Here is what I was doing 365 days ago. In a deep, drug induced sleep, slowly warming up under the care of two angels, Carly and Kevin. I cannot believe that a year has passed since the grace of the gift of my surgery. Today, a year later, the world’s headlines are on the aftermath of the earthquake in New Zealand, Gadhafi Duck hanging on to power in Libya, the price of oil continuing to rise, Lindsay Lohan’s troubles being laid out for the world to see, and the announcement of the launch date for the iPad II. Nowhere is there a headline screaming “HE LIVES”, but that is my headline. I am alive and very well today. Why? Here are some reasons;
1- SOAPE - My Source Of All Positive Energy. Has many other names: Higher Power, God, Mother Earth, Allah, Burt - the label list is infinite. My understanding would not fill the change purse of a baby gnat, but no matter. SOAPE takes care of me.
2- My Wife - She loves me, likes me, puts up with me, supports me, carries me, lets me annoy her but is like the soft centre of my Caramilk of Life. How she got there and why I deserve her only SOAPE knows
3 - Cousins - A man with no living siblings should feel alone but not with fabulous and helpful and wise and generous cousins.
4 - Critters - A tabby cat, a black cat, a white cat, a calico cat and a beagle - all are experts at putting life into context and perspective
5 - Fathers - Jack and Joe know the foolishness of the head office, the wisdom in the original instructions, and how to make it work in the fields.
6 - Doctors - My Family Doctor and the Doctors at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.
7 - Nurses - The wit who coined the Disney Phrase "Don't Fuck With the Mouse" was certainly inspired by an encounter with some of those inspired by Florence Nightingale. Nurses are overworked, under appreciated, and underpaid. But since Kevin and Carly and Kathy and the many others had no visible wings it sort of debunks A Wonderful Life.
8 - Friends - Sunday Night Friends, Tuesday Night Friends, Thursday Night Friends, Friends Made 50 years ago, Friends made yesterday.
9 - Taxes - Thank God and SOAPE Almighty that we can pay taxes.
10 - Life Itself - The promise of dawn, the brightness of the day, the tranquility of evening, and the blessing of the night.
Found you by searching Ottawa Valley blogs...this post resonated with me, as we are coming up on the second anniversary of our daughter's heart surgery. She turned 2 last week. I, too, thank SOAPE, heart surgeons, nurses, and our health care system on a daily basis that I get to see her prancing around and terrorizing her siblings every day. I will never complain about the taxes we pay. Glad to hear you're well, one year later.
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