the scoop

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." ~Aristotle

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Fun Fact

Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, incorporated his initials into the drawing of Homer.  M is his hair, and G is his ear.

Sunshine and Daffodils -March 19

Yesterday was a much better day.  I don't apologize for the last post's tone, as it was accurate to the day.  But yesterday was fresh and new, and Ian was MUCH better.  Praise God.

He has both chest tubes out, spent most of yesterday breathing on his own, is off sedatives and pain meds.  He still oozes nasty from his trach but he is able to cough to get the stuff out, so that's a step in the right direction.  He is physically weak - I watched him get cleaned up and he had to be rolled and held in place to clean his back ... but there is still movement and strength in all his limbs.  His eyes and face look better, and I'm PRETTY sure we got 3 smiles out of him: one when Audrey went in to see him, one when one of the Nica guys said something fun (I wasn't in the room but saw them all laugh) and once when I told him it was time for his bath, but that his nurse was not hot (Frank got a big chuckle out of that).

Today I am going to get some things done around the house and town.  This is key:

That woman in front of you in the grocery store with the spaced-out look?  Her husband could be in the ICU, fighting.  That other woman with the screaming toddler who is writing a check? could have lost her wallet in the accident.  That impatient driver behind you who honks and swerves out around? could be desperately trying to see his mother one last time before she passes on.

You have NO idea what is going on with the people you encounter every day.


Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. ~Plato