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From Ken on Saturday, March 29, 2008

Wednesday & Thursday, March 19 and 20

Our good friend Jim Chesney often states that, “Time is the currency of life.”  At the end of each day, I believe we all yearn for more time…and a little more currency would be double- bonus day!

A week ago I mentioned that I would strive to do better to keep you all more up-to-date with Norma’s progress.  I find myself apologizing a second week in a row.  “I sorry!”  (This phrase used to work on my Mom after I had done something wrong when I was a little tyke, as I would look up at her and bat my eyelids at her and say, “I sorry”.  I hope it works with you too!)

Thursday, March 20

Back to Norma!  Last week I reported that we were taking Norma back to UIC on Thursday for an additional CAT scan.  We wanted to assure ourselves that all was moving in the right direction.  So Nancy, Norma and I headed downtown for an 8:00 a.m. CAT scan.  Speaking of “double-bonus day,” Norma’s appointment was “double booked” so they could squeeze her in.  She was finally in at 9:00 a.m. and done by 9:05.

Then it was on to wait for our “double-booked” appointment with Norma’s life-saving neurosurgeon, Dr. Sepideh Amin-Hanjani, which had been scheduled for 10:40 a.m.  Before meeting with Dr. Hanjani, we met with nurse practitioner Kate Walsh.  At 12:35, Kate told us the following, and this is of course in the proper priority:

1.   Yes, Norma.  It’s okay to color and/or perm your hair now!  Important stuff first!  (Oops…I forgot…Norma does not color her hair!)…Query…where do liars go? 

2.   Kate explained again to all of us that Norma, and probably all of us, may not realize how sick Norma is.  It will most likely take at least six months to recover and she may hit a plateau.

3.   She recommended we look for progress on a weekly basis – not daily.

4.   Norma needs to make short-term goals for now versus long-term goals.

5.   Most improvement will be seen in the first three to six months.  However, recovery can continue for up to two years.

6.   A build-up of fluid in the brain equates to a longer recovery time.

7.   The most important thing now is therapy (and I will add – continued spiritual therapy from all of you will always be appreciated).  We need your ongoing prayers for Norma’s complete recovery.  Thank you all!

From 1:15 to 1:40 p.m., we met with Dr. Hanjani.  THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT NORMA’S CT SCAN WAS STABLE!  It was the same as two weeks ago – no fluid build-up – and more importantly, no need to surgically place a permanent shunt!  Praise God – another prayer answered!

Dr. Hanjani also restated what Kate had told us…that recovery time is in months, not weeks.  Norma is still in the “weeks” stage.  It was also interesting that Dr. Hanjani stated that the most important thing now is time…there’s that “Time is the currency of life thing again…and patience.  Six months from now things will be different and Dr. Hanjani reinforces all this by stating that Norma is making good progress!

Please allow me to digress to address that “patience” thing.  I must admit that from time to time, I lose my patience with what we are all currently going through together.  I think to myself that it would have been so much better and easier if Norma hadn’t fallen ill.  But my impatience doesn’t last long these days because I am constantly reminded that we could have lost her all together – after all, it was a 50/50 proposition and what about the other 50% that do lose a loved one to an aneurysm like Norma experienced?  How must they feel?  No doubt, very sad…with such a sense of loss!  A void, for now, that can never be filled.

One of the get well cards Norma recently received was from our very good friends Steve and Kathy Hermsen from Appleton, Wisconsin.  Steve is our retail stores’ representative from Pacon Paper and from time to time, Steve has been known to show up on Pacon delivery day at our Crest Hill location to help us unload the truck…a very large shipment.

Picture this:  Steve’s and Kathy’s get well card has five baby chicks on the front cover of the card – all wearing sunglasses.  On the inside right, the card reads, “Thought a few warm fuzzies might help you feel better!”  Below Steve further writes, “This is a heck of a way to get me to come down and unload your truck this spring J - God Bless!”

We read the card and laughed…but wait, there is more.  On the front inside cover there is a message and it reads as follows:

            Norma and Ken,

            You are in our thoughts always.  We’ve been following your progress on your

            web site and ‘were’ glad to see your great progress. 

            On Friday, February 8^th, my mother suffered a severe stroke and passed away

            that Sunday.  I’ve been praying that she will keep you safe, Norma, and that if

            she has any connections, that she ask God to help you through this. 

            May God bless you and grant you a speedy recovery.

                                                                                    Love and prayers,

                                                                                    Steve & Kathy

Unbelievable!  Thank you so much, Steve and Kathy!  I have to ask myself how two similar events, both occurring on the same day, can have such different outcomes…and then it becomes clearer to me…perhaps both prayers were answered…just in different ways.  I believe that Steve’s Mom is strolling on streets of gold as we “speak”, and that her prayerful connections are helping to keep Norma and other loved ones here safe.  What I don’t understand is how it is determined as to who gets to go and who stays behind?  Please remember for Christians, it is not a penalty to die… but rather our reward.

The other day I took the attached photo of a sunset at the end our subdivision.  If you look closely, it appears that you can see those streets of gold!  Sunsets like these are beautiful but I believe oftentimes we take them for granted – just like we oftentimes take some of our personal relationships for granted.  I want to openly confess that after 35 years of marriage to Norma, this extremely wonderful woman, I believe you just grow to a point where you both become very comfortable just taking each other for granted…just like a beautiful sunset.  In the past, during casual conversations, I would sometimes find myself more interested in hearing about what was showing on TV or being “said” on the radio station than with what Norma was saying.  I don’t find myself doing that anymore because we almost lost her.  I find myself paying attention to every word she has to say.  I find myself drawn to her like a magnet and I love to give her hugs and touch the short hairs on the front of her head (soon they will be long hairs and won’t have the same soft, yet prickly appeal).  She looks back at me with a puzzled look, and asks me why I keep petting her head…and I tell her, “It’s because I can’t help myself”.

So, what is my message?  I believe that I (we) have been given a gift to relate with one another for now through our mutual experiences and beliefs – a chance to connect and share.  I have also come to better understand and appreciate that a caring comment is food for the soul!  We are still so overwhelmed and fulfilled by your caring comments and your ongoing prayers.