March 16, 2004

It’s 6PM on Tuesday night. Josephine is happily jumping up and down in her bouncy chair and Scott has finally settled down for another nap. We are glad to be home but we were a little concerned this morning when it seemed Scott’s left eye and forehead were more swollen than we had seen yet. He also seemed to be experiencing some more “confusion”. We called Dr. Chandler and his nurse Mary Ellen explained that this was totally normal for the swelling to peak at about three to four days after the surgery. Hearing this relieved our worries. Since we’ve been home Scott’s been trying to rest and manage the pain and our expectation is that after today the healing process will get easier with each day. One of the joys of today was that Scott got to take his first real shower and wash his hair!! Mark that off your prayer list! He was getting a little grizzly.

I want to share a story that testifies to my husband’s character and Gods grace. On Sunday morning, as I got ready to go to the hospital, I was feeling very sad and discouraged. I tried to shake it and pray through it and rationalize it away but I wasn’t very successful. When I arrived at the hospital, Scott was also having a difficult morning due to the pain. We were a sorry lot. Soon after I arrived, his nurse, who I hadn’t met yet, came in to check Scott’s vitals. I asked her if Scott had shown her pictures of Josephine yet. (He had shown everyone who entered his room!) She sat down on the sofa to look at the pictures and began to tell us about her own two teenage children. They were each going through a difficult period of teenage rebelliousness and depression and she was struggling with feeling responsible. We listened for a while and then Scott asked if we could pray for her. She welcomed the invitation. We sat down beside her and began to pray for her and her children. Soon the tears started to fall as God was lifting her spirit and strengthening her! When we finished, she was so grateful. After she left I realized that my spirit had been lifted and strengthened too! In that moment God had shown me so many different things. I was reminded about the way he cares for us through caring for one another, His sovereign control over all of this, and how in the end it’s not about us but about Him. I wouldn’t have had that experience if it weren’t for my husband who, in spite of his pain, took that opportunity to pray for his nurse. I hope this letter doesn’t embarrass him (because I’m bragging so much) but he is my precious gift from God and I’m so proud to be his wife.

Thank you for continuing to care for us with your prayers, help and encouragement. Thursday is the day we get the pathology report and learn what we need to do from here.

God Bless You,
Michele