The Good News of Answered Prayer

Late this afternoon, Katherine received a call from her infectious disease doctor saying that after 48 hours the culture taken on Tuesday was clear. What a lovely Christmas present. She was trying to be prepared if necessary to do another round of infusions and continue in fear that this antibiotic might fail again. Instead of fear, there is celebration. If the next step of oral medication succeeds as hoped in preventing the return of this infection, which has weakened her and exacerbated the multiple sclerosis, we will really have cause for rejoicing.

Once again we feel the enormous respect and appreciation for the medical profession when it provides answers that not only prolong life but improve its quality. I pray regularly for medical researchers, because those in that profession are my heroes. I do not know their names, but I know their worth. I am also grateful for young junior and senior high school students who right now are studying and working hard to get the background needed to palliate illness and discover the treatments and cures for the diseases that destroy life and happiness. Anything we can do to advance science in our schools is a wise use of our tax dollars.

Perhaps almost as wonderful for her comfort as the doctor’s report was the find of her husband last night. David and I were surprised to bump into each other at Wal-Mart after he got off work and after I left Katherine’s house. Both of us were wandering all over that huge store that I usually avoid like a plague. (I get lost both inside the store and in the parking lot.) We were in search of jell or gell pads that Katherine had heard about. Neither of us was successful. (I had asked at least seven clerks but no one knew anything about jell except for shoe linings, which was not what we needed.)

We had to laugh since both of us had our shopping carts filled with possible devises that just might eliminate some of the pain that comes to anyone who must sit all day in a wheelchair. (I recently read where a nursing home let their workers volunteer to spend one day in a wheelchair, and these volunteers found out just how uncomfortable a chair was.)

David and I started showing each other our selections that might be experimented with in Katherine’s care. I had seen the pair of foot warmers David had, but didn’t even stop to look at them. I don’t even know what these warm cozy foot thingies are called, but both feet fit into this snuggling looking container for feet. Today Katherine had this invention on, and the heavy padding beneath her feet had reduced the pain from the hard foot rest. Gerald had long ago worked on the footrest with padding and helped, but the problem was still severe. Aides were placing comfort devices between her feet and the footrest, and fretting with her. But nothing really solved the problem.

Now not only were the soles of her feet protected, but somehow this device held her feet in place where they were not sliding off the footrest nor painfully grinding against each other. If it continues to work as successfully as it did today, this discovery is a minor miracle for both her comfort and for the workers trying to help her balance in her chair.

It has been a good day.