Nothing is usually quite that simple for my husband, since he prides himself in having taught many health care professionals a thing or two about medicine. We used to groan each time he'd see a new "ologist" and had to fill out a medical history. I finally typed it out, along with the medication list, and the forms now say, "See attached."
The family teases about Scott being the bionic man. Due to a motorcycle accident in the 70's which cut his military career short, he had a left leg, below the knee amputation, and wears a prosthetic. They also added a metal rod to his left thigh which can wreak havoc with metal detectors. Nothing seems to dampen his "wicked" sense of humor, however, and he's used the leg to get a rise out of unsuspecting people by having his son, Steve, pull off his shoe, only to have the leg come with it. Scott always thought this was hysterical, even though the observer's reaction might have been utter horror!
The medical care he received at Madigan Hospital in the 70's also left him with a permanently broken left arm, which he'll wiggle at the drop of a hat, just to show what two bones look like that should be connected, but aren't. The more grimacing he gets in response, the better he likes it.
After 57 years of smoking, he finally quit in 2008 after having five-way heart bypass surgery years before. He finished out 2008 with an abdominal aortic aneurysm and heart attack, followed by a year of congestive heart failure and more heart stints. Not surprisingly, he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from smoking and now has only one-third normal lung capacity, requiring oxygen 24/7. At one point he claimed that all the complications in 2008 and following were because he quit smoking; he was just fine before that! (Not)
It's been a while since Scott's had a surgery, so needless to say, he's a bit apprehensive. Whether it was due to apprehension or his desire to start the new year with solid family relationships, he's had wonderful conversations with his children in the last couple weeks. He spent time with my daughters this past weekend, is enjoying his grandchildren immensely, and is looking forward to grandson Addison's 7th birthday party this Saturday. Add to this, the fact that Scott and I had a heartwarming conversation last night about our walk with God and how we both want to work together for greater understanding and participation in a church family, it's all good. It simply proves that what sometimes feels like dark hours can lead to the greatest light.
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