OK.  I took the stress test (previous blog entry).  And yes, I am stressed.  No surprises there. 

Mark continues to heal and is doing better.  The pleurisy continues to plague him.  I think plague is the appropriate word here.  He feels better most of the time; he's getting around well; but still has pain when he breathes deep first thing in the morning.

We continue to be blessed by God through so many dear friends and family.  Any time I look at our list of bills to pay, or our fat folder of medical bills and insurance statements, I determine that I will pray about it and put it out of my mind.  I will not worry.  And God provides.  I am so thankful to so many who have helped us with groceries, gas, and living expenses.  God does provide, but it is through His children.

If Mark continues to heal as is expected, he will be back to work by the end of the month.  Maybe not full time, but at least working some.  He has some vacation time left, which will enable him to work part time for a month or more. 

We hope to be able to switch his cardiac rehab. to the town where he works.  (We're driving close to an hour each way three days a week for now.)  If he is able to switch, the therapy will be less intensive/less supervised and will not be cardiac rehab. but cardiac reconditioning.  Sounds like semantics but it really is a big difference.  In the rehab. a nurse monitors his EKG while he exercises and they take blood pressure and pulse every 10 minutes.  EKG monitoring is not available with cardiac reconditioning.

It's strange (or actually perfectly normal and expected, but so unwanted) that as time goes by, I find myself much more emotional over what has happened.  I am more tired than I've ever been and prone to bursting into tears for absolutely no reason.  I don't have trouble sleeping, I don't wake up worried or anxious, but I 'm still tired and don't get much accomplished, other than what absolutely must be done--like feeding the hungry masses and cleaning up the kitchen.  Oh, and the laundry!!

 I am so HAPPY when I get out of the house, even to go to the grocery store or library, just to see and talk to people.  (This is not to say I am not happy at home, just enjoy the interaction when I'm out.  And since Mark works for the grocery store in an adjacent town and knows many of the people who work here, it is a blessing to hear how loved he is, to have people ask about him and really want to know how he is doing.) 

When we are at the hospital for cardiac rehab., I see people who were helpful or kind in those first few days of Mark's heart attack and bypass, and I want to run up to them and tell them "Thank you".  And I have a few times.  I enjoy my time with Mark, the driving to appointments, walking through a parking lot, running in Kohl's for warm-ups for Mark's rehab.  Every moment seems so precious and sometimes so fragile. 

I guess that is really a blessing--to see life and each moment of our life as precious and fragile.  I don't want to miss a minute worrying over anything temporary.

This song has been running through my mind a lot lately, especially with the stock market problems, the election and campaigning, and just all the "stuff" in the world.

I'll leave you with this thought:

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