My wife, Sherri, and I just got back from a seven-day Caribbean cruise. We knew we were going to eat a lot, so the first day, we headed to the gym after breakfast. On the way, Sherri caught her foot on a deck chair. She fell and dislocated her shoulder. The ship doctor showed me the x-rays. It was painful just looking at them. The ball of her shoulder was a good four inches forward from the socket. (Far worse than the picture above) It took two doctors and forty-five minutes to put it back in place.
“Why two doctors,” you ask? It took two doctors pulling on her arm while one poor nurse desperately held on to her in order to wrench the thing back in place. Excruciating just to watch. I left the room at one point, and the nurse came to see if I was alright. She looked pretty pale herself.
But here’s the thing - other than a grunt or two, Sherri made absolutely no noise. I’m telling you right now, I would have been heard in every stateroom on that ship! And I would have whined constantly the remaining six days. I admit it, I’m a wuss.
Other than some help with putting on her clothes and having her food cut into bite-size pieces, Sherri just carried on as usual. We had a great time! Really!
Of course, our plans for the rope course and water slide changed. Air hockey too. Oh, and we had to cancel our snorkeling excursion. All this was probably a good thing. At sixty-five, I need to take it a little easier. Some of you who attended Seoul International Baptist Church may remember when I cracked four ribs at sixty after I decided I wanted to start riding dirt bikes again on rocky mountain trails.
But here’s the part I want to share with you. When we returned, our daughters, Mary and Christina, picked us up at the port. “Mom,” they asked, “why didn’t you send us a message telling us about your shoulder?” “Because I knew you would worry,” was Sherri’s answer.
Meanwhile, we drive back to Pensacola, while the girls spend Mardi Gras in Baton Rouge at Christina’s place. (she teaches at LSU. Geaux Tigers!) The first thing they do as we drive away is call their brother. “We thought we’d let you know about Mom because she won’t tell you.” They then proceed to tell him about the dislocated shoulder.
Well, they were wrong. Sherri talked to John on Monday and did indeed tell him about the shoulder. But that in no way ruined Mom’s reputation as the toughest person in our family. And I can tell you I married one tough girl! Patient too. She’s lived with me for almost thirty-nine years.
Here’s to my wife - the legend grows!
“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” (Pv. 31:28-31)
In Christ,
Dan
Check out my podcasts from Church on the Edge and my books on Kindle.
Miss you around here, but glad you are together. Grateful for the decade-ish we shared ministry connections in South Korea.