of you, friends, have been in the boat with me right along. I say it all the time, but only because I mean it so profoundly. Thank you.

Well, we’re getting up with the birdies tomorrow, so I’m thinking it’s time to sign off. I read something today I’d like to leave you with. Sometimes when I write these blogs, I share the spiritual stuff I’m struggling to understand. More importantly, that I’m struggling to live by. And it occurred to me that, like the writer of this quote, I risk being a hypocrite. His words helped me greatly:

“I often call people to a life I am not fully able to live myself. I am learning that the best cure for hypocrisy is community. Hypocrisy is not so much the result of not living what I preach, but much more of not confessing my inability to fully live up to my own words.”
Henry Nouwen

If I haven’t done it already, let me confess to this community “my inability to fully live up to my own words”. But more than anything, I want to. And even though I am weak, the truth remains the truth. Thank you for being a friend in my weakness. Love makes us grow strong.

Your friend on the pilgrim road,

Loriann