Linda's Health

Below is a summary of the issues Linda has been having with her health.  I will plan on putting any updates I have on Linda or Jodi here so I don't spam everyone with emails.

At lunch I took some ibuprofen cuz was getting headache - from heat I thought.  It began again in the evening.  Woke me up in the night several times cuz it's an unusual pain, not headache, but under my eye socket.  This morning it occurred to me that maybe it's an infection in my tooth, so I started taking the antibiotics Saba gave me.  Haven't felt too good today.  The pain seems to be moving down (now along jaw), so hopefully the antibiotics are beginning to work.  They told me that if I started taking them, I needed to take them all, so I'll be on antibiotics for 10 days at least.  Hopefully it will help.

I'm wondering if I might be allergic to amoxicillin, the antibiotic Saba gave me for my tooth.  I just looked up side effects and it says tingling.  I've been having these patches of really tingly skin - eyebrow, hair line, scalp - and headaches that the 600 mg of Ibuprofen don't help.  I'd stop taking it, but the endodontic told me to take it all once I started.

I started taking the antibiotic because I thought I might have an infection in my tooth.  When I looked up symptoms of tooth infection, I didn't have any of them - fever, odor from mouth, etc.  Maybe I should stop taking it and see what happens.

Linda went to the doctor.  So, I told him everything about my tooth, taking the antibiotics, the burning/tingling pain.  Basically it sounds like I fried a nerve in my brain.  :)  He had a name for it that I didn't understand (and should've asked him to write, but didn't).  He said there's a nerve that affects all of the areas I pointed out - eyeball, hair, ear.  He said I should wear a hat since I'm thin on top.  I think it happened last Friday when we were out a lot around noon time - I told you she'd walk from the shade of 1 palm tree to the next.  That's when I first noticed the tingling.  He gave me a prescription for Lyrica.  I'm to take 1 at night for 5 days and then take 1 in AM & 1 in PM for 5 days and then go back to see him.  I looked at the info inside & the first thing it's used for is this type condition - neuro something; then epilepsy; then anxiety.  I knew I'd heard it advertised before - probably for the anxiety.  Anyway, the office visit was about $66.  the prescription was about $20.  I was SO relieved.  I've been completely flummoxed by this.  I thought I might have shingles - and then wondered whether I'd get to hold Adela.  So now I just hope this medicine does the trick.  He said I should notice a difference in 7 days.  It's really pretty crummy.

Turns out I have shingles.  Little bumps and blisters on my face.  Went to another dr. (local one) and paid another $25 for office visit (which was great - he wasn't in office but someone summoned him from his home to see me) and $100 for medicines.  I was thinking that I should check into motel, or even come home, but both doctors have assured me I'm not contagious unless someone comes into direct contact with my blisters.

Saw eye doc.  Thorough exam - $80.  She gave me a prescrip and wanted me to see dermatologist cuz thought dosage of shingle med should be higher.  Derm changed prescrip to stronger one - $100.  Another $100 or so of meds.

7-21-12 Update

So Mom's really not doing well. She woke up with her eye swollen shut this morning. She's worried about her eye. She went to an ophthalmologist yesterday and the ophthalmologist told her to go to a dermatologist (to check out what the family doctor in our neighborhood had prescribed for the shingles- she didn't think he prescribed a high enough dosage). Anyways, so she saw two additional doctors yesterday and got her medicine revised (again). And woke up this morning with her eye swollen shut. She thinks it's from the eye drops she got. She also has a lotion she's putting on her blisters. So pray for us. We're not really sure what we should do, if anything (maybe just wait and see if the medicine works for now, I guess)

Sack Lunch

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation.

Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. 'Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time . . .

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base.'

His friend agreed. I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?' 'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class.

This is your thanks.'

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand and said, 'I want to shake your hand.' Quickly unfastening my seat belt I stood and took the Captain's hand.

With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers.

As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little.

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.'

Saying Grace in a Restaurant - Priceless!

Sometimes we forget the really important things in life.

Last week, I took my grand-children to a restaurant.

My six-year-old grand-son asked if he could say grace.

As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good, God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Nana gets us ice cream for dessert. And liberty and justice for all! Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, my grand-son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"

As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job, and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table.

He winked at my grand-son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."

"Really?" my grand-son asked.

"Cross my heart," the man replied.

Then, in a theatrical whisper, he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally, I bought my grand-children ice cream at the end of the meal. My grand-son stared at his for a moment, and then did something I will remember the rest of my life.

He picked up his sundae and, without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good already."

The End

I love this story!
Please keep it moving.
Sometimes, we all need some ice cream.


I hope God sends you some ice cream today!

HARLEY MECHANIC & HEART SURGEON

A mechanic was removing a cylinder-head from the motor of a Harley motorcycle when he spotted a well-known cardiologist in his shop.

The cardiologist was there waiting for the service manager to come and take a look at his bike when the mechanic shouted across the garage.

"Hey, Doc, want to take a look at this?"

The cardiologist, a bit surprised, walked over to where the mechanic was working on the motorcycle.

The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked, "So Doc, look at this engine. I open its' heart, take the valves out, repair any damage, and then put them back in, and when I finish, it works just like new. So how come I make $39,675 a year and you get the really big bucks, $1,695,759, when you and I  are doing basically the same work?"

The cardiologist paused, smiled and leaned over, then whispered

to the mechanic.....

"Try doing it with the engine running."

I spent the week before my daughter's June wedding
running last-minute trips to the caterer, florist,
tuxedo shop, and the church about forty miles away.

As happy as I was that Patsy was marrying a good
Christian young man, I felt laden with
responsibilities as I watched my budget dwindle .. .

So many details, so many bills, and so little time.
My son Jack was away at college, but he said
he would be there to walk his younger sister down
the aisle, taking the place of his dad who had died
a few years before. He teased Patsy, saying he'd
wanted to give her away since she was about three years old!

To save money, I gathered blossoms from several
friends who had large magnolia trees. Their
luscious, creamy-white blooms and slick green eaves
would make beautiful arrangements against the rich
dark wood inside the church.

After the rehearsal dinner the night before the
wedding, we banked the podium area and choir loft
with magnolias. As we left just before midnight, I
felt tired but satisfied this would be the best
wedding any bride had ever had! The music, the
ceremony, the reception - and especially the
flowers - would be remembered for years.

The big day arrived - the busiest day of my life -
and while her bridesmaids helped Patsy to dress, her
fiancé Tim walked with me to the sanctuary to do a
final check. When we opened the door and felt a
rush of hot air, I almost fainted; and then I saw
them - all the beautiful white flowers were black.
Funeral black. An electrical storm during the night
had knocked out the air conditioning system, and on
that hot summer day, the flowers had wilted and died.

I panicked, knowing I didn't have time to drive back
to our hometown, gather more flowers, and return in
time for the wedding.

Tim turned to me. 'Edna, can you get more flowers?
I'll throw away these dead ones and put fresh
flowers in these arrangements.'

I mumbled, 'Sure,' as he be-bopped down the hall to
put on his cuff links.

Alone in the large sanctuary, I looked up at the
dark wooden beams in the arched ceiling. 'Lord,' I
prayed, 'please help me. I don't know anyone in
this town. Help me find someone willing to give me
flowers - in a hurry!' I scurried out praying for
four things: the blessing of white magnolias,
courage to find them in an unfamiliar yard, safety
from any dog that may bite my leg, and a nice person
who would not get out a shotgun when I asked to cut
his tree to shreds.

As I left the church, I saw magnolia trees in the
distance. I approached a house...No dog in sight..
knocked on the door and an older man answered. So
far so good. No shotgun. When I stated my plea
the man beamed, 'I'd be happy to!'

He climbed a stepladder and cut large boughs and
handed them down to me. Minutes later, as I lifted
the last armload into my car trunk, I said, 'Sir,
you've made the mother of a bride happy today.'
 
No, Ma'am,' he said. 'You don't understand what's
happening here.'

'What?' I asked.

'You see, my wife of sixty-seven years died on
Monday. On Tuesday I received friends at the
funeral home, and on Wednesday . . . He paused. I
saw tears welling up in his eyes. 'On Wednesday I
buried her.' He looked away. 'On Thursday most of
my out-of-town relatives went back home, and on
Friday - yesterday - my children left.'

I nodded.

'This morning,' he continued, 'I was sitting in my
den crying out loud. I miss her so much. For the
last sixteen years, as her health got worse, she
needed me. But now nobody needs me. This morning I
cried, 'Who needs an eighty-six-year-old wore-out
man? Nobody!' I began to cry louder. 'Nobody needs
me!' About that time, you knocked, and said,
'Sir, I need you.'

I stood with my mouth open.

He asked, 'Are you an angel? The way the light shone
around your head into my dark living room...'

I assured him I was no angel.

He smiled. 'Do you know what I was thinking when I
handed you those magnolias?'

'No.'

'I decided I'm needed. My flowers are needed. Why,
I might have a flower ministry! I could give them
to everyone! Some caskets at the funeral home have
no flowers. People need flowers at times like that
and I have lots of them. They're all over the
backyard! I can give them to hospitals, churches -
all sorts of places. You know what I'm going to do?
I'm going to serve the Lord until the day He calls
me home!'

I drove back to the church, filled with wonder. On
Patsy's wedding day, if anyone had asked me to
encourage someone who was hurting, I would have
said, 'Forget it! It's my only daughter's wedding,
for goodness' sake! There is no way I can minister
to anyone today.'

But God found a way. Through dead flowers.
'Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the
way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes
the difference.'

If you have missed knowing me, you have missed nothing.
If you have missed some of my emails, you may have missed a laugh.

But, if you have missed knowing my LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST
you have missed everything in the world. !!!!

May God's blessings be upon you.

THIS IS SO TRUE, BEING NEEDED IS SO UPLIFTING TO EACH OF US.

  This story is too beautiful not to send...