September 23, 2012 - D-05

Let me start of by thanking everyone that has helped us through all of this.  Though our trials are not yet over I want to offer you our thanks before I get busy and forget.  Those of you who know me know that, while I am very appreciative, I am not very good at thank you notes.  I always intend to write them but sitting down to do it is another matter.  If you have done anything for us, provide meals, assist with Peter, help in the yard, pray for us, anything, know that I am truly appreciative.  With my track record of sending thank yous this is a big step.  If the take them a meal website retains the information long enough I may be able to send a thank you to those who helped in that way but if you helped in any other way the record will be lost before I get that organized. (by the way, if you provided food in a non-disposable container and I have not gotten it back to you please let me know - once the food was out of the containers and they were washed I had a hard time telling what was what)

Gretchen and I had a wonderful day.  Peter went to Lake Winnie this afternoon with his cousins so I brought Gretchen up to the house for a quiet visit.  It was good for her.  For a couple of hours she could go where she pleased (as long as it wasn't down the stairs) without consulting anyone.  She almost fell at one point but managed to catch herself (her knees will buckle occasionally).  All this made me realize that, while it will be scarey for all of us, when she comes home for good this Friday we will be able to manage.  I will still be handling most of the housework (although Gretchen put some clothes away and got out some clothes for Peter for tomorrow) and cooking for a while but I am confident that allowing Gretchen to regulate her world will help her recovery.

There was one "funny" incident today.  I hadn't eaten lunch yet when we got to the house so I fixed myself something and got a bit of it for her.  Since I wanted her to relax I suggested we sit in the living room to eat (a rare thing but not unheard of).  When Gretchen finished eating she got up and went to the hall and down the hall.  From where I was sitting I could see she was confused so I asked where she was going.  She told me that she was putting her dish in the sink.  I responded that she had gone the long way because through the dining room is shorter.  Gretchen agreed and then turned toward the back door (away from the sink).  Realizing what she had done she turned around, made a comment about being drifty, and headed for the sink.  Okay, you had to be there.  But this illustrates how she is able to adapt once she is in her own environment and why I know that we will manage (as long as I hide the knives from her - I told her that).

Gretchen did go to church at Siskin today (had I thought about it I would have made arrangements to take her to church with us).  The nurses heard her sing Amazing Grace down by the nurses station so they suggested she might sing a solo at the service.  Apparently the pastor never got the word so, to Gretchen's relief, she was not asked to sing (her voice is still gravelly so I know she was self-conscious).  Her sister and brother-in-law went to the service with her (I needed to go to our church to give a report) and said it was wonderful to hear her sing with the other patients.  It is my hope that she will be up to going to church next Sunday so I can sing with her.

Peter had a good time at Lake Winnie with his cousins.  They talked him into going on several rides that he normally wouldn't consider and he loved them.  There are still a few that they couldn't convince him to try (he has his father's aversion to being upside-down) but he did have a great time.

I am definitely feeling the magnitude of what has to happen before Gretchen comes home and what will need to happen once she is home.  On my own I have no clue how I will manage everything but I know that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" (Philippians 4:13)