Week 4 Begins

Greetings to all.

I continue to feel a little better each day. A routine has become established for my days. Up with Peggy around 6; dress, take pre-breakfast medicines, Beth arrives and fixes breakfast, take post-breakfast medicines, read the papers, nap ... well you get the idea, nothing too exciting. Which come to think of it is as it should be. Looking out our front window a good portion of the day I am reminded of the Hitchcock movie, Rear Window, with Jimmy Steward. I can report that things in Mulberry are much more quiet than in the New York of that movie. Although, last Saturday was town clean up day and I was able to wittness a parade of trucks and trailers taking trash to the dumpsters at the end of the street. My neighbors have been looking out for me and took my contribution to the dumptsers. Great town, Great neighbors! Thanks be to God.

Thank you all for the cards, visits and phone calls. They are appreciated.

Peace,
Mike

Every Day Is Better Than The One Before!

We went to see the surgeon again today, and it was a very brief appointment ... which is wonderful! He said Mike is doing great, that his strength and energy will continue to get better every day, and he'll see us again in four weeks. Good news all around. He has been watching Mike very carefully, and the fact that we don't have to go back for four weeks is a great sign in and of itself.

Mike does continue to get better every day ... he enjoyed taking a walk in the sunshine with Beth today. He has been having more visitors, and he really enjoys seeing people. He is very grateful that people are remembering him in their prayers, with their calls and visits and cards. It is amazing how important these things are ... I have made a pledge to myself to be better in the future about such things ... they truly make all of the difference in the world.

Thank you for your continued support. We have the greatest family, parish, co-workers and friends we could ever want. We are humbled by your love and support. Peggy

Doesn't he look great?

We got outside for a bit today ... he walked all the way to Max & Sarah's driveway!! Tomorrow perhaps all the way to the end of the street ... Now if it would just get a little warmer!!

I echo what Mike says (below) - it has been a wonderful Easter Sunday ... a bit out of the ordinary, but lovely nevertheless. We continue to be buoyed by the cards, phone calls and visits. As a matter of fact, I think the visits are very important in keeping up Mike's spirits, so if you are nearby and feel the urge, stop by!

The top picture is from inside - our fireplace which has been turned into a card display area. It's really cool to see! Happy Easter to everyone and thank you for your continued interest and prayers. He gets stronger every day! Peggy

Christ is risen

Happy Easter!

What a beautiful Easter day. For the first time in over 50 years I did not celebrate this glorious day in church, but I felt the presence of the Church throughout the day. Thanks to the people of Gloria Dei for the wonderful breakfast and tape of the service. Thanks too to Rob and Chris for bringing communion to Peggy and me.

Somedays it seems I make no progress, but looking at several days together I can see that in truth I am getting stronger as the weeks pass. Thank you all for your continued prayers and visits.

Peace,
Mike

I Believe In Miracles

That song, "I Believe In Miracles" keeps playing over and over again in my head this afternoon. Mike had a chest x-ray and blood work done today, followed by an appointment with the surgeon. When Dr. Kolla came in the room he said he had had to look at the x-ray three times to be sure he was, indeed, looking at the heart of Mike Crawford. He said he even double checked his patient number and matched it against the xray. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. For you see, what he saw, he told us, was a healthy heart!! He shook his head and said, "I don't understand!"

Well, we do. It's called a miracle! All of your prayers and positive thoughts have brought about this miracle, I have no doubt! I know that God is full of surprises, as I'm sure many of you have heard me say, but I guess Dr. Kolla doesn't know that!

He said he wants Mike to come back again in two weeks - then he said, kind of as an aside, that he usually doesn't see his surgery patients until 6 weeks after surgery but that Mike's case was so severe he wanted to keep a closer watch on him. I think he wants to see him in two weeks just to be sure the remarkable recovery is still happening. It will be, I'm sure. I believe in miracles!

So, on a more mundane level, Mike is getting stronger day to day. They took him off of several of the pills he has been taking this week, so he is very happy about that. He is sleeping better at night and eating good meals, so the energy will come back soon ... one day at a time. Many thanks to Beth for her excellent care this week, to Jackie Frey for the delicious dinner she brought by, and for the continued cards and calls and visits - they are wonderful!!

So, Easter has come early to the Crawford household. I will have a hard time keeping a Good Friday state of mind tomorrow because my heart is singing the praises of our awesome God! Thank you all again for raising such a ruckus toward heaven that God could not ignore. I believe in miracles -- each and every one of you is a miracle in our lives. Praise be to God! Peggy

One More Thing ...

I forgot to mention that Ellie is coming home tomorrow for the weekend. Yea. Can't wait to see her! Peggy

We've All Got Our Jobs To Do

I went back to work Monday and Beth took over the home care very ably. Mike is doing his job of resting and healing. We're all doing our jobs! Mike slept well last night for the first time, he said, so he felt better today. He is still very weak and tired and his voice sounds funny, but he is slowly getting better. He goes to his regular doctor tomorrow and the surgeon on Thursday, so it will be good to have them check all of his numbers and see how he is really doing. My concern continues to be making sure he gets enough calories (while watching fats, salt and counting carbs) to start gaining back some of the 30 pounds he has lost since February. He is trying hard to eat well, but has little appetite.

As for me, I'm pretty swamped at work - we have a Holy Thursday all school prayer service this week, and I'm directing the next Kairos retreat April 21-24th ... so I am very grateful to Beth for being here so I don't have to worry about Mike while I'm at work.

Hopefully one of these days Mike will feel like blogging ... in the meantime, he really appreciates all of the calls, visits, cards and prayers. Thank you so much for caring! I'll report again after we see the surgeon on Thursday. Peggy

Sunday Musings

It has been raining here in Mulberry all day ... pouring, really. Quite a contrast to yesterday, which was sunny and beautiful (to celebrate, Mike walked the length of the driveway twice with me). I think it is supposed to snow tomorrow. That's Indiana for you! Mike and I have been enjoying a nice, quiet day together ... again. We really do enjoy just hanging out together, so the past week has been rather lovely. Probably more so for me than him ... he has the hard job these days.

He is doing very well and continues to make great progress and to be very patient with his slowly healing body. He still naps a lot, but he is keeping up with his breathing exercises and walking and taking all of the pills. We've been reading, watching movies together, doing crosswords (of course). I'm actually not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow -- I really do feel like I have had a spring break - it has been a very simple, peaceful existence, especially over the past three days. I hate to see it end. Beth is coming to be with Mike while I'm at work, so don't worry, he will be well cared for.

I asked him if he wanted to write something on the blog today; he said yes, but now he is snoozing, so I guess not. I'll mention that we had a wonderful visit this morning from Pr. Steve Rye who came by and read the Passion with us, sang a song (what a great voice!!), said and prayer and was on his way. It is one of the moments I will remember from this journey ... there have been so many such as that - so many kindnesses and graces (I'll mention two others from yesterday: Brett coming over and visiting with Mike while I went to the grocery, and Brenda and Pete Weflen bringing by a fabulous vegetable soup and some spaghetti which we will probably have for dinner tonight)! God is good! Even when it is rainy life can be very sunny. Thank your your continued concern! Peggy

It's good to be home

First day at home. A new wonderful routine. Woke up in my own bed. A short commute to the bottom of the stairs. Followed by a day of rest. A marathon is three times around the circle of living room, dining room, kitchen and hearth room. It's tiring but it feels great to be tired from exercise and not a tired heart.

I am so grateful for the thoughts, prayers, cards, and visits from so many people. I thank God for you all. I'll keep you posted on things as they progress. Mike

He's Home!!

Thanks be to God!! It was a long and arduous process, of course, (I got to the hospital at 9 a.m. and we arrived home at 1:30 p.m.) but he is home and doing great. He pretty much slept all afternoon, but it was in his own chair in his own living room! Life is good.

It took me over an hour to sort out the huge number of pills he has to take every day and put them into some order so I don't forget any of them ... but I did it - I'm entitled to an honorary pharmacy degree now, I think. I have no idea how doctors and pharmacists keep all of the drugs straight, but thank God that they do!

Mike got the go ahead to climb stairs, so tonight he will be getting a nice warm shower and sleeping in his own bed. Isn't it amazing how we take such luxuries for granted? We Americans are so blessed, aren't we?

So, I guess I continue in the "grateful" mode tonight. There was literally an army of people who contributed to getting him back home again, from doctors, nurses and hospital staff to each and every one of you caring so much for the two of us. I am awe struck and forever grateful. Thanks be to God!! Peggy

Home Thursday ... If All Goes Well!

If all goes well tonight and the doctors get the numbers they want to see in the morning, Mike will be coming home tomorrow! He had another really good day today ... he's getting up out of the chair and bed on his own now, and took several walks - he even tackled the stairs! He said that was a little scary. I think our stairs at home will be less formidable - they are nice and wide and not too steep - we are both confident that he will do fine on them.

So everything is looking very good, and I look forward to having him home (and being able to be home myself). If you are thinking of visiting, I think waiting until the weekend is a good idea; he will need a couple of days to recover from the trip home -- that is always more exhausting than patients think it will be.

Our hearts are full of gratitude for the wonderful people at St. Elizabeth's and The Care Group. They couldn't have been more helpful and supportive and brilliant! God has truly blessed us in this journey so far and I have every confidence that will continue to be the case. Your prayers have made sure of that!!

Maybe tomorrow I can get Mike to blog a line or two ... we'll see ... Peace! Peggy