Continued self-involvement..........................

Since I have taken this week to be selfish, I thought I would share another hospital story for today's post. I think you might enjoy it...

As I told you, I ended up staying one more night than I had mentally prepared for, and was more, more, more than ready to head for home. As soon as the nurse took the IV out of my arm, I was dressed and packed up in under five minutes. An hour later, I was still waiting, when the lady came to clean my room. To help her out, I moved out into the hallway with my little bag, and took my hunched over posture with me. After waiting for another ten minutes or so a nurse tech finally took pity on me and found a wheel chair to take me downstairs in.

For whatever reason, as we entered the lobby of the hospital I started tearing up and told the tech, "I can't wait to see my husband. I missed him so much." The poor thing, what can she say but, "How long have you been married?" When I replied, "Almost seven years," she really didn't know what to say. She came up with, "Is this the first time the two of you have been apart for over night?" When I replied, Oh no! We always take seperate vacations" (she didn't know about the business), I am sure it confirmed to her that I had had to much medication.

Now to the best part of the story...

By this time we had made it through most of the lobby and I could see (my) Mister sitting in the cab of the truck. Yup, that's right, just sitting there. I am sure the tech was expecting him to be waiting impatiently, pacing, throwing things in anger, I don't know, but he was just sitting there! She had me through the revolving doors and onto the sidewalk before he noticed and got out of the truck. What are the first, loving, devotional words out of the man's mouth? "Oh! I didn't recognize you." Is it any wonder that when I declined the offer of further assistance from the tech she was back inside the hospital in record time? She probably went right to my chart to read what the psychological work up said about me.

Thinking later about the reason for the tears (besides the drugs in my system), I decided that it had nothing to do with lovey/dovey/gushy/ love. The other times that we have spent extended times apart, we had prepared in advance and and figured out ways to stay connected. It isn't like we didn't stay connected this time, after all, there was a phone in my room. Like the time I told him I would call him at 7:30 on Thursday morning, and read the clock backward (20 minutes to 4 am). He didn't get angry or anything, just said not to worry about it and went back to sleep. Isn't that just the sweetest thing?

The lesson to be learned from this story?

It isn't about the grand jesters, or how much a gift costs. It's the little considerations, the putting the other's feelings ahead of your own, that makes the strongest connections in relationships. Do these things for your loved ones every day of your life and you are sure to turn heads as you blubber your way through the hospital lobby after your next operation.