Equipping the house

Dear Friends and Family,

Thankfully, we finally got out of prison, err, I mean the hospital Saturday afternoon at 4. Good thing too, cause I was about to married to a crazy woman if we didn't get home and soon. This has been good for her emotions - which by the way, are affected greatly by the medications she is on, especially the steroid, which we are now off of until July 8 - other Multiple Myeloma patients have enlightened us aobut some of these things, and how to expect the ups and downs and reclusive attitudes. Thanks for your patience and understanding. Anyway, we got a portapotty and other items as we arrived home. (I just had to throw that portapotty word picture in for all you construction folks as you try to figure out how to get one inside, and then what! ha I suppose the actual name is a potty chair so you can now get the little white and aluminum piece of furniture correctly pictured in your mind.)

The nausea continued from Friday evening at the hospital until Saturday evening at home - another request to the dr. for a px and a trip to pharmacy for suppositories seem to have finally done the trick. She has kept food and drink and meds down for 24 hours now. For that we are msot grateful.

This morning I thought I would go to the 8 am service, but we had rude awakenings about how poorly equipped and staffed we are in this house. That hospital room had nurses just a button away to help anytime I was in over my head, which at my height means considerable trouble. Here, we don't even have the button! I realized by about 7:15 I wouldn't be making it to church
today. We needed a hospital bed with a motor and rails - badly - but this was Sunday a.m on 4th of July weekend. Well the home health nurse came at 10:30 and she knew how to get things done! By 1:30 pm we had a hospital bed set up in the bedroom! What an amazing country we live in! God bless the USA!

An angel was sent by the Lord to bring us dinner last night, and again for lunch today - this angel was disguised to look and act a lot like Laura Reppart. Heavenly food was so delicious cause it was disguised as home cooking. Another angel who lives nearby had offered to do anything so I asked Angela Mallette to buy some items we needed. What sweethearts they are.

I can tell that I am going to be tied down a lot in ministering to my wife over the next couple of weeks, so be careful of offering to do anything. ONe fellow did that and I asked him toofficiate a wedding in my place, at which he immediatley began crawfishing, which I must admit I enjoyed his discomfort way too much last week and began to dig him a good bit about it. But Kim Mallette came to my, - I mean - the bride's rescue and tied the knot a week ago today. (I know I should not mention people and their acts of kindness because there have already been many and many more will come and I won't be able to mention all of them - probably because these three will cut my tongue out - no, that won't work, but they may cut my typing fingers off.

Enough of the levity - Deb and I have never felt so loved and accepted as we do by so many in our church family, blood relatives, and friends. It is humbling, but oh so very sweet. She has received over 100 get well cards (we quit counting) numerous calls, and about 60 visitors the first Saturday in the hospital. We felt so loved and cherished. Thank you. We cannot thank you enough. And then the steroids began to kick in late Saturday night, plus the further deterioration in her condition made visiting an impossibility. She did sleep a lot during those days in the hospital which is apparently just what the Great Physician ordered for my bride.
It is 7:25, and time for mored meds and a move for Deb.

God bless,

Duane for the family