Still Waiting

People are asking me, what happens now.....  We Wait.  But while we wait, life is normalizing.  Slowly but surely piles are be sorted, lists are shrinking and tasks are being checked off.  You  can't imagine how long it takes to catch up after being gone off and on for almost three months, then down time due to illness.  Dick is back into his routine; the county commission is perfect for him.  He loves it and is so good at it; in fact, he is vice-chair this year.  But when 5:00 rolls around, he is done, both of us are grateful to have early evening.
One of these days, we will get a phone call from Fairview telling us that they have a heart.  When that happens, we will get on a plane and fly to Minneapolis.  Once we are they, doctors will prep Dick for surgery and a final decision will be made as to the match, and if everything lines us, Dick will get a new heart.

Dick tending his roses the summer of 2003

I really think both Dick and I needed this extra time to heal.  It is really nice to get up in the morning, kiss Dick goodbye and welcome him back home at the end of his day.  He is able to take cat-naps and go to bed early at night.  It will be wonderful for him to have his new heart and be able to add a few more things to his minimal schedule.  He loves to help me in the garden....  it will be wonderful to see him tend his roses, bar-b-queing a family dinner, taking Scout for a walk to the park or doing any of these "normal" life opportunities.   You don't know how precious little things are until you can't do them....

No Call

It is early in the AM on the third of January and to tell you the truth, I have been kind of down in the dumps; we wait and wait for the phone to ring but there is no call.   Dick has his first place position only until January 5th, then will drop down to the normal waiting list where he will wait his turn, which could mean months or possibly years.
His pace maker is wearing out and he has till March to get that changed.  Changing the unit will involve surgery, so if a heart could become available he will need neither the pacemaker nor the surgery, which would be a really good thing!
This is almost surreal;  a heart should come sometime. but. not knowing makes me feel as if it is not going to happen.  I know Dick thinks about it a lot too but there is absolutely nothing we can do about it except Trust God.
Looking back over 2010, it is obvious to both Dick and I the enormous amount of grace we has received this year,     Dick's heart failure, stroke, shingles and my back surgery and health issues .....  it is amazing that we have survived it all!  I look forward to the day when we can have all this behind us; please pray with me that this will be soon.

Love to each of you in this new year, Mary