Sunday, February 9, 2014

My band of angels

Looking back on the two weeks since Art's "health scare" we feel exceptionally fortunate. Through the most stressful time, friends in Arizona and Washington as well as family supported us. Art went to a local doctor on Monday and was pronounced doing well and very lucky to have a wife who knows CPR. His blood pressure meds are still being adjusted, since he was taken off the diuretic that likely contributed to his low potassium level, and he will have one return visit in six weeks, just before we leave for Sedona and home. On Tuesday he visited the pacemaker clinic. The tech reviewed  his readings over the previous week, since he'd left the hospital, and found no heart irregularities. Art was cleared to remove his sling, drive, bicycle and pursue his ordinary activities while he "takes it easy" for the next six weeks. No cardiology appointment was needed. Amazing!

Yesterday the first notification arrived from our HMO in Washington. The semi-private room is covered. Hopefully so are the ambulance, the ER, the ICU, the angiogram, the echocardiogram, the multiple EKGs and blood draws, and the procedure to insert the pacemaker/defibrillator. I guess we'll get a bunch of "okay, we'll cover this" forms over the next few weeks. How wonderful to have insurance.

Last weekend I wrote a note and left it on the door of the fifth wheel where Scott lives. He's the fellow who applied the AED to Art. I asked him to give me a call to fill me in on details I've forgotten about what happened. I haven't heard from him. That's probably just as well. We need to move on rather than continuously looking back on those minutes of our lives.

Art's daughter Melissa drove from San Diego this weekend for a visit, and his daughter Laura flew in from New Jersey. They wanted to check out their dad's condition for themselves. One day we went to the Southwest Desert Museum...


This is a javelina - looks like a pig but is actually a peccary. We see them in Arizona in the wild as well as at the Southwest Desert museum.

...and the next we walked and ran in Sabino Canyon. Actually, Art and I took the tram to the top and walked halfway down, caught the tram back up to the top and rode it down. Mel and Laura ran to the top and back. They arrived back at the car well before we did.


Each of these daughters lived with us when they were going to school years ago. I have known them both for over 20 years. They are like my own. Such a fine time we had in the Arizona sun!

We have been participating in a Monday group called "Reimagining God". It's a spiritual exploration of sorts. Today we went to a progressive Methodist church we attended once last month. The guest speaker was an Islamic imam from Seattle, and we stayed for discussion afterward. We look for the spiritual similarities rather than the religious differences. I've been saying for a couple of years now that we are all in this together, and the explorations and events of this winter are confirming that.

I think about my friends in Seattle and elsewhere. I am in touch by email, phone and Facebook. I see my friends in Tucson often, since most of them are less than a five-minute walk from our little home. I feel surrounded by my band of angels.

18 comments:

Linda Reeder said...

It's so good to hear that Art will be fine and not need continued medical intervention. Being able to resume normal activities is a wonderful gift.
You talk about your angels, but you are his.
I love the sense of serenity with which you close this post. You are a master of so many things, including reflection. You are in a good place, I think largely because you create that good place internally and externally.

Terra said...

I am glad you two are back to enjoying activities again, and surrounded by a band of angels.

Anonymous said...

Nice to hear about the health condition of Art is getting well. All of our prayers will make it good.
He will get well when he sees his daughters, that is nature.

DJan said...

I'm also glad to hear that it's all behind you now, and the pacemaker should keep any further events from happening. Linda said it all: you are Art's angel, and you pretty much made sure he didn't turn into one himself! :-)

Rosaria Williams said...

So glad to hear Art is recovering well; and that you are both back on a normal schedule. These things happen; and we have to be resilient and positive.

Out on the prairie said...

Sounds like Art is on the mend well. I didn't know they had a shuttle in Sabino, used to hike into there a lot.

Deb Shucka said...

What a lovely reflective piece. You sound happy and exactly where you need to be.

Grandmother Mary said...

Bands of angels get us through. Glad Art is well.

Olga said...

I believe everything happens for a reason...even if that reason is not immediately obvious. I do admire the reflective take you have on your experiences. As always, a good reminder for me to keep myself on my search for meaning.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

Just this morning I was telling my hubby your story, prompted by the fact that the store's speaker was playing "Stayin' Alive." It's nice that you were visited by Art's daughters, who could provide a little support for each of you.

Dr. Kathy McCoy said...

OMG! I'm just now starting to get caught up in blog reading after a six week hiatus to finish my book on time! I'm so sorry that Art (and you!) had such a health scare. I'll go back and read your previous blogs to catch up on the details, but am so glad that things have turned out well for him and that you're back to exploring and enjoying Arizona.

Bob Lowry said...

You and Art have made some important friendships in a rather short amount of time in Tucson. It is so comforting when others are concerned for our well being and actively look out for us.

Friko said...

I have just read all three posts on this subject. You were extremely quick-thinking and brave too.

Well done Linda.

Good luck to both of you. I hope you won’t need your skills again, but if you do, I am sure you will cope admirably again.

Madeline Kasian said...

Very glad to hear all the good news.

I love your idea of sharing spiritual similarities vs. religious differences.. it is also how I approach spirituality.

I trust your time in Sedona will be awe inspiring and the rest of your time here in Arizona will be as relaxing AND invigorating as you had planned..

Dee said...

Dear Linda, I'm so happy for Art and you that he is recovering so wonderfully well and that you both live in gratitude. It seems to me as I age that we need to be centered within gratitude. Whether that be for insurance or family or support or the fact that our heart beats steadily and well. You do, indeed, have around you a band of angels. Peace.

Sally Wessely said...

Linda, your ability to create support systems is an art I've never seen in others I know. You create these systems to support others. It gives me joy to know you have this great band of angel around you.

It is good to hear of Art's great progress. What a miracle.

Kathy said...

I'm very glad that art is doing so well and that you have your lovely band of angels to support you, Linda.

Tom said...

Like all the others, I'm glad things worked out and you're back to a more normal life. Sometimes it takes an event like this to make us all realize, as you said, "we are all in this together."