It is 1:30am PST. Some of you met my beloved wife Wendy at Loyola in June. We were going home from Community Chorus rehearsal and she tripped over a concrete abutment in the lot. She suffered a compound, double fracture of two different bones in her left leg near her ankle; severe pain. She's all med'd up at our local hospital; our eldest daughter and I at her side through all the protocols. Her surgery is folded into the attending Ortho MD's schedule tomorrow, tba. She is well medded up. But I cannot personally rely, all confidence invested, in med staff's able care. I ask you to pray for her- that her surgery is blessed, her recovery in the care of the Spirit, and that no other maladies befall her while in the hospital. I believe in the intercession of prayer. You are all my friends, some I regard as family. Please remember her Wednesday as we don't know exactly when her surgery will occur. Wendy is a saint, if only for loving me (that includes toleration) for 36+ years. We've never been apart for this reason due to something that happened to her. She is, to me, literally Petrus, Cephas embodied. Don't feel obliged to respond to the post; but I ask you to pray for a successful surgery, no aquired illnesses while in the hospital, and a full recovery. She is much stronger than I, as some of you know firsthand. But I ask your prayers because though I appear strong, I am anything but. Blessings, pax et bonum Charles
I know it's very hard for a husband to see a wife suffer. Don't feel too bad about that. Of course you feel bad that you couldn't protect her. And it's always harder on other people, emotionally, than it is on the person hurting. The person hurting has enough physical pain going on that there's not much room for getting emotionally upset. :)
But the Lord used me breaking my arm to help me grow as a person and a singer, and he just recently allowed the Pope to break his wrist. Clearly your wife has been allowed a much more advanced (ie, painful and complicated!) exercise, and you have been given the (uncomfortable!) privilege of helping her. You will have plenty of opportunity to help her out during the recovery process, believe me. Half of my life was accepting help and trusting others.
You might want to bring your wife some kind of music player while she's in the hospital. TV gets on your nerves, whereas music or audiobooks can help you doze off or pass time.
Charles,
You are both in my prayers tonight and through the coming days. I have been leaving messages on your home phone...please disregard...I had no idea!
The peace of the Lord be with you,
Anne
I'm finally back home with about 5 hours of sleep for 36 hours. Wendy came through operation well. The fractures weren't "clean" breaks in the slightest, but the surgeon was top notch. She'll set the alarms off at TSA gates from now on with her screw pins and plates! Your prayers resonate in our hearts and do provide solace for the weary and afflicted. Normally we have schola rehearsal tonight, but most of them showed up at the hospital. I, being the dolt director, thought we should serenade the wing with an impromptu Mozart Ave Verum, until I remember that Wendy, a soprano would have that 5th leap up to D while singing "in mortis!!!!" Nope, not going there. As I was completing this about five fire engines came into our cul-de-sac, its back to back red strobe light week in Visalia! Looking for a possible electrical fire in one of our neighbor's attics I think. So much for going to sleep early. I can't wait for the series of "This has been a 'God thing' realizations" to capture my heart. Blessings and a tad of "Nunc dimittis" to you all, with a splash of Cabernet.
Prayers for both of you. Wendy strikes me as "one tough cookie," so I'm confident that God and the medical community will fix her up fine. Be brave, Charles - like I saw on the back of a pick-up truck yesterday, "God is in control." (Even when it looks like He's slacking off.)
The prayer list grows. My fellow bass in my choir was in a motorcycle accident yesterday and is in hospital with a broken collar bone and ribs. I am more concerned for his devoted wife as John is a positive and stoic fellow.
May your wife be on the mend and may St Cecilia watch over her.
Aaaah!
I'm away from the forum for a few days and my heart really raced at this posting, Charles. Tons of prayers for you and your sweet, tough Wendy. I'll get my little boys going on this, too, singing some of their prayers for Wendy's intentions and recovery.
Get ready for an abundance of love from the southwest of you,
Wendy's home now! She isn't quite up to sitting at the computer, so we're going to rig up home wi-fi which should also help her do work at home (paralegal.) She wants you all to know how much she appreciates and loves our brothers and sisters in CMAA, and she is praying in gratitude for all of you. When next I get to the office, I'll post her post surgery Xrays. Thank you all, again and forever, amen.
To participate in the discussions on Catholic church music, sign in or register as a forum member, The forum is a project of the Church Music Association of America.