In sickness and in health

"...to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part..."

~Traditional wedding vows

I think we've learned a thing or two about the sickness and health part over the past year.

I feel like Jim deserves a big big gold star after caring for me this week, with my sinus issues. I've gone from whiny to crying to congested to headache-y to everything this week. I've felt like such a wimp. And he's been such a pro.

He's gotten me medicine, juice, soup. He's taken great care of the dogs, not that he doesn't anyway, but this has been mostly on him this week. He's just been great.

Of course, the poor guy has had his own bouts with sickness this year, but unfortunately not

One of my favorites
of my handsome guy.

the kind that can be fixed with a little medicine, fluids and rest. :( 

On Monday, Jim has to go back for his second knee surgery in less than a year. And on Monday, I will be sitting on pins and needles in the waiting room to learn how it goes. I'm not worried about Jim during the surgery — I have great faith in his doctor and I figure Jim will handle it like a pro, especially after his last one.

I'm more worried about what exactly they will have to do. Have you ever looked up images of knee surgery? Don't. It's kind of gross. And, unfortunately, we don't know yet what the surgery will entail.

See, about a year ago, he got injured on the job, cracking his knee against the floor. I remember the night it happened vividly. It was a rather rough night at a meeting, the kind where I was on trial (my fellow journalists will know the type), and then he texts me that this happened.

And eventually that he's going to the emergency room.

And it was all I could do not to cry. In fact, I think I was crying. I barely remember the end of the meeting, just that it took forever to get there. I tried to hurriedly explain to certain officials what was happening and then I just bolted.

I didn't drive to get him, but rode with a friend, so I could drive his car back. It was a long night and a long weekend. A long year, really.

A few doctor's visits and months of waiting later, he had surgery. Initially, the outcome was great. He was healing well, therapy was going well — it was great! And then, it suddenly wasn't. The doctor explained that sometimes it happened that way. Largely, the surgery would take, but there were times it wouldn't and this was one of those times.

Of course it was.

So, we waited and visited the doctor more and waited more. Finally, he got word that he'd been approved for this second surgery. 

And Monday's the big day.

There's so many restrictions when one has surgery. I've never really been through that myself — he has special soap to shower in the night before and the morning of and he has to have clean clothes and sheets to sleep in. It's all to reduce the risk of infection. Then, of course, there's the food restrictions.

It's a lot to keep up with! But he's prepared. And after the surgery comes my big part in the process — the recovery care.

Depending on which why the surgery has to go will impact the recovery time. There's two possibilities, but to be honest I didn't understand the main one. It sounds painful. But the potential second part sounds rather painful too — they will scrape the cartilage out of his knee and put new baby cartilage in. It will regrow on its own in his knee.

Either way, I'm here for the long haul. In my own way, I like to plan, so I will do that. I'll be as prepared as I can.

And I'll pray a lot. 

I'd really appreciate it if you all would pray, too. Pray for Jim. And for the doctors and nurses and techs and everyone who will touch him. And pray for me.

(Oh, don't worry. The doc said he should be well enough in time for the wedding to stand up. Probably not to be carrying me — not that that was happening — but to stand up. So that's good news!)