I have been asked by many concerned friends how am I doing. I think I am doing well. I have my sad feel sorry for me time, but for the most part I am OK.
I have given this some thought. Thirty-five years ago Dr John developed fluid on the brain which acted like a tumor. They thought he might die. His heart stopped many times on the six block trip to the hospital. He had surgery in Green Bay Christmas Eve. He recovered.
Eight years ago in September he went into a coma, and the Dr. called me and said he was dieing and to call my children to come home. They sent him to the larger hospital in Marquette. They told me he was a dead man when he came in. God performed miracle after miracle. It was a very hard and scary time for me, for he was never out of danger. Dr John had many challenges in the six months he was there. He went home on a ventilator, which he used at night. It took three years and help from Mayo to get off the ventilator to the Bi Pap.
These eight years have not been easy for him. We may have had longer time if we have been able to get to Dr. Wilson. He just seemed to go down hill in the last two weeks before his death. He did not want to go to the hospital and face it all over again.
The eight years might have not been easy , but he got to see his grandchildren grow up. They worked on the model trains with him. Bree shared Pigeon Falls with him writing the Co-coo song. She wrote a story for his contest. The move to Neenah brought the family closer.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I thank God for the extra years He gave us. We found a new church family at St. Marks, and friends on the blog.
I attended the weekend visioning for St Marks. We looked at our strengths. We also thought about how we would like to see the church grow. We made plans and times for the changes.
This coming Saturday I am going with a group from St Marks to Milwaukee to the museum to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit.
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14 comments:
Probably not as well as you'd like to be, but I am still holding you on prayer.
Take your time Betty. My thoughts and aloha are with you.
Good to read your update, Betty. Sometimes life is a strange mix of going through really tough times and finding things to be grateful for in the midst of it. ♥
I knew that you would do okay. Your faith is so strong - and the fact that you loved him so much meant that you did not want to see him suffer longer. You WERE blessed with those additional years - and you and he both KNEW it. I was blessed by those extra years too... as were ALL of his blogging friends! Without those years, WE would have never known him. God's work is perfect. All the time. I am so glad to hear that you are getting out, and while I knew you would get more involved in the church, I'm glad to hear it is happening.
Betty, I don't have your email addy... I only have his. Would you please email me? melli.lantz@gmail.com
Thanks!
Thanks so much for posting this as I do believe it gives so much of a positive impact on people who may be dealing with similar circumstances. Coping with the loss of a loved one is difficult under any circumstances -for sure -and it's more than understandable that you would have your times as you put it -feel sorry for yourself episodes. But the fact you are moving on, keeping things going with/through your faith -so important to the healing process. The loss factor never disappears -not completely -but the rawness does eventually tone down and allows the good memories to move in. But I'm pretty sure you're well aware of that however, a tad of reinforcement never hurts, does it?
Still thinking of you and the family Betty. My Thoughts and Prayers are with you.
We all continue to think of you and remember you in our prayers.
((HUGS}}
I've seen the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit. Take your time to view it -- it is fascinating!
Dear Betty, Thank you for stopping by and commenting. You are an inspriation to all that know and love you.
I am keeping you and your family in my prayers.
I don't think he ever felt well the last eight years and that is a long time to not feel well.
I know whatever you do now, he is with you watching over you. I feel like he is here with us, too, checking in on us to make sure we are all ok.
I am very grateful that you shared this with us. It is good to read your words. I understand very much what he went through for it sounds like the last 7 yrs of my dad..he was not to last not even 3 and yes they were very hard but it was extra time, God given time to make some connections, firm some relations and make amends to others. And with those extra yrs, he got to see most of his grandkids grow and he delighted in them...the time was not even close enough for me but yes he did suffer much physically over them and so did Dr. John...through your pain and sorrow, u can see clearly all God has given u and urs and u r grateful and happy for the gift as i'm for i too got in the bonus time. it was amazing to know him and to meet u all and i hope he knows that and u know it too. my mom still misses him like crazy but it also aforded her some freedom from the nursing that gave her rest. i hope that doesn't sound as bad as it might if taken wrong...rest now child, beautiful and wonderful wife who loved him and cared for him so much......love u all very much. xo
You are blessed and you will feel better. Just look up to the sky and smile.
We are never the same when we lose a loved one, but you have a beautiful outlook on life.
I'm praying for you as you grieve and face the challenges, and heal. Blessings.
From one who enjoyed Dr. John's blog.
Thank you for posting this, Betty. I knew Dr. John only through his blog, but I am grateful that I found it and him. Pigeon Falls was a lot of fun, as were the dragons, but I participated in the word games only once or twice. I was especially blessed by his Sunday posts.
A lot of us out here are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers. Your words help make Dr. John even more real to us.
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