Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Nice People

Some people in mundane jobs are nicer than others. I've had the not so nice before but today I found a nice one.

I've probably bored you with knee pain complaints since the end of February. (I know I'm bored with it.) I've had four injections with no change. I called my doctor yesterday for an appointment and got the general appointment line. The woman gave me an appointment time for mid July. I told her about the pain and asked for something sooner but she said "no way" and sent me to the voice mail of one of the doc's assistants. I explained everything to the invisible person on the other end (ie.pain, shots ended, etc.) She called this morning when I wasn't available and talked to Husband. He isn't as pushy as I am and got nowhere. She said the doc wants to see me when the injections are over if I'm not better. WELL? She said she has nothing to do with making appointments.

Let me digress. When Son-in-law who knows him and works with him asked for him to see me, I saw him in less than a week. Hmmmmm?

I called the clinic once more and was sent to another assistant's voice mail. I gave her my info and just asked for her to call so I could speak to a real person. Then I called the appointment line and that's when I met Jeff, the nice guy. He, too, couldn't give me an earlier appointment than mid July but he said, "Let me check the west side." Lo and behold there was an opening the end of June. A little better although still far into the future. He even said he could put me on a wait list. However, the list is long for cancelled appointments. Still, he offered and tried where the first woman didn't.

I'm sure these people get patients who want to be seen NOW, just like me. Maybe they aren't as calm as I tried to be and maybe they push and curse and cry (which I was tempted to do) so they do the best they can and let it go. But Jeff offered more and I appreciate that. He even gave me directions to the west side clinic.

When we were hanging up, I thanked him and gave him a compliment about his service. His humble answer, "I'm special." He is.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Homes

Our company has gone home. While they were here, they worked to clear out the garage and make it livable. They took two pieces of furniture we needed to get rid of and would have had to find these pieces a home.

We loved having them here but are glad to be able to get back to the task of making the house comfortable.

The past few months has been the most stressful time in our married life. I've asked God many times if He accomplished anything in us during these months. At times I was sure we should have gone to Amarillo instead of staying here. When some health issues came up for both of us, we were thankful that we had medical professionals who know us to care for us. For that reason we thought maybe we had made the right decision.

The week we moved in we were overwhelmed with unpacked boxes. I sat and looked at the mess and knew there was no way we could ever do it all ourselves. That and some other stresses (a knee that is bone on bone and requires using a cane and pain pills to move around) caused a physical response that put me in the hospital over night. But Someone came to our rescue and although He came in the bodies of six women, I know our rescuer was divine. These women unpacked all our boxes, put things away and cleaned the furniture that had been gathering dust inside PODS.

Without all the boxes we were able to begin putting things in order. But the garage remained a mess.

California Son and his wife and son came to our rescue. (God comes in many disguises, doesn't he?) By the time they left this morning the garage was such that we could get our van in, a work table and tool bench had been put together for Husband, and empty boxes and trash removed. They drove away with their SUV filled to the top and pulling a full trailer--all items we wanted them to have.

Now we await our new living room furniture. This afternoon the window lady will come to help us with window coverings. We wanted her to come earlier but she had to leave town. When she comes today, the furniture will be in place, which is as it should be when we make our choices. Tomorrow, next Monday and Wednesday will probably be the last of the deliveries we will have until the window coverings come in.

When we needed help, the help came--at the exact right time. The move has cost us in many ways but we look forward to what we will do and finding out why we are here.

Have we learned to trust God more? I hope so because I have a feeling we will need that trust for whatever is coming. God doesn't put us into class just to have something to do.

Our family has gone home. The furniture they took now has a home and although this house doesn't quite feel like our home yet, we are ready to make it that.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Grace When We Need It

We're in the house and mostly unpacked. Just a little more organization to be totally livable.

One of my daughter-in-laws and I talked this morning. The fact came back to me that God gives us the grace we need when we need it. Not before. Worrying about what might happen is fruitless because I don't have grace for that. But if--IF--something does happen, the grace will be there.

Comforting and at the same time, a little scary.