Roy is Hospitalized

The lobby at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital

After beginning my day yesterday at the usual 4:45 AM, working my six hours at the office, picking up Emma and Chris and playing all afternoon (with the help of Adam and Emily and Boppa), taking them home, coming back to our house and designing an anniversary card, hottubbing with Boppa and being all ready to sink into bed at 9:55 PM and sleep soundly, the phone rang! It was Nana calling from a Med+ Center on the SW side of Grand Rapids. She and Roy had been out to dinner with some friends over in Zeeland. Nana said the restaurant was overly air conditioned and midway through the meal, Roy started shaking all over and couldn't stop. He said he wasn't feeling well. They were supposed to go over to these same friends' house to play games after dinner, but Nana insisted that they go home instead. Driving home, Roy was shaking terribly, he pulled over one time to puke (pardon my rudeness) and then was shaking so hard that he drove right through a red light (with no unfortunate consequences) -- at which time, Nana demanded that he pull over and let her drive. They arrived safely at Roy's and their neighbor, Jan and husband, drove them to a Med+ Center. Roy had a fever, much swelling in his legs and after x-rays were taken, they were told he had pneumonia. At that point, Nana was hoping for the best -- that he would be given medication and be allowed to go home. At 11:00 Nana called back. She and Roy were enroute via ambulance to Butterworth Hospital. So Roy was admitted, and after spending 4 hours in the ER there downtown, he was finally in a room. A cot was wheeled in for Nana, where she spent the night.

When I got to the hospital this morning at 8 a.m. Roy was looking perky and Mom was encouraged that his color was better. However, he was hooked up to every imaginable machine and was feeling a little discouraged. I guess Roy has been very blessed with good health his whole life, and so being sick like this is very unusual for him. I had noticed that his lips looked dry and he was kind of licking them to moisten them. So I looked in my purse for some lip gloss, and all I had with me was a cherry flavored AVON chapstick. I gave it to him to use for his lips. I really did not realize that it comes out quite red when applied! So poor Roy put a bunch on before I turned around and looked at his very red lips and told him he might want to wipe it off! He laughed and said he was just "getting all gussed up for the nurses!" He is the sweetest fellow, this Roy of Nana's. I'm not kidding. He doesn't complain. He is very strong. He is extremely kind. He treats people with respect. He has a charming sense of humor. He humbly walks with God. I think my step-father is pretty special! The docs are keeping him at the hospital for a few days so that they can figure out the edema in his legs, get the virus under control, and make sure the pneumonia doesn't progress.

I drove Nana back to Roy's so that she could launder his clothes from the night before. I left her there, drove back across town and picked up my three little kiddos, played here at the house and at the playground, delivered them back to Diana at 2:00 and then drove back to take Nana over to the hospital to be with Roy. In the meantime, Roy's son David drove up from Chicago and he spent some hours with his dad at the hospital while Nana was at their house doing laundry.

I had been concerned last week when I had talked with my mom on the phone -- she seemed to very stressed out about moving into Roy's house, and terribly worried about all of the little details of where her clothes were going to hang, how were her dishes going to fit in the cupboards, etc. etc. I was beginning to get annoyed with her about it! I was hoping Roy wasn't feeling like mom was having regrets! Sometimes we women are too honest with our thoughts, and I think sometimes our husbands just need a break! Sometimes maybe we should just keep those thoughts between us and the LORD, do you know what I mean? But then today when I was with Roy and mom, I saw such love between them. They talk sweetly to each other, tease each other, kind of "play" together, like teenagers! Honestly, I have never in my life seen my mom demonstrate such tenderness, such compassion, such joy in being with anyone! They are the cutest thing! Nana packed a small bag and is prepared to spend the next few days downtown at the hospital with Roy.

It is 8:00 pm now, and although I am tired, it has been a thoroughly good day. Do you know why? Because I know that today was spent serving my family, doing what the LORD intends for me to do with my life, and so although I did not get some "stuff" done that I had intended to do today, I feel deeply contented! Thanks, LORD, for your great kindness in allowing me to be Your servant! Pray for Roy's recovery, please!