Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Something to think about .


So we went through the countryside to do a bit of countrified shopping .

The saxophonist stood outside the girlie beauty shop while I went in and then we started to walk down to the stationers .He normally strides ahead but lagged behind . Stopped . Hit the deck . Had a heart attack . I asked the policewoman who arrived at the same time as the air ambulance " on a scale of one to ten how serious is this ? ". "Ten " she said .

So they put in a stent , took him to intensive care and I played a waiting game for two weeks . Seizures , pipes , wires , monitors , machines ,him trying to pull the wires out and then a conference with the consultants . "Your husband will never regain consciousness ". "He will spend the rest of his life in a specialised care home" he said .

He saw my face ."Your husband is brain dead " he said .

They transferred him to another hospital and it continued for another two weeks .

One day I went into the unit to sit by his bed as usual and sitting up in bed was the saxophonist . Personality , faculties , intelligence , memory all firing on all cylinders . I talked with him and held him . I left the ward . I sobbed and then I did a tap dance in the lift .

He has been home a week now . He is building strength through good food and increasing walks .

I don't know what you feel about this year . I don't know what you feel about Christmas BUT I can give you this . Miracles do happen , they are real and I know this for a fact . Happy Christmas .

68 comments:

  1. My god, what have you been through? Well, this is the best Christmas story I have heard since It's a Wonderful Life. I have been feeling emotional all day, but now at least I have good reason. Happy Christmas to you and the saxophonist.

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  2. Tom led me to your blog, and I am grateful. A miracle to be sure and proof that giving up is the absolute worst thing we can do, I had my own miracle this year with our 57 year old special needs son. We almost lost him in the ER to Septic shock, liver abscesses, colon abscess, three surgeries, multiple tests and after seven months, he went back to his full time job in a local supermarket. Thank you for sharing, wishing you the happiest of Holidays!

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    1. Nice to think of him busying himself round the shelves of Christmas toffee tins - we both know what a warm feeling that is now .

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  3. -popped over from Tom's blog...

    Miracles do happen! Happy Christmas to you and your saxophonist. x

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    1. Happy Christmas to you too and thanks for the visit .

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  4. Me too, though I've been here before , a while ago
    Lovely

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    1. Of course I remember you - I read you !
      I had told the saxophonist about your choir and the Christmas concert in the pub .

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  5. Over from Tom's blog. Happy Christmas to you both and celebrate the heck out of Christmas. All the best.

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    1. Buying the bird this weekend and making the mince pies on Christmas eve .....

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  6. Hello. Another "Tom traveler". Thanks for telling us about the saxophonist, and thanks for your strong and positive self. Have a great Christmas, and a great new year.

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    1. "your strong and positive self " - never thought of that .I think of you that way from your blog so thank you .

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  7. I believe in miracles too and this is a beautiful one.

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    1. Funny you saying "this is a beautiful one ".The saxophonist and I keep looking at our old house and garden and seeing afresh how beautiful they are ....

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  8. I am so happy for you both. Have a lovely Christmas.

    cheers, parsnip and badger

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    1. Kindly thoughts .Have a lovely time yourselves.

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  9. Another person from Tom's blog. What you two have been through, incomprehensible. I'm so glad it has a happy ending! Merry Christmas! -Jenn

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    1. I know what you mean about incomprehensible - especially when you wake up each morning and remember.BUT this has made me notice and feel all the little treats and pleasures life puts your way.

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  10. Me too from Tom's. What a wonderful story. This Christmas must be the best ever. Cro x

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    1. Wonderful does feel like the right word , and that puts relish on everything - coxes and good cheddar , a slice of the beef joint and some Colemans , the last bit of the trifle .......

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  11. A wonderful Christmas story for your readers, but a miraculous one for you!

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  12. Hello Angela. May it be better from now on. Happy Christmas to you and the Saxophonist. Rachel

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    1. Well Rachel , I read you most days and so know that it is with great generosity of spirit that you send your best .You have been through the mill yourself and I am touched to find you here .Enjoy your holiday and happy Christmas .

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    2. Indeed Angela. I have thought about you often from your early blog days and not "seen" you for a while. So you have been reading me still. Thank you for that. On the stent front, my "pond" brother had a similar episode 15 years ago on leaving a Quo concert he collapsed on the pavement. The rest is history, but like the saxophonist he had the stent too, and is still going strong. Best wishes to you both.xx

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    3. Do you remember doing a post a while back of the simple pleasures and weekly round of our childhoods ?( I'm guessing we are about the same age ) Well I went back to it in the darkest days and promised myself that I would have that in some form if we ever came through it all .And here we are .Shepherds pie in the oven and the radio on .Simple pleasures ...

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    4. Yes I remember it. There is so much needless complication of everything these days.

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  13. Here via Tom.
    To go through such a thing must be awful. Glad the saxophonist is much improved and continues to do so.
    A very merry Christmas to you both.

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    1. Awful describes it well but yes we are indeed merry.Good wishes to you .

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    1. I believe it really is and in the face of a sad and corrupt world I wanted to say to people that hope is an important thing .

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  15. Another "Tom traveller". Well worth the visit and your story is inspirational. May all be well for the future for you both. I know how it feels to come out of the wood since I had a couple of strokes a few years ago.

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    1. I hope all is well with you and intend to try to keep writing .Thank you for visiting .

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  16. Via Tom too, and i am glad he told us about you.

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    1. I am glad to "meet you " so to speak - I have seen you at Rachels blog too . You are welcome here.

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  17. Truly a Christmas miracle and the best of all presents ..... I wish you both the merriest of Christmases and for many more years of happy times together .... from another ‘ Tom ‘ visitor !!! With love from Jackie XXXX

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  18. So glad that you had this miraculous ending. Hope that you and the saxophonist have the best Christmas ever. Sheila.

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    1. Most kind.
      I made the puddings early this year and then wondered why .Now I know.

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  19. Just goes to prove that doctors have frailties and are not always correct with their prognosis' and thank goodness too.
    Here's wishing you both a wonderful mid winter celebration.

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    1. Yule , solstice , Christmas. We are ready to celebrate them all .Come to think of it if if a pigeon lands on our path we are ready to celebrate that too .It does not do to be too fussy in these matters I have now decided.

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  20. How very wonderful - and in the true sense of leaving us full of wonder
    So happy for you, and thank you Tom, for rerouting me here.

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    1. Yes wonderful is right and I am now glad I wrote about it - I was not sure .Happy Christmas and thanks for visiting .

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  21. I am very happy for you and the saxophonist. I know this will be a very special holiday for you both, enjoy! Beautiful story. Came over from Tom's place.

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    1. Thank you .Our story will be different now .The saxophonist says that is exciting and I agree .

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  22. Another from Tom, but I have clicked th follow button now. What a wonderful story, but how harrowing it must have been at the time. My best wishes to you and the saxophonist for a fantastic Christmas and 2019. Rosie

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    1. Harrowing then and full of small joys now - which I hope to write of .Thanks for your visit .

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  23. Oh my god I am sobbing with relief and joy for you, so happy to hear of your miracle. I have been where you are somewhat, my husband's heart discovered to be the source of his month long pain and incapacitation, and within the day massive, chest cracking open heart surgery to replace the broken valve, and everything touch and go, and then he was through to the other side, woke up with all his faculties intact, and began the healing. Yes, miracles happen, and I send you prayers upon prayers for his continued healing. And so much love.

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    1. Hi unofficial sis - have put a comment on your blog XX

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  24. True...miracles happen...and there is magic in the world.

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    1. Yep , thought it was important to say that magic is as real as the phone bill or the traffic jam and much more profound .

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  25. Wow! That really is a freaking miracle. Fabulous.

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    1. I have said wow a time or two myself .Thank you for visiting .( I quite like "freaking miracle "too)

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  26. How wonderful that you and the saxophonist will have Christmas together. It does sound like a miracle. Happy Christmas from another friend of Tom's.

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    1. Happy Christmas to you too .Three consultants have told us it was a miracle so I think that's more or less official now !

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  27. Yes, I do believe in miracles. If you have been blessed enough to experience one you will forever be a believer. That is just wonderful to hear. :)

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    1. I'm with you Rita .When it happens you know .Happy Christmas .

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  28. Via Tom...
    My husband could die at any one of his attacks...luckily not so far..so I can rejoice at your miracle.Enjoy the new lease of life together.

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    1. Thank you - gratitude is certainly one of the things I'm feeling .

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  29. Wow, that's a lot of anguish and joy in a couple of paragraphs. SO happy it has worked out a lot better than predicted. A wonderful Christmas gift indeed. WE need all of our husbands - and saxophonists! <3

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    1. Wow yourself - just found your blog .Respect girl and yes a saxophonist is a good thing to have .

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  30. From Tom's blog...Merry Christmas and may your new year be blessed!

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    1. "be blessed " I like that and wish it for every one .

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  31. So shocked and sorry to read of what you've been through - I had noticed your absence here in recent months but had imagined (and hoped) it was probably for no reason other than the usual distractions in life. But you've been to hell and back. So glad to know all has turned out well after everything and indeed your story gives us all hope. My sister's husband had a cardiac arrest at the beginning of this year and it knocked us all for six - but he also has made a full recovery so really do just hang onto all these positives in a fragile world.
    A happy healthy Christmas to you and the Saxophonist!

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  32. There is foraged holly and ivy over the picture frames and mantle piece .The saxophonist and I have made mince pies and sausage rolls together . Yes I can burst into tears at the drop of a hat - but that's just my grateful heart . Happy Christmas to you and yours .

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