Monday, November 12, 2007

Nancy's Harry Potter Vacation


It’s now my fourth day home. It’s been going well for both of us. Great to be in back to a life beginning to resemble “normal,” though we are under doctor’s orders to go very easy, no lifting anything that could cause some degree of strain, etc.

Nancy’s surgery went deeper and the operation was twice as long as mine (mine was only 90 minutes), so she still tires more easily than I do and naps several times a day. All this means we are enjoying a kind November holiday. Nancy calls it her “Harry Potter Vacation,” as she has more time to make her way through all seven volumes of Rowling’s epic tale about the power of self-giving love. Half an hour ago she finished the fifth volume, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and has already gotten into the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. At some point -- perhaps it will need to wait till she puts down the final volume -- my hope is that she’ll make some comments about what she takes away from these thousands of must-turn pages.

I was at the AMC today for the first of my twice-weekly control appointments. Adding in about three hours for round-trip travel by train, it took about five hours altogether. There was a meeting with one of the doctors of the kidney staff plus blood pressure and weight checks plus various tests. With two AMC appointments per week for the coming three months, significant travel will not be a possibility at least till the spring. But this has to be. For the AMC, the main thing is keeping a very close watch to make sure all is going well with the new kidney -- Super-K, as Nancy’s has christened it -- and to fine-tune the anti-rejection medication to the lowest safe level.

Anne has now taken over shopping for us and plans to do a round of house-cleaning on Thursday. Though simple breakfasts and lunches are no problem, we’re not yet cooking supper, but eating surprisingly good ready-prepared microwave meals that Anne picks up for us at a local supermarket.

Fr. Meletios, one of our parish priests, came up after the Liturgy yesterday to bring us communion, to congratulate Nancy on her name day (St. Anastasia of Rome), and -- along with my god-son Silouan, to join us for a microwave repast.

We continue floating on a cloud of gratitude.

4 comments:

Else M Tennessen said...

It is delightful to read how God continues to work in your lives and healing--as of course we know He would! Your witness is a real encouragement to me. May you, Nancy and Super-K continue to do splendidly! God bless you all!

Steve Hayes said...

Good to have news of you through this!

Anonymous said...

All blessings and peace to you and Nancy, Jim. So delighted to know you will see better days.

Steve

existentialist said...

Wow, thanks for this post. My daughter loves HP, she listens to him on tape every day, even on the way to school! I love that you make HP so positive. I had to part ways with some Orthodox clergymen because of their criticism of HP. You are also quite fortunate to have Fr. Meletios as a parish priest. He is well revered here, perhaps he may be a living saint... Reading your blog gives one strength to carry on.