august 3, 2017

“A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.” ~ William Arthur Ward

Our Shero had an exhausting day, but she came through the long, hard surgery with a brand new hip, and she’s now a little bit taller (seriously! the old hip had made her leg shorter than in should have been). As fate would have it, she had the state’s top Orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Silby (apparently he replaced Coach Cal’s knee, and that’s made him famous, at least in Kentucky). His team was equally incredible. I watched the pre-op team work diligently to ensure everything was as mistake-free and perfect for mom’s myriad conditions as humanly possible. I really cannot say enough wonderful things about the employees at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. Even the shuttle drivers are kind. Dad and I got through the day with the help of some very special people. Aunt Lois was so kind to join us, and stay for the duration (this would be even worse than it is were it not for her). Mom and dad’s pastor, Jeff Farmer, drove all the way from West Liberty to be with us. He’d accepted the horrible job of calling me about the accident on Monday, but his soft spoken approach was the perfect delivery. Like Lois, he was/is a calming force. Cousin Renee Watkins, Crystal Heis (fast becoming an honorary Terry), and Judy Sackett all paid us a visit during the near-three hour surgery. Meanwhile, Stacy looked after the dogs and got the mail. Uncle Phillip and Aunt Linda are looking after mom and dad’s house. So many people from all over the country, some we haven’t even met in person, texted or called or sent well wishes and prayers in some form or fashion that it was hard to not be hopeful. As for our Shero, she’s not out of the woods yet. The surgery is just the first hurdle, unfortunately. The next couple of days will be critical, but I am confident that UK’s team, who are growing to love her as much as we do, will do everything in their power to pull her through. Light and love to all of you who are taking this journey with me, and thank you for your kindness to my folks and I. It has not gone unnoticed.

Related Images: