Good Evening, God

I have been prattling on about abstractions like ADJUSTING and TRANSITIONING . . . in a very cheery upbeat sort of way. But, I failed to understand that each one of us adds content to those abstractions — each time we go through one. Or rather as we go through an ongoing series of them. Because these are not snapshots. These are VIDEOS.

For an example — when Kit slipped in his bathroom and broke his hip — we embarked on a SERIES of adjustments and transitions. Thank YOU, God, that our daughter Sandy was with us! She helped me face a reality that neither Kit nor I wanted to face. Kit and I were lying on the carpet listening to Whitney Houston singing ONE MOMENT IN TIME. And we were happy to stay there . . .

But, Sandy and reality did finally break through and we were off to Straub ER, and then a gamma nail surgery the next morning . . . and then once again, Sandy saved the day! She said to the Case Worker, “Arenʻt there any rehab places on the island that accept family?” And there was ONE. So off we went to Kahuku Medical Center. Sandy took an extra week off from teaching Forth Grade. And we shared being with Kit and being at the Courtyard Oahu North Shore. Kit and I were together and with Sandy and then Dave came to replace Sandy — I got to take time off to shower and then even alternately sleep at the hotel. And I did not need to think about the food. One of their staff even loaned me a zero gravity chair to actually SLEEP in next to Kit. Helpful PT and OT folks came every day to help Kit keep moving.

Then came the transition to home. No more one room striped down living. Now it was a four bedroom home that was out of control. When faced with that kind of an ENLARGED REALITY — Sensory Overload hit me. I felt like 10 years had been dumped on me. YIKES!

Our wonderful son-in-law Dave, who flew out to help, had thought ahead and built a wheelchair ramp so we could get inside. And Castleʻs Adventist Health were on the job right away. But, after living in a simpler reality — one room with a bathroom — the magnitude of the STUFF in our home was exhausting. What a shock that HOME was the hardest part. It took a week for me to return to feeling my regular age.

And now Sandy is here helping once again. And TOGETHER we are facing the Adventure of moving to Tucson — into a lovely one floor townhouse a half mile from Sandy and Dave.

And as I ponder all of this — I am so very THANKFUL that Kit broke his hip just when he did. We had a wonderful long run (53 years) of aging in place in Honolulu. And I am feeling like even a few months later might have been . . . a bit too late. So THANK YOU!!!!