Signs and Christmas

Signs… We ask for them all the time: “Lord if you want me to do this, give me a sign… if this is the right life partner; give me a sign.”  Etc. Well I didn’t ask for a sign. A giant bird pooped on my car door, windshield, and on me through my open window!  This happened in the middle of a rather stressful day in the Publix parking lot in Key West. If I may back up to tell you "the whole story"…… Chuck and I came down to Big Pine Key to take Aunt Trudy to a routine doctor’s appointment and to a nice Christmas Eve meal. The doctor said to Trudy rather loud and fast, “How did you let this get this bad???”  I was out in the waiting room and I heard that and sent Chuck in to see what’s going on. She has an infection in her big toe and the doctor said he has to take off the nail and it will need dressing and a prescription and come back in a week for another procedure, more care, and more instructions. Poor Trudy… shots of Novocain always hurt, and then the (yikes) process of taking off a nail… and all the rubbing with red stuff and bandaging… She was a trooper. I was the white-faced care giver carrying her purse, glasses, hat, and sweater. We went to lunch at Fridays where Princess Trudy put her foot up and then to Publix for the prescription where the bird POOPED on me and I yelled, “that bird pooped on me!” Chuck and Trudy looked at me like I was the one with the brain injury… “why is she shouting?”  Later that day, I told Colleen (neighbor) the story as we watched sunset and Colleen said, “It’s a sign!!!”    In “Under the Tuscan Sun” with Diane Lane, an old lady must sell her house but she doesn’t want to… when a big bird poops on Diane Lane’s head, the old lady says (in Italian) “It is a sign!!! Sell her the house!”  Apparently it is also a sign in the Keys if you step into dog poop – it is a sign.  But I didn’t ask for a sign!!!  So I have to just wash my car and pants where the bird got me and I have to say I was in the wrong place at the wrong time… Or maybe I could attribute it to Christmas. God sent a sign of his incredible love! We celebrate his Love sign this day as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. We eat, drink, make merry, and take care of others in celebration of our gratitude for God’s gift.  Give a gift of your love today or this week in honor of God’s sign and gift to us.  

This is supposed to be a blog about Chuck’s progress. I think this is one of those slow weeks (when the loved one doesn’t seem to progressing as fast as the caregiver wants him to) that people write about in the books I’m reading. There is so much going on that I don’t think he is getting restful sleep. (I certainly am not well slept!!! I am exhibiting signs of anxiety, impatience and I need prayer). We took Aunt Trudy to Key Colony Inn for a Christmas lunch and the restaurant was so noisy, and the food was not great… and with Chuck in the back seat watching me drive over the 7 mile bridge, I think he was brain drained by the time we got home…so he took to bed for a long winter’s nap. Pray for our Chuck and for a restful and complete recovery.  He looks good and he is healthy, he just needs some time to straighten out the cognitive knots and he needs a patient nurse. Pray for patience!  Love and kisses, Merry Christmas.  Susie