I spent a little more than an hour with Laurel this morning. I told her of your love and support. I prayed with her, and talked to her. I also talked to her doctor. The dialysis is slowly but surely removing fluid from her lungs. In order for her to begin breathing on her own, they will need to dry her lungs out. It may be a week before they can remove her from the paralysis drugs, so she will remain sedated until then. He said that she is not out of the woods yet, but they are seeing some very small improvements in her condition.
I expressed my gratitude to them for their care, both their compassion and their skilled medical care. I am grateful for the men and women at our primary care office, too. I saw them today at my own appointment–I am flu-free but have a little asthma flare-up–and they expressed their well-wishes for her.
Please keep praying for Laurel, her father, Christian, Michael, and me. We love you, and praise God for you!
Bill MacDonald
On a somber note, TC, this year my love lies in ICU at EMMC. I will go see her. She may or may not know that I’m there, but I’ll know it. I’ll tell her again how much I love her, and that I want her to keep fighting to live. This year we will mark 21 years of marriage if the Lord grants her the healing I’d like to see happen. But if he doesn’t, then I trust him. Either way, my wife and I belong to him. THAT’s the Valentine love that matters most to us. Thanks for your post. It’s an uplift on a tough day after a tough week. <3.
Valentine’s Day was a bizarre celebration if you were in elementary or grammar school in the 60s and 70s.
I only remembered this morning about the decorated paper bag “mailboxes” we hung up in our classrooms in order to become the recipient of mandatory notes of adoration.
Along with the memory came the recollection that I hated doing that.
This event had to have been contrived by someone who sold greeting cards. It was like being in stuck in a Hallmark re-education camp run by Mrs. Hutchinson who probably deserved a Valentine’s card. Oh, and some breath mints.
Still, we forget. Not our love for that significant special person- but to buy the card, send the flowers, saying the sweet nothings.
If there was a life lesson in all that late night card signing before the big day in 4th grade it certainly slipped the mind of every man I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with in the CAOR (crowded aisle of ruins) that IS the Valentine’s Day card section at every big-box pharmacy across this great nation.
We join the mass male exodus from office and garage bay, usually late in the day on the 14th of February, right after work, while we all look for the perfect card which, by the way, was taken by one of the three guys in America who purchase a card well in advance of the “holiday.”
Add to that a good dose of shameful price gouging which arrives with several of shakes of cheap red glitter coupled with an insincere message which can be recycled year after year on subsequent cases of cards which cost $9.95 each.
Slipping a cellophane sleeve over the front of the card, in order to battle glitter-loss, adds another three bucks to an otherwise horrible poem.
Then we watch.
We watch her open her card. We smile and wait. We wait not for the hug, the kiss, the delighted look in her eye; we wait for her to casually glance at the back of the card as she wonders how much she was valued- just like we do when we get ours.
I sent flowers this year. It was far more expensive and nothing says I love you like 69 dollars flowers which could have been purchased for $11.99 two days ago.
Yes, I added the unecessary vase, red, so that the flowers can be displayed in order for others to believe I thought about this day far, far in advance.
I guess I did…4th Grade, Mrs. Hutchinson, halitosis. It becomes clear to me now.
I just want to let all the guys know I won’t be in in the CAOR this year. You boys are on your own. I’ll miss the camaraderie.
Truth be told, we should probably say the sweet nothings every day and skip the society mandated, socially acceptable trip to the pharmacy today. But only because you should have done it yesterday.
Happy Valentine’s Day. Take your love to lunch, buy them a coffee, give them a call instead of a text. Do something nice. The cards mean nothing if you don’t back it up with action.
But don’t forget the card because there is nothing we can do to save you if you don’t. Godspeed.
Be well,
Tim Cotton
Comments
- Bess Leavitt ❤️💔❤️ I can only imagine Bill –I’m sorry today is so tough. I pray you have a blessed visit with your Love despite these heartwrenching circumstances and that you see hopeful miraculous signs of progress today!
Tell her we love her too ! - Ellen McBride Praying for you as you visit today, Bill.
- Shelly Hanscom Praying for you as you visit today. My heart does truly break for you as I know how hard it is to see them there. Sending our love to you both!!
Bill MacDonald
God has rallied his people to us amazingly from our church, our families, our community, and from around the world in action, in expressions of love, encouragement, support, and most importantly, in prayer.
Mack Ames Books and Maine Moose Patrol 