I just found out today that someone very dear to me is very sick. His heart is so damaged that it cannot be repaired. He is not a candidate for a transplant and the doctors told him today they he could possibly live 4 to 6 months. I was there....I heard him say it.
That statement has resonated in my mind since I heard it. I thought about it all the way home from the hospital in Spartanburg and still can't get it out of my head. 4 to 6 months. That's May to July!!! Summer time. The time of awakenings and prosperity and life and fun and living. Not dying.
He is only 65 years old. ONLY 65!!! We hang out a lot. We eat together at least twice a month and just enjoy each other. He and hubby are hilarious together. They can tell some amazing stories that would have you in stitches. Never a dull moment together. But today I saw him cry. A first.
The doctors say his heart is just worn out. He has never smoked, never been a drinker and never chased wild women (that he will admit). He had a heart attack about 3 years ago and just did not do what the doctors told him to do. Hine sight is 20/20.. Whatever. Would any of us have followed doctor's orders? Maybe, maybe not. Would the outcome of today's exploration have been any different if he had? Who knows?
4 to 6 months. What would I do if it had been me in that bed today? It very well could have been me. What if it had been me in Haiti this week? Why was it not me? What makes me so fortunate? I guess the one true and final answer is God. He is in control. He makes the decisions. He rules.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. It is very hard to fathom what hearing those words must have felt like to him and his loved ones (you and your husband included). I often wonder too why terrible things happen all around me but not to me...then I wonder if something awful is waiting around the corner for me, like it's my turn. I guess all we can do is have faith and trust in the Lord. Easier said then done sometimes, isn't it? I am sooooooo very blessed and thankful for all of the little and big things God has bestowed upon me so undeservingly. Life is precious and we should be appreciative for every second we are here together!
ReplyDelete