November 21, 2008 4:16 PM
Curtis family reunion tonight - thanks to all for your kindness!
Took Tripp to the doctor today. Also getting ready for Ben, Zach, and Sophia to come home from college. With Matt home again, this means Tripp and I will have nine of our children under our roof for a week - which hasn't happened for a few years.
Yippee!
Which is easy for me to say, but maybe more frustrating for Tripp, who is still confined to the bedroom side of the house and shuffling to the bathroom every once in a while. He has a lovely place to recuperate next to the fireplace. And thank God for our lovely rental house with master bedroom on first floor. Yesterday I had the hospital bed people come and make his bed long enough to be more comfortable - he's 6'4" and was feeling pretty cramped. I brought in a rocking chair and tried to make a nice space where people will want to hang out there and keep him company.
What a great opportunity for lots of one-on-one with Dad. Last night while I was out at VSA rehearsal with the kids, Daniel (who no longer wants to do anything on a stage) curled up next to his dad and they looked up train videos on youtube and had some real quality time. By the time I got home with the kids, Daniel was over the moon happy from spending so much time with Daddy.
Today the big endeavor was packing Tripp up in the van and taking him to the doctor. It's been a little scary how much more pain he's had than he had for the other surgeries. But Dr. K explained that when he had to remove the prosthesis, he had to use the amputation saw - yes, he used the "a" word, but looking at me rather than Tripp, quite unnerving for the Big Guy. He had to cut off the prosthesis and put a cement spacer (which he described as looking rather like a bar of soap) in between the sawed-off bone pieces. So all those little bone cells are really, really, really mad - that's not Dr. K's description, but mine :) Dr. K says it may hurt for a month.
The slightest movement hurts him. Excruciating putting on socks, for instance. I drove home on the dirt road at about 5 miles an hour. Tripp was so exhausted by this little outing that he came home and fell asleep for two hours.
We have been visited every day by one-after-another beautiful Catholic family with a string of little children bearing food and clothing and comfort. It is humbling and uplifting and terrible and beautiful to be carried by the kindness of the Body of Christ. I am reminded of the story of Elijah being fed by the ravens. God knows what the Curtis family needs and uses the hands of his people to provide.
Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. I am walking around saying Thank you God, Thank you, God, Thank you God and feeling loved and lifted up.
Ten years ago, I wrote His Little Girl - I feel like I've never grown up, and hope I never do.
Posted in Family, My life | Permalink
Comments
Barbara for so many years you have cared for so many people. I feel honored to be able to provide some help to you and your family. I am thankful I was able to give you a big hug today and to let you know how much you are dearly loved. Enjoy your family! Hope to see you again soon :)
Posted by: Margaret | November 21, 2008 5:38 PM
What a blessing to have so many of your children together! I'm sure that will be good medicine for Tripp. I hope your Thanksgiving is especially wonderful this year.
Posted by: Elizabeth M Thompson | November 21, 2008 8:05 PM
I'm glad to hear Daniel's doing better. That's great.
Posted by: Julana | November 21, 2008 8:19 PM
Wow, Barbara! I'm so sorry Tripp is in so much pain. Your descriptions sounded quite painful!! : ( Praying for ya'll!
Posted by: shawnda | November 22, 2008 1:34 PM
You are very loved, dearest Barbara. You and your entire family. Praying for all of you.
Posted by: Holly | November 22, 2008 4:31 PM
Tom Conlon is a folk artist Matthew and I really love. This post reminds me of his song "Leaning" - "I've been leaning on my friends like the arms of Jesus, how they hold me up."
Here's a YouTube clip of him performing it.
Posted by: Becky Miller | November 24, 2008 3:12 PM
