The Day After 4/26/2013

I wasn’t planning to write today, but after so many of you wrote such wonderful comments supporting us yesterday, I just had to say a heartfelt thank you.  When I published yesterday’s post, it was with such a sense of relief that  I was a little afraid to begin reading your comments.  Would you understand, or would you think “Those Hortons have really lost it this time!”  I should have known better than to worry.  My post yesterday was like writing an important letter to a friend, and that is exactly how you responded – as friends.  You were so supportive, so warm, so exactly-what-I-needed that I’ve read and reread your words several times today.

There is nothing more anxiety-relieving than sharing a burden with a friend.  Even if nothing is said in response, it’s just such a lift to talk about what’s on your heart with a caring person.  And when that caring person responds with just the right words, your relief is doubled.

Thank you so much, my friends.

Never to Late to Say Thank You

When Bear and I were working Monday at Phoebe Putney Hospital, we visited with a waiting room full of folks in oncology.  Most of the people are waiting for friends or relatives to return from their chemo or radiation treatments, so we chat with them and let our pet partners work their magic.

As we worked the room, my eyes kept being drawn to a handsome gentleman sitting alone with his Kindle open in his lap.  He seemed really engrossed in whatever he was reading, but he took a moment to pet Bear and tell me he had a Labradoodle at home.  We moved away, but I kept thinking “I know that man from somewhere.”  It finally dawned on me who he was, but to be sure I asked someone, “Isn’t that Dr. ___?”

She nodded yes.

I had to work up my nerve to interrupt him again, but I finally approached him, and as he glanced up, I said, “Dr. __?

He smiled and said, “Yes?”

“I apologize for interrupting you, but 34 years ago you operated on my son Blake’s eye.  He had been bitten by a neighbor’s dog, and the dog’s fangs had split Blake’s tear duct.”

After Dr. __ stitched the tear duct back together (he later told us it was like working on something with the diameter of two human hairs), he treaded a suture through the top duct and out the bottom one, tying it off in a knot that remained a little below the corner of Blake’s eye for six weeks.  The doctor told us he did that to keep scar tissue from forming inside the duct.  If that had happened, tears would have never drained properly, and Blake’s eye would have continuously watered for the rest of his life.

“I just wanted you to know that Blake’s eye is perfect, and he’s never had any problem with it.”

The doctor smiled.  He apologized for not being able to remember.  He said we got lucky then with Blake because many dog bites to the eye end badly because of scar tissue.  He told me he was retired now, and I said I didn’t know that.

We chatted a few more moments, and then someone in a nurse’s uniform called, “Dr. __?”

He rose.  “Thank you so much for telling me about Blake.  We don’t usually get to hear what happens after we last see someone we’ve tried to help.”

He held out his hand to shake mine, and it was then I noticed the hospital bracelet on his wrist.  He was not there to pick up a friend or family member; he was there as a patient.

Saying thank you is such an easy thing to do we sometimes take it for granted.  But sometimes, it just might make someone’s day.

A Few Pics

Bear, giving his full attention to a middle school reader at one of our local schools.

Crabapple tree berries and birds – they just go naturally go together.

From our trip to Ormond Beach last weekend. Matthew’s in there somewhere!

Sprinting for the finish line.

Proud G-Daddy! Matthew was 38th out of almost 500 runners of all ages!

Our sweet boy.

Gorgeous day at the lake today. All our windows are open, we had a high of close to 80 – but no humidity.  Perfect!

Two weeks from tomorrow we will be leaving for Mackinac Island, and  WAIT – YOU AREN”T GOING TO BELIEVE THIS . . . . I haven’t packed a thing!  I figure on Monday panic will strike, I’ll pull out all the suitcases, and the countdown will begin.  Until then, here’s a little video one of my reader’s husbands found.  The first part is about Mackinac Island, and I know you will love it!

Oh . . . one more thing . . . no more scheduled posts.  They might pop up two in a row (like yesterday and today), once a week, or every day (LOL).  So it’s even more important to hit that little “follow” button so you will get a notification email when a new post hits. 

Oh . . . one more thing . . . a big THANK YOU to Clark Bloswick for capturing this breathtakingly beautiful pink moon over Mackinac last night and the header photo of the Round Island Light from the air.  Two more weeks, Clark, and I can stop stealing your photos . . . or not.

Oh . . . one more thing . . . Love you ALL!

Mackinac video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_FiquoSPBI&sns=em