Day 18

It is a glorious day--Dr. Allen told us that he planned to send Joanie home Sunday! We (the cat & I) can hardly wait. The cat has complained daily about not having Joanie's lap to sleep on! Joanie grades papers in a recliner. The cat thinks Joanie sits there just for her. I grade papers at my desk. Over the past two weeks, the cat has often jumped unto my desk and then tried to get on my lap. She doesn't fit so well when I have the keyboard pulled out. Sometimes she messes with the keyboard too--kind of like she is doing at this moment.

Joanie seemed to be having a more energetic day today. When I went by at 7:30 this morning, she was already up and in the shower. When I saw her at 1:00, she was eating lunch. Her doctor came in, commented that she was making good progress, checked her over and talked with her.

My parents, my brother Galen, and his Schnauzer, Rudi, came up from Stockton this afternoon. Rudi holds a special place in our lives because we call him the "donor dog". He and my brother lived in Glendale with us when I was having my transplant. He, my brother that is, was my donor. The dog just tried to eat everything in the house that wasn't nailed down. My brother and parents have wanted to come up since the moment they heard about Joanie's stroke. I've been putting them off since there wasn't anything they could do. Lately Joanie's been asking to see Rudi so the timing seemed good.

Brenda, Joanie's sister, is going to come up from Loma Linda to spend a week with us as Joanie and I adjust to the changes in our lives. The timing couldn't be better since I'll be able to get down to Sonora to finish up my school duties and still know that Joanie is well cared for.

"He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he."
Deuteronomy 32:4