Emergency rooms, walk-a-thons, speaking out

As much time as I spent in hospitals (working) when I was younger, I do not rush to spend time there that I do not have to. Yesterday we had to take my wife to the emergency room. After a visit to our primary care physician, we were urged to go immediately. She, my wife, does not have a good medical history and that coupled with the chest discomfort she was feeling alarmed the doctor.

I was not overly worried because I live very close to this particular woman, but a doctor is better informed than I am in many cases. It turned out to be muscular pain on the surface of the chest rather than a cardiac issue, but it was nice to get that reassurance from a cardiac professional. It was not a totally un-fun three hours since we met some great people.

There will be some follow up with the cardiologist for a stress test and evaluation of the lab work and x-rays done during our time there, but the greater follow up will be done in our home. It is time to do what we know she should have been doing for the last few years.

It is amazing how consciously we will neglect our health needs thinking that the rules do not apply to us. With health issues in the family as severe as they express themselves in my wife's family, it is a change that is long overdue. I know better but I have not said anything to her because I know she knows. I am not able to make the choice for her any more than I am able to make her choose to do right. So, I am glad the warning was gentle. We have a lot of weddings to plan and a lot of grandkids yet to meet.

In celebration of the good report, we participated in the walk-a-thon sponsored by the church school. We did not walk the entire ten miles. We sat at a check point and made sure the kids were okay as the miles stretched on. It was okay, but there were a lot of lonely intervals as the kids made the round trip from check point to check point. It was a day with my wife and some of our church friends, so it was a pretty good morning.

Having said that, we were a little disappointed that no one who had volunteered to relieve us at the half-way point would follow through on the commitment. My wife and I were perturbed but we did not say anything except to each other. It struck me that we do not very often speak out on our behalf. We love the people who told us “No” when we asked for relief. As little as it bothered them to tell us no, it would have bothered us to say that to them if the shoe was on the other foot.

The funny thing is that these very people would have come and asked us to swap with them in the same situation, knowing that we would not say “No”. We will still be there for them when they need us. We are still “others” focused and always will be.

We, my wife and I, will be there to be taken advantage of for years to come, thank God, and I am certain there will be individuals who will find us when they need us.