One year later...

I decided that, in honor of Barry's surgery, I should post a one-year follow-up. So here goes...

• The Workers Comp doctor (bless him!) had had surgery himself with excellent results, and so he referred Barry to that very same orthopedic surgeon (bless him, too!)
• "You are getting the surgery for all the right reasons." (What the doc said when he found out that Barry wanted to have his shoulder fixed so he would be able to help me again with Coral's care.)
• One of our friends spent a year rehabbing his shoulder, so we were dreading this. But the surgeon told Barry that if he fixed the shoulder and Barry was not back to normal in less than 6 months, he would retire.
• Bright and early one morning, off we went to the beautiful surgery center across the street from the hospital (good location, just in case!)

• It is hard to settle your thoughts down while your husband is in surgery.
• What you don't want to hear after you have spent hours in the waiting room: "Your husband is not coming out of the anesthetic as quickly as we had expected."
• Thank God for the wonderful recovery room nurse who knew everything would be okay!
  

And then:

• Home again. Hubby is a very good patient. The minute he could do things for himself, he did them. He even quickly figured out how to get out of the recliner (which normally needs his right hand to operate the lever) so that he would not need to get me to do it.
• It is a strange sensation to pull and pull and pull on the long tube inside the surgery site in order to remove the empty pain pump. It feels like you are pulling out a long worm...
• The most amazing thing! After the pain pump ran out of juice, no pain! The surgery nurse, who had lots of experience behind her, had told us, "This will be 10 out of 10 pain!" Never had to use the narcotic prescription or any over-the counters, either!
• Weeks of therapy -- very successful because Barry did everything his therapists told him to do and worked hard.
  

SO...
If you go over to that surgeon's office today, you will see that he is still in business! His office walls are covered with pictures and letters from very grateful patients. And we know why! In less than 6 months, Barry's shoulder was truly back to normal, and he was back at work with no limitations.

I had to laugh one day after Barry's right shoulder was all healed up. I saw him moving his left arm all around with a very dissatisfied look on his face. I was a little worried until he said, "Now this other shoulder doesn't feel right! Something in there is popping when I move it!" Nothing like comparing the good with the better to make the good feel bad!

.

Afraid...

It is so easy to be afraid.

The story in a nutshell...
January 6 -- Barry falls on the ice at work and hurts his shoulder.
January and February -- The doctor sends him to physical therapy to see if it will mend on its own. He makes progress, but not enough. Doctor schedules an MRI.
March 8 -- Doctor says MRI confirms a full-thickness tear of the distal supraspinatus tendon. He will need surgery and is referred to an orthopedic surgeon.
March 9 -- Barry picks up the MRI films from the radiologist to give to the orthopedic surgeon, since that doc prefers to get the films and not a CD. Enclosed with them is the printed copy of the radiology report. Snoopy me, I dig it out and read it. I discover that there is also a partial tear of another tendon the doc said nothing about. I am also chagrined to see that the insurance doc also did not mention that the radiologist saw a "heterogeneous marrow lesion" in the upper arm bone that he thought needed to be checked out further with x-rays. He even said that a "marrow infiltrative neoplasm" could not be ruled out by what he could see on the MRI...
March 10 -- Barry gets a set of x-rays of his upper arm (at the radiology office recommended by our chiropractor), and he leaves the MRI films so the radiology doc there can compare the two and assess the problem. He brings the x-rays home on CD which my computer obligingly opens up for me... Yes, we can see what they are talking about--a wispy whiter area inside the upper bone just below the shoulder joint.
March 11 -- No news.

So today I was waiting.

Barry left for a very early meeting this morning. Coral stays home on Fridays, so she was still in bed. I was whisking around the house, full of anxious energy, wishing we would hear something before the weekend. The phone rang. The radiology office. They had sent the report to our chiropractor...

For some reason, the kitchen sink is one of my thinking places, and as I worked on the dishes, a familiar verse kept surfacing. I often repeat this verse, so the fact that I thought of it today was no surprise. "When I am afraid, I will trust in you." (Ps 56:3) A sort of statement. An act of the will. A decision today.

But then my conversation with God continued. Me talking, Him listening. I think He is used to that. I tend to talk more than I listen, not often a good thing! I told him how many things in my world scare me. I am afraid of pain, afraid of losing my loved ones, afraid for Coral's future, afraid of suffering... afraid of things that happen and things that might happen...

Quick as a flash, I stopped talking and listened, because He answered me! Not an answer I was searching for or thinking up. One that came and interrupted me. "Don't be afraid! I have overcome the world!" (I looked it up--Jn 16:33)

Worship is not just for Sunday mornings!

I called the chiropractor's office and wanted to make an appointment. He said he could talk to Barry over the phone. Over the PHONE?? So when Barry came home, he called. It is a benign tumor, not attached to anything, just there. And it appears to have been there for some time. We just have not had a reason to know about it.

"In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart!
I have overcome the world."
--John 16:33

I Can't Even Imagine it....Part 2

The three hikers set off in two trucks with two of the dads (Brad and Barry) along to make this happen. The hike was to start at the beginning of Segment 3 and finish at the end of Segment 4, so the plan was for both trucks to go to the start and drop off the hikers. Barry and Brad would then take the two trucks to the end of Segment 4 and leave Mike's truck there for the hikers to use to come home in, and then Brad would come home with Barry. Trent had carefully printed out computer instructions for them so they would know where to leave Mike's truck.

Great plan! So off they went, and just before he drove off, Trent said, "I'm keeping it open to come back on Monday with them if I need to. (coff-coff-hack)" And I was thankful to have a son who could make a wise decision like that even though he had been planning this extended hike for so long.

Trent was carrying Mike's SPOT Satellite Messenger which has GPS tracking. This nifty little gadget sends out automatic messages to the satellite which in turn show up on a map I can see on my computer, so I can follow their progress. It is able to send out 4 different messages. Besides the autosignals, it can send out 1 preprogrammed message which Mike has set up to say, "God is Great, Life is Good, and I'm OK!" When this message is sent out, it comes to the email of everyone on Mike's list, along with the latitude and longitude coordinates of the SPOT, and they usually send that one out at the beginning and end of each hiking day. I've never seen the other 2 messages (which is a good thing), but one is for nonemergency help and one is for 911 help. This last one goes to the emails of everyone on the list and also to the emergency rescue people in the area closest to the SPOT.

All this is very reassuring, but it can also be a mixed blessing, I've discovered!

In the case of aforementioned worrywarts like me, when the unit doesn't make satellite contact for an extended period of time, or if there is operator error and the unit doesn't send out any signals for a whole day, visions of bears swallowing both SPOT and son have been known to flit through my head!!


Barry and Brad followed the printed instructions and finally found the little cleared area in the middle of wilderness-nowhere that seemed to be the right place to leave the truck. However, they really were not sure, because the directions and the road and the turns did not match up properly. Still, there was an old weathered sign that read, "Colorado Trail, Segment 5"... So with some misgivings, they parked Mike's big white truck, climbed into Barry's little one, and bumpety-bump-bumped their way back to the main road and home.

There will have to be another installment!

Before I go...I've been thinking about this. We make wonderful plans and put all the pieces in place, and that is a very necessary part of counting the cost of what we want to do and of being responsible. But when we have done our part and yet things seem to be going wrong, God sees the whole picture, including the needs of the other people around us. He knows how to work it all out!

(To be continued.... again!)

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 12/02/2008

Snowed under, that's me... so here is a quick post just so you know I'm still here!

When Barry went to visit his mom last month, he called us every night. Of course, Coral talked to him, too, and that first evening her face was so alive and lit up with excitement that I told myself to have the camera ready the next time.

Wouldn't you know it, I had battery issues, so it was actually the third call before I was ready --
one hand holding the phone... the other one taking a picture... knowing she was not going to like the flash...
This is just a little reflection of what I saw the first night!
Total excitement and thrill in talking to her beloved Daddy!

(I wish I had counted how many times Coral said, "I miss my Daddy. I need him.")

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 09/16/2008

Barry & me
Another trip into the past!

This was taken a few months after we were married.

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 09/01/2008

In Eldorado Canyon

On Saturday Trent, Barry, and I went for another hike in the mountains. We did a fairly easy trail (that I felt up to!), and then Barry and Trent went on to do a much more difficult one. I had brought an easy-reading book for just such a time, and so they left me happily sitting on a bench looking across the canyon at this cliff. How peaceful it was sitting there in the gentle breeze! And how amazing what people aspire to do...


Look more closely...

Get out those binoculars...
I kept hearing shouts of "Wooo-hooo!" that came ringing across the valley as one of the climbers rejoiced in another few feet gained!

How small I am in the middle of God's glorious and amazing creation! And what I can see is a minuscule reflection of what He can do...

(Pictures by Trent)

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 08/03/2008

What is this?

Barry and Trent went hiking in the mountains yesterday and came back with this picture. Tell me what you think it is!

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 08/02/2008

Barry and Coral
Coral was about 5 years old.

(I wish I could remember what made them laugh that day! Actually, I think Coral is laughing, and Barry is enjoying watching her!)

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 07/28/2008

Our garden

Barry is rototilling to keep the weeds under control. He can get that thing going, and then he walks along by it keeping one hand on it to make it go straight. This end has the corn, and then on the other side there are beans, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, eggplant, collard greens, and cucumbers. We also have a patio planter (one of those ones that has some of the plants growing upside down) with peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant, as well as one section along the side of the garden where we have strawberry plants.

The beans are ready to pick, and today I got green onions and peppers for lunch. Soon the corn will be ready, too, and then it will be time to freeze beans and corn for the winter. If we have more than we can eat now, I also like to make ratatouille to freeze ready to heat and serve with rice.

There is loads of weeding to be done right now. Who can come over and help?

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 07/18/2008

THE REST OF THE STORY...

Barry & me with Doug & Heather Shantz, my pastor and his wife.
How blessed we were to have them guiding us during this time!


At the reception, Carol-Ann sang a song that she had written especially for my wedding day talking about some of the funny and some of the serious times of my growing-up days. She sang it again 5 years ago at our 25th anniversary party--what a great memory, Carol-Ann!

Because my parents were still in Liberia, Gord had a recorder ready, and he went around the reception area putting together a tape with lots of comments and greetings for them to enjoy.

(I realized much later that my mother calculated the difference in time zones, and at the exact time our wedding began, she sat in the living room, thinking of us and imagining it all, and refused to be disturbed until the wedding was over. That makes me cry!)

I got a turn, but I have no idea now what I said!

My friend Rene headed up the preparation and serving of the most wonderful reception. There was lots of food for everyone, and this was a major feat, as there were no RSVPs and no way of knowing how many would be there. Everyone attending the ceremony was invited to go downstairs to the fellowship hall afterwards to celebrate with us. The planning and preparation and work and expense and love that went into it makes me cry again when I remember. Now, 30 years later, I have a better idea of what they did for me than I was able to understand then.

No frosting on my face...

I love this picture, not because we were young or good-looking, but because it symbolizes the way Barry treats me. When he fed me cake that day, he did it with kindness and consideration, and that has been his way--every day--for the last 30 years.

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 07/17/2008

THE CEREMONY

My uncle Frank and me
As I mentioned before, my mom and dad were not able to be at our wedding, so I asked Uncle Frank to walk down the aisle with me. This was a first for him and for me, and I love the comforting way he is holding my hand!


The wedding party waiting for me
Keith was Barry's best man and traveled all the way from Colorado to be at our wedding. This meant a lot to Barry and to both of us.



After we lit the unity candle, I sang a song to Barry. It was Kenny Nolan's song, "Love's Grown Deep." Heather Shantz, my pastor's wife, did a beautiful job of playing the organ for me to sing!


The kiss
(People teased us that if they had blinked, they would have missed it!)


Here we are, Mr. and Mrs!

I was probably the most un-nervous bride ever! Not one question or doubt crossed my mind, (and it certainly helped that a lot of other wonderful people were doing all the worrying for me!)

But I know the real reason was because I had confidence that my marrying Barry was pleasing to God. Years before, I had tussled with wanting my own way on this, no matter what, but circumstances and an awful lot of prayer brought me to the point of saying, and truly meaning it, "Okay, Lord, only if you want me to!" After that, I never pushed my way forward or initiated any relationship with him, knowing that if God was for it, it was not up to me to make it happen. Oh, how glad I am to be able to say this now -- after 30 years!

(Okay, I admit there must have been just a teeny nerve somewhere, because there was that dream I had the night before the wedding...I was all dressed in my beautiful white wedding dress, sitting on a soccer ball and bouncing around in the little church foyer!!)

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 07/15/2008

It was 30 years ago today!

(I ran out of time! We are taking a half day off and going out together to celebrate. More pictures tomorrow.)

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 07/13/2008

My pastor Doug Shantz, Barry, and me

Barry and I had the distinct honor (and fun!) of being the first people that Doug married. He was understandably nervous but did such a great job. We had been engaged for two years, me living in Toronto, Canada, and Barry living in the western United States. Barry came to Canada about 2 weeks before the wedding so that we could take care of last-minute details -- like marriage counseling! Doug had several counseling sessions with us and assigned us books to read and homework to do.

It was our appointed evening for our next session with him, and I told Barry I wanted us to wear the matching skirt and shirt we had. All the dresses for our wedding were purchased in Liberia (a joint effort between our mothers). This skirt and shirt must have been bought for us at the same time, but right now I cannot remember the details about them. (Maybe someone can remind me??) We arrived at the church for our session, and ... another surprise! All the men and ladies of the church were there to give us a wedding shower!

The church basement was beautifully decorated on the theme of a "wishing well," and there was no way I could have thought of wishing for all the wonderful things we got that night. There were some very fun-loving folk in that congregation, too, and they put forth some of their very best efforts for us! (Check out the inflatable Blue Jay baseball player standing in front of the wishing well!)

Our wonderful friends filled that wishing well to overflowing and gave us an evening we won't ever forget.

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 07/11/2008

Barry and me on a trip in the mountains ~ 1976

July 15 will be our 30th anniversary, so I want to post a few pictures about us for the next week or so.

It was August, but I was freezing, and Barry loaned me his jacket. We were high up on Trail Ridge Road in the Colorado mountains, and there was still a little snow in shaded places. Besides that, I had just changed continents and was still used to tropical temperatures.

This picture was taken a few days before Barry asked me to marry him.

(Paula, Barry's sister, is on the left side of the picture.)

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 06/10/2008

Barry and me
Someone caught us being goofy!

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 06/09/2008

Daddy teasing Coral...yet again!

Coral loves having a dad who teases her constantly. He's always asking her if she wants a cup of coffee (which she is sure she hates), or if she's ready for bed (in the middle of the day), and generally makes her life lots of fun. Actually, he makes all of our lives lots of fun, even people who don't know us.

This past Friday, Coral and I had an appointment for her with her new primary care physician. Our previous one moved away, so this was a "get to know you" kind of visit. On Wednesday the phone rang, and Barry answered it. I heard him say, "You want to speak to Coral? .... Do you even know who she is? ... Just a minute..." I quickly chased after him as he was taking the phone to Coral!

"Who is it?" I mouthed at him. He was grinning from ear to ear. "The doctor's office! They asked to speak to Coral!" he mouthed back at me! He handed over the phone, and I went into apology mode. "I'm so sorry!" I told the lady on the other end. "My daughter has cerebral palsy and she couldn't possibly take a phone call like this. What were you calling about?" She said in her now somewhat frayed-sounding professional voice, "I am calling to remind Coral of her appointment with Dr. Burnett on Friday at 3:20 p.m." I assured her we were planning to be there and hung up the phone. "That poor girl probably had 20 calls to make and started with us at the beginning of the alphabet!" I scolded. But it was really so funny that we just burst out laughing. I told Barry, "As soon as we get to that office, you know that lady is going to be checking us out to know just what kind of people we are!!"

On Friday Coral and I arrived in good time, pushing our way through the door and into the little waiting area. There were two girls behind the desk. As soon as they heard Coral's name, one of them started to giggle and said, "Your husband was giving me a hard time on the phone the other day!" We all had a good laugh, and I told them, "He makes Coral's life interesting! In fact, he makes all of our lives interesting!"

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 06/05/2008

Barry and Trent catching some zzz's!

Another picture from the past! A while back I posted a picture of Coral and Daddy snoozing, so here is the matching one with Trent and Daddy doing the same thing.

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 05/23/2008

Happy Birthday, Barry!

PICTURE OF THE DAY -- 05/19/2008

Coral and Daddy catching some zzzzz's.
This Daddy's-girl thing started long time ago!

After Valentine's Day

I wanted to have this post done for Valentine's Day, but life happens, and so this didn't quite make it in time. This year will make 30 years married to Barry. I can look in the mirror and see that it has been 30 years, and yet somehow that time seems to have evaporated. We are older now and wiser (I hope!), but even with 30 extra years of wisdom, I could not have picked a better person to live my life with. After 30 years, I would choose him all over again.

I've been going through all my pictures and have thoroughly enjoyed that little journey through time. Here are a few that I hope you will enjoy, too!

THE EARLY YEARS...

Here he is with his mom and dad and older sister Martha.


Left to right: Barry, Paula, and Martha

Look at all the scabs on his face! What had he been up to? Or was it chickenpox?

A little older...


Soccer was his favorite past-time!

Barry's parents let him spend 2 weeks with our family so that we could practice music to sing at a big event in the city.
Left to right: Carol-Ann, Barry, me, Gord

Left to right: Dad, Barry, Paula, Mom (Of course, this was before they were actually "Mom" and "Dad" to me!)


Nearly 30 years ago!



A wonderful dad...



Helping Coral with her weightbearing exercises.









It's a good thing I decided to stop after "the early years," or we'd be here all day!
I love you, Barry. You will always be my Valentine.