The best and the worst of the gifts!

I lost my first wife to cancer 45 years ago and I was left raising two young sons alone.  One morning after our church service this attractive red head walked up to me and introduced herself.  It turned out I knew her mother, sister, and brother.   Several months later we were married in the same church.  That was 43 years ago.  

About eight years ago we were out in a remote area in the Rockies when she had a  kidney stone attack.  The local ER doctor gave her pain pills, explained the stone would pass, and sent us home.  During the night I woke to find her on the floor in pain and nearly unconscious.  I called 911 and the ambulance had to come nearly 30 miles out in the mountains to get her.  Twice on the way to the hospital they had to stop to resuscitate her.  When we got to the ER the doctors said she was in septic shock and beyond hope.

Not willing to give up, I called an air-evac service and had her air-lifted 60 miles to a larger medical center where the doctors again said she most likely would not survive.  But one trauma specialist wouldn't give up on her and convinced a surgeon to temporarily bypass the stone.  Meantime the stone and septic shock had blocked circulation to my wife's legs causing her to need bilateral amputation.  I slept by her side in the hospital room every night for six weeks before she was released.

Even though on bilateral prosthetics, she cooks, does laundry, and sews beautiful handbags, travel totes, bridge card holders, pot holders, and microwave cozies. 

When I wake during the night or early morning I reach out to find that she is still by my side and I thank God for that.  We will both turn 80 years old next March.  

We have two very special things we do together.  For all of the 43 years I have brought her first coffee in bed every morning.   And most days we celebrate what we call 'merlot time', sharing a glass of wine and snacks in the late afternoon, many times on our patio or deck with neighbors from around us.            

The Keeper said:

My worst Christmas gift was a suitcase for my 18th Birthday. A suitcase? Really? I never traveled so why would I need a suitcase? Always wondered if it was a hint to move out of my parent's home. My favorite gift was a daughter born on December 2nd. Yes, it was early but she was our first child and it was fun at Christmas time.

Keeper, I did get a suitcase one Christmas also, but it was from my grandmother just after I had received my college acceptance, so It was good.  

We used to have a saying "Here's your hat and coat.  What's your hurry?"

And now we remark about famiy members, "We're glad to see them come and glad to see them go'.  

I had an aunt who lived past 90, and spent her last several years with dementia  in a home.  She would send a Christmas card with a $10 bill.  But then when they read her will, she gave me $300k.  Not complaining at all.

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