Halloween Here at the Hospital!

Dale Carnegie I am Not

Our minister called me last night and asked if I would speak at our November 20th evening service just before Thanksgiving.  It is usually a well attended service with approximately 200 people.  Now, I'm not a public speaker.  The only speaking I've ever done were the eulogies for my parents and a close friend.  I'm a shy person.......I write but I don't talk!  But what did I say.........why yes of course.  She asked that I talk about my journey of faith and the blessings I have received this past year.  So pardon me while I stress out for awhile.  I've just got to remember to picture everyone in their underwear.  Is that OK in church?

This is what I have written so far..................any feedback will be appreciated!

BLESSINGS

When Pam asked me if I would share my blessings from this past year with all of you tonight I was immediately reminded of something my mother told me a few weeks before she passed away at the age of 91.  One evening I was sitting with her in her hospital room when suddenly, out of nowhere, she said, “Every age has its blessings”.   “ Really? I asked, even now at 91 when your body is so sick and frail?”  And without a moment’s hesitation she replied, “Why yes, because I’m surrounded by people who love me and whom I love in return.”

You know, it’s easy to see the blessings that come with great fanfare such as our first love, marriage, or the birth of a child.   But we don’t always see the blessings that come from hardship or personal struggle?  This past year I have learned much about the blessings we never see coming. 

In Luke chapter 2, there's a story about a man named Simeon. God had promised him that he would not die until he had seen the coming Messiah. Jesus was born, and eight days later when Mary and Joseph took Him into the temple, Simeon was waiting there. He recognized immediately that this was the Christ-Child, the One for whom he had waited, and he rejoiced. He took the baby into his arms, and he praised God saying, "Lord, now you are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word."

Simeon was waiting, looking expectantly, for that Child - for that blessing. I wonder how many times we have missed blessings because we were not looking with the right expectations; we were not waiting to see what God had in store for us; or perhaps we were not looking with eyes that were seeing things from God's perspective.

 

In 1956 I met my first love.  We were six years old and in the first grade.  He was the cute little boy with the shy smile sitting on the back row.  One day he gave me a Cracker-Jack ring and I gave him my heart.  Although we grew up together and graduated from high school we never spoke a word to each other the entire 12 years. 

After graduation we went on to different colleges and separate lives.  We each married and started families of our own.  Unfortunately, my marriage ended when I was 27 and despite my mother’s best efforts, which included telling me to look for a widower since according to her they tend to re-marry quickly.  Unsure as to whether I really wanted to hang out at cemeteries in order to race other divorcees back to the family car, I elected to remain single in spite of my mother’s encouragement. I didn’t find another Mr. Right but after 25 years I did find myself content if not a bit set in my ways. 

I had long since given up the idea of remarriage when the wonderful world of information technology brought me the email addresses of all my former classmates in preparation of our 35^th high school reunion.  From that a correspondence began with my first love, the boy with the Cracker Jack ring.  After 22 years of marriage he too had experienced the devastation of divorce and with this experience in common we began a correspondence.  Thinking he was still living in another state I felt comfortable with our communication until one night when he divulged the fact that he was living right here in Norman.  Insecurity soon gave way to curiosity and we finally met in person and thus began a 10-year courtship.  Remember, I said I was set in my ways.  I truly believed that I was too old for love let alone marriage. 

But like all good plans that changed when my love was diagnosed with cancer.  After what we hoped would be a successful surgery we both realized that we could no longer protect our hearts from the possibility of hurt or loss.  We could however, spend the time we have now loving one another and enjoying our lives together.  We realized that the only way to experience love is by allowing ourselves to be vulnerable.  So this past May, only 4 weeks after his second surgery, we were married in my daughter’s backyard.  He exchanged a Cracker Jack Ring for a wedding ring and I became Mrs. Ronald Phillips.

So yes, my mother was right, every age DOES have its’ blessings!

Enjoy God’s blessings. Count them one by one.  Then pass them on wherever they are needed.

How to Prepare For A Mammogram

I've scheduled mine for today at 2:00, this is just a friendly reminder to schedule your's too!  I found this helpful information on the internet,

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A MAMMOGRAM
Many women are afraid of their first mammogram, and even if they have had them before, there is fear. But there is no need to worry. By taking a few minutes each day for a week preceding the exam and doing the following practice exercises, you will be totally prepared for the test, and best of all, you can do these simple practice exercises right in your home.
EXERCISE 1: Open your refrigerator door, and insert one breast between the door and the main box. Have one of your strongest friends slam the door shut as hard as possible and lean on the door for good measure. Hold that position for five seconds. Repeat (just in case the first time wasn't effective).
EXERCISE 2: Visit your garage at 3 a.m. when the temperature of the cement floor is just perfect. Take off all your clothes and lie comfortably on the floor sideways with one breast wedged under the rear tire of the car. Ask a friend to slowly back the car up until your breast is sufficiently flattened and chilled. Switch sides, and repeat for the other breast.
EXERCISE 3: Freeze two metal bookends overnight. Strip to the waist. Invite a stranger into the room. Have the stranger press the bookends against either side of one of your breasts and smash the bookends together as hard as he/she can. Set an appointment with the stranger to meet next year to do it again. You are now properly prepared!

Living day by day

I don't know where the week has gone.  It seems the past 4 days have just flown by and I haven't had time to figure out what day it is.  When things get too hectic I have to tell myself to slow down and pay attention to what is really important, Ron and our time together.  It will be 6 months since our wedding on Nov. 7th.  I think I need to plan a little get-away for us.   Maybe a trip to Dallas.  We only have a few weeks until he takes his next CT scan.  

The Internet is an invaluable source of information right at our fingertips but sometimes there is almost too much information--or at least more than I can handle at times.  I've researched everything I can find on Ron's type of cancer and with what I've learned I have just enough information to scare me to death.  You can learn about average survival rate and what to expect next but you are always hoping and praying your situation will be the exception.  You want to be informed but optimistic and sometimes it is hard to be both.  If I go by the average survival rate of 5 years we only have 3 years remaining.  I know better than to think that way and to just live in 3 month increments.  I am always telling myself "We have today" and that's all that matters.

Too Old

You know you are too old to Trick or Treat when:

 You keep knocking on your own front door.

The Healthcare Abyss

Our healthcare system is so messed up the paperwork alone will put you in cardiac arrest.  My only advice is keep impeccable records.  My blog has actually provided me with information at times to help fight my way through the billing maze.  I recently received a denial for payment for my brother for an ER visit February 17, 2011.  I was able to find all the information I needed right in my journal to appeal the denial.  They were billing for an ambulance ride he did not take and a hospital stay when he was actually denied admission.  Sooooooooooooo keep records. Not just copies of EOB's and bills but your own hand written documentation.

Ron actually received a denial from his insurance for a bill submitted by the provider 2 years after services rendered.  The insurance company denied the claim because it wasn't submitted in a timely manner.  Ron was informed he was not responsible to pay it either.  I have a feeling this will end up being a battle.  Ron is supposed to get another CT scan from the same provider in November.  I'm betting they refuse to do it because their is an outstanding bill.  They will hold him hostage and refuse to do the scan until he pays the bill....even though under their contract with the insurance company they failed to submit according to their agreement. I can't imagine how many elderly people are ripped off just because they are unable to understand all the insurance jargon thrown at them.  It just makes you mad doesn't it?

Frost on the Pumpkin

Well, there was frost on the pumpkin this morning!  The first frost of the season for us.  Hopefully the allergy sufferers will begin to see some relief including my brother.  Mike won't have to wear his "pollen" hat much longer.  He has a ball cap he calls his pollen hat because he doesn't want the pollen to fall on his head and into his eyes.  He won't even answer the door without his pollen hat.  He says the pollen comes in through the front door and lands on his head.  I'm not questioning his theory, sounds plausible to me, but I don't have dread of the dire consequences like he does. :)  He's a character!

Mike proudly called me the other day and told me he took a shower without his goggles and snorkel.  I was quite impressed.  I think he was trying to show me he was getting better because he thought I was about to go over the edge myself.  But all is good........I'm back on track.