March – This is Madness!

Let me just get this off my chest… Life is not fair. Still, no matter what cards you may be dealt, it is up to you to make the best of it.

“Attitude is Everything!”

Pete and I entered the hospital (mid-February) with the expectation that his robotic abdominal surgery would conclude this chapter of our story. Our hopes were high. The surgeons: topnotch. The hospital: exceptional. Pete experienced extended time under anesthesia, cardiovascular challenges, allergic reactions, and more. He kept the care team on their toes and his nurse-advocate wife on her game. The extent of adhesions and intestinal revision from last July were only fully evident once the operation was underway. Instead of 100% success, Pete now has a diverting ileostomy (to allow for complete anastomoses healing) for another 2-3 months. He’ll need one more “simple” surgery. We never did pinpoint the cause of head-to-toe hives; we just kept chasing them with Benadryl. A small portion of the surgical scar opened and drained. A wound-VAC (vacuum assisted closure) was applied. We left the hospital disappointed, sleep deprived and starving for the comforts of home.

Pete is receiving home health nursing for wound and ostomy care. When they don’t come, I am that nurse. I am grateful for all my years in emergency nursing and the exposure I had to this kind of care during my career. My learning curve was short.

Pete has ruminated over the events of these last few months, pondering “Why me?” I just finished reading “When Bad Things Happen to Good People,” by Rabbi Harold S. Kushner. He writes, “God may not prevent the calamity, but He gives us the strength and the perseverence to overcome it.” In addition, He puts folks in our path that supply love, comfort, support, and encouragement. We have been blessed to see and feel this truth. Pete has thought deeply about what God is calling him to do. This answer, while not currently clear, will inform some decisions in our future.

I have been in touch with Captain Al, who helped us prepare our boat for winter storage. He is committed to assisting us with recommissioning which I expect to occur in June. The dream is alive, and we anticipate a year of amazing adventure!