Book Review ~ Jungle Warfare

Just finished reading Jungle Warfare, A Basic Field Manual for Christians in Sales by Christopher A. Cunningham. Don't you love the title? I do!

I'm not in "sales" per se, but every Christian needs to realize that when we are serving Christ we are in a War. This books spends 22 days developing a "battle plan" of action for the Christian salesman/woman. This book takes a 1941 Jungle Warfare manual and portrayed an excellent plan of action for the Christian. As an example, on Day 19 we are told to "Pray for Your Enemy". The basic field manual lists what to do when you meet an enemy and then goes on to list the scriptures that tell us to love our enemies and pray for them. I won't disclose how to pray for them. That's for you to read the book. This book serves as a fine pocket manual on how to carry ones self in the dog eat dog world of sales and how to win the battles that vocation (and most any other) throws at us. It's size makes it perfect for the brief-case or purse. I highly recommend it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Through a Glass Darkly

I Corinthians 13:12 ~ For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Like traveling in a rain storm being drenched on the windshield. It's like looking through a carnival glass. You can "see", but the images are distorted and the landscape is as odd as to be indiscernable from the road.

Such is life at this moment.

My mother in law has been the strongest women in my life. Mom stands very tall even in comparison to my own mother who told the doctor, "I will go home." And strutted in the door to die quietly in her bed within 48 hours.

Around six year ago Mom had a hip replacement. In the midst of her rehab she developed MRSA and ended up in a nursing home receiving IV antibiotics for a period of time. But, she came through well. Went home and spent the next few years in her chair with all but a scepter ruling her family from that chair. She drove to church and to the Dollar store and hid the times she fell or hit the garage door or otherwise did things she knew we would find troublesome. She complained when we didn't visit or call and often complained when we did. Her bitterness at her widowhood grew and her frugal living grew also.

Four years later during a visit with my son she revealed a horrific accident that resulted in some serious damage to her leg. In her desire to "hide the evidence" she developed cellulitis. Serious stuff when it comes to connective tissue and nerves. The leg was painful from there forward. Stubbornness has a price.

In May of this year (two years since that accident) she decided that the pain in her knee was worse than the pain in her hip, so she consented to another knee replacement. While we were not comfortable with the surgery, as she seemed frail to us, we knew it was her decision to make, along with the surgeon. We also had her 99% convinced in light of falls and whatnot that she should move in with us at the completion of this surgery.

Her surgery done and two pints of blood later, we had the good fortune of her going to Bridgewater Retirement Community for her rehab. She worked hard, complained much and was released to us in 21 days. In our "new" home, bought just for her, with TV and phone, she went through 3 more weeks of in house therapy. Her attitude became more and more combative as time went on. At the time we thought she could settle in here she announced she was going home. No consideration for the amount of money we had spent, were spending and were locked into spending she insisted on going back to her home. My dear husband in his prophetic wisdom said, "give me the name of the nursing home where you want to go. In six weeks you'll be there." Boy was she mad. I can still see the anger in her face and set of her jaw. Henry took her home that day. That very day. That was June 28th.

July 28th Henry and I were visiting a sister in Christ at a local nursing home. We received a call that Mom was in the ER in Winchester. Over the next days the story would unfold. Winchester had experienced a bit of a wind storm that had blown limbs out of her trees. The temperatures were in 100's, so even though she "complained" to both her sons, they both said it was too hot to be outside and that we were ALL staying inside. Not mom. On that Wednesday we spoke with her at 9:45 a.m. Our Missy spoke with her sometime before or after and she told her, (not us), that she was going outside to pick up sticks. As near as we can tell, she made a walk around the house and about 5' from the back porch steps she either: fainted or had a heart attack. Either way she lay in the sun for approximately two hours before a mail carrier came early and happen to see her blouse waving in the wind.

For five days she languished on a ventilator after arriving with a fever in "far excess" of 105.8, (doctors estimate 107), with third degree burns on her legs, a septic UTI, second degree burns on her stomach and a heart that was now working about about 30% it's capacity. Her life hung in a very delicate balance. But, when she decided to awaken, she did. Much to the surprise of the CCU doctor she awoke with no serious brain damage (though some continues to unfold), and willing to "get on with things".

On August 9th my husband had a knee replacement. On the 11th Mom came back to Bridgewater for rehab. Things were looking up. The doctors had already told mom she could not go home, so she had settled herself with the idea of coming to live with us. We were getting reacquainted with the idea and she asked that I bring things to our home. I loaded up my car and hauled personal items from her house to mine in expectation that on August 31st she'd be heading back to our house. Ahhhh, but not so fast...

August 21st we were celebrating Henry's birthday. We'd visited Mom that day and she seemed down a bit, but okay. At 6 p.m. we received a call that she was running a high fever and was not in her right mind. I spent the next 7 hours with her in the ER. She was admitted with a UTI. After careful examination it was determined she probably had cellulitis in her burn areas of her legs. On August 25th she had a debriding of her legs. A pic line was inserted on August 26th. On her 84th birthday, August 27th she was headed back to Bridgewater. Within fifteen minutes of her arrival a phone call from RMH informed them that she was a "C-diff" suspect (clostridium difficile) and should be in isolation. The move was traumatic for Mom. The test results were never provided so after her symptoms were alleviated she went back to her room. Once again we hoped she was on the road to recovery.

Bridgewater had nearly become her home. She was happy there, loved her caregivers and had settled in with the therapists to get better and come "home". Two of her great-grandsons were with us that week, so she was able to see them every day and was happily coming along.

Then... betrayal....

On Labor Day we went to see Mom. She didn't quite seem herself. She was moody and seemed tired. Henry left with a thought to her getting sick again. She had had some blood in her urine and had told the nurses.

3:00 a.m. the call came. High temp and delirious. Admitted with another UTI only this time.... this time it was VRE. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci. If you have never heard of it, don't worry. You will. It is the equal to AIDS. Perhaps worse than AIDS. AIDS has some political backing to keep the pariah attitude somewhat at bay. VRE has no political backing and creates fear in the heart of every "better" nursing home in the nation. Treating the VRE resulted in another case of C-diff and here we are. Bridgewater called to tell us there was "no room at the Inn". Neither was there "room" in any of the top three. From there it's down hill.

Meetings resulted with doctors, nurses, social workers. Learning of the chronic natures of these dis-eases. Learning that Mom's quality of life was quickly going out the window. Learning more than I ever wanted to know.

The end isn't here. Everything keeps going on and on and on. Mom's tired, we're tired... it's a never ending circle. Yesterday, when she was to be released to the nursing home of no one's choice a blood clot was discovered in her pic line. So she has a reprieve. Four more days in the hospital.

Through a glass darkly is becoming more and more a watch word for all of us. As people of strong faith we are now beginning to ask the "whys" and the answer is "through a glass darkly". Who knows? God knows. All the rest is just walking through the valley. Not stopping, not placing blame, not sleeping, not resting. Just walking. Walking through a sea of doctors, nurses, government bureaucracy and social workers. Walking.

I think I need new shoes.

God is Great, God is Good

And yes, while I thank Him for my food, that is not all,by far, that I thank Him for! Our latest "big" thanksgiving is two fold.

The husband has been planning his knee replacement and on June 28th when he went in for his pre-op for his July 28 surgical date. His EKG came back awry. Very awry. Awry enough that they scheduled him for an immediate echocardiagram for the next day. On June the 29th, even though he "passed" the echo, the cardiologist stated he'd "like" to have a stress test to be sure. Because we were leaving for Annual Conference the next day his surgical date was pushed back to August 9th. Henry and I were very upset about the date change.

There is so much about the Universe of God that we neither know nor comprehend.

Well, the stress test came and went and he passed just fine. The rest of the tests were done, chest x-ray, blood work, meeting with physical therapy and all the rest of that stuff and the August 9th date was confirmed. We asked about "cancellations" for July 28th.

God's timing is perfect. We, on the other hand, are not.

This past Wednesday... July 28th .... we had our Bible study at church ending at 11. From there Henry and I went McDonalds and had a salad and then went on to the Harrisonburg Rehabilitation Center to visit one of our nursing home folks before I had an allergy doctor appointment. It was about twelve-fifteen when we entered the home. As we visited with Sue and talked of this an that, the cell phone rang and it was my brother-in-law, Steve.

At the same time a woman named Teresa was on her regular mail route. The mail was light that day, so she was running an hour or so ahead of time. She pulled into my mother-in-laws drive, where we had moved her mailbox so she wouldn't have to cross the road. She put the mail in the box, put her car in gear to pull away when something in the breeze caught her eye.

Mom was on the ground, unconscious, barely breathing when Teresa found her and stops breathing while she is with her. Her fever exceeds 106 degrees. Her heart stops just after the squad gets there.

~~~

What timing. What perfection. A surgical procedure postponed. A woman is early in her regular rounds. A rescue squad comes just in time. Two "errors" converge to effect both families. The third timing effects all those involved.

~~~

Now mom isn't out of the woods yet, by any means. She is just today off the ventilator. She still cannot communicate and she may never. Her mental damage is unknown at this time. We don't know the future. But, God sure does. He proved that quite neatly. Had the EKG been fine and my husband been in the hospital having surgery he would have been miserable not being with his mother these last days. By being early, this woman allowed her children and mine to see their beloved Nanny for, perhaps, the last time.

This is no "cosmic joke" or "coincidence" ~ This is God's PERFECT TIMING. If all this isn't the greatest example of why NOT to WORRY, I don't know what is.

A week from tomorrow. Husband's surgery. I'm sure the timing will be perfect.

Forty Seconds

So much has happened in the last several months that it's actually hard to compose it all or even to process it all. The Advent season was a blur in that it was spent in preparation for one event or another ~ the Live Nativity to leaving for Haiti left very little time for much else. Leaving for Haiti on December 28th was cause for confusion. After packing several suitcases we learned that only two were allowed and no more could be purchased either. That left us short on OTC that we planned to take along for clinics. But, it seems God knew that already and while in the country several clinics were rained out. In fact, we left behind a number of suture kits and antibiotics and a plethora of other items to be used at "some future time". They were... in a rescue operation ... days later.

Bringing in 2010 in Haiti was wonderful. Two full days of worship and singing and celebration for God's blessings in 2009 and expected blessings in 2010. The Haitian people have nothing but they sure have hope and faith that makes me feel little in comparison. Though I had some kind of foreshadow with this trip, I was never more glad to have gone. Still, we realized how much God works and how much suffering occurs in that Country while God performs miracle after miracle. Ask me about them sometime. Everyone wants to hear about the trip, but few want to believe the things we see or witness or well.. you know. Anything out of the ordinary makes us a tad uncomfortable and if it's out of the realm of normal, well... God help us in our unbelief!

Coming back was uneventful. So uneventful as to be strange. Five hours without a breakdown in rain! No blocked roads... nothing to prevent us from making our exit flight on time. Ahhh.. one can look back and wonder at all that.

Driving into Port au Prince we were in a traffic jam and stopped right in front of the UN compound gate for several minutes. Two soldiers were bargaining with a Haitian to buy one of his watches. That scene has played out in my mind a hundred times since January 11. We also were stopped for a minute or two in front of a technical school. I saw it on the news a few hours later as rubble, only the sign standing. The airport was in better shape than we had ever seen it! American Airlines had a beautiful portion of the terminal.. new... with air conditioning and no loading on the tarmac. It was super. "was" is operative here. An eye witness told me yesterday he wouldn't dream of entering that terminal now... He stood on the tarmac for 14 hours to get a C130 back to US soil.

When we landed in Miami one of my first orders of business was to call Carol Ann. She's always gone with us on our trips and this year her doctor forbade her to go and when she said she "just might go anyway" Henry and I told her she couldn't go because we wouldn't let her defy her doctor. I wanted her to be a part of our trip, so called her as soon as we hit US soil. She was on her way to Winchester Medical Center. She had found her husband slumped over the woodpile a little while before that. It was 4:12 p.m. I remember looking at my watch.

Again, the flight was uneventful as we flew into Dulles and was met by our dear friend and driver, Walter. We were no time at all getting out of the airport and as soon as we cleared the area, I sent Carol a text, "update?" It was 11:20 p.m. I was not prepared for her return text. Townsend had died ten minutes before. Do you know how many times I have realized how horrible it would have been if Carol Ann had been with us on the trip? God knows the future in so many ways. Life can change in an instant. An instant... A blood vessel bursts....

We got into bed somewhere around 3 a.m. and by noon the next day we were on our way to West Virginia. When we got there Carol was sleeping so I didn't bother her. We just took seats in the living room and watched CNN like everyone else. There was a house full.

Around 5:10 my world stopped for a few moments. Here I was 27.5 hours away from being "there" to learn that my second home had been rocked, literally by a massive earthquake. How many times looking over those mountains from planes and buses and wondered about their formation? How many people did I love that lived just near that epicenter? How many people did I love that lived within 70 miles of it? And here I was, at the home of another loved one already in mourning. A 40 second earthquake. Forty seconds and a city is in ruins. Forty seconds and family is decimated.

It took two days to hear of the status of my family there. Two days of tears and wringing of hands and hundreds of phone calls (or so it seemed). Many called me to make sure we'd gotten home. Others called to see what we had heard and I called many to check and check and check. Emails flew like the wind and hourly texts were sent. I am thankful that all whom I personally knew live. Many of those they personally knew did not. One church fallen, another badly damaged. Homes destroyed.

My next order of business was to see who we could get out. It turned out that four of our family had grabbed passports as they left their collapsing home and we were able to fly them out of Santiago. They spent three weeks with us and have now gone north to a brother's home to try to be able to stay here. They have no place to go... a pregnant mother with two small children. The father will return to Haiti where he can find work (he cannot by law work here) and he will sleep in his truck that was undamaged. He will help where he can and provide for his family if he can. He will try. Others sleep under tarps or have gone to the mountains where safety is a bit more sure... for now.

But what of others. These lives changed in 40 seconds! Carol's life changed in seconds.... our lives can be taken in 40 seconds or less. It put a whole new perspective on life for me. In forty seconds I can be safely here, safely Home in eternity or suffering in eternity. Some of that scenario is still my choice.... the 4o seconds is not. 275,000 people had 40 seconds or less.

Choice... Townsend's choice was Jesus. Others in Haiti made the choice for Jesus also ~ but there were/are those that don't, won't or..... Forty seconds.