Just An Old Fashioned Update...

Having only been to the doctor's office twice since my last blog I am left frightfully short of medical news to report. But if you know me at all, I can take "take two aspirin and call me in the morning," and turn it into either a medical text book or a three-volume novel. So, to take the reader's feelings into mind for this entry, I’ll be brief.

First, in my last blog I noted that the doctor was fiddling around with my medication to get my blood to the right consistency…(sounds like I’m talking about a sauce to pour over a cut of pork, huh?) And, having taken the medication at 7 days of staggering doses of 5mg to 7.5mg it was decided that just taking 5mg every day would be ok. We’ll see.

I am told that the blood clot(s) are out of the dangerous level. I take the Lasix to purge fluid from my system and hopefully get the swelling to go down (primarily in the left leg). I am also told that I may never get the swelling to go completely away. Again, we’ll see.

In many of my blog entries I try to toss out and idea or concept that might make a difference in your life as it has made a difference in my life. So, here is today’s thought. I wish it were original with me, but it isn’t. I got it from our preacher this morning.

He used the concept of “first responders” and drew from a story of one of the first responders in the world trade towers. Then he dialed over to idea of “spiritual (or prayerful) first responders” and talked about what they would do and how they would act. So, here are my words of encouragement. Are you a first responder? Are you one of the people who look for and reach out to others who are in need or who are hurting? I know some of you are because I know who some of my blog readers are, and I just know what kind of person you are. And many of you have reached out to my family and to others who are in hurt and in need.

Now I just want to say a word about my own sense of duty as a “first responder”. I’m not good at it. There are people that I reach out to because I know them and because I have a previous relationship with them. I know them from either church or work and it is easier to offer those words of encouragement and support. However, I’m not so willing to reach out to the stranger in need. I guess it could be that several attempts at trying to be helpful to others have proven disastrous. But having admitted my own weakness in this, I still try when I can. I try to be extra kind to people who I sense can use a kind word. Then there are times that just being kind is not enough.

First responders are rarely forgotten by those they help. I hope we all become memorable people.

Grace & Peace

Bob