___________________________

This Thanksgiving I was dealt a very large reminder of being thankful for my health and family.

Last Friday, I had a wonderful girl day.  My friend L and I went to see New Moon, had a fabulous lunch and did a tiny bit of browsing on Main Street.  We laughed, chatted, and enjoyed every second before having to return to our everyday lives with kids and husbands.  I love those days.  But this day ended up horribly wrong and left me longing for my husband…and wanting to hug my friend.

L’s husband, J, woke up that morning just fine, but while getting dressed for the day suddenly had this horrible pain in his back.  Like our generation always does, L & J googled the symptoms and were pretty sure it was only kidney stones. He had some other things to finish that day so he pressed through the pain.  After we got out of the movie, L got a call from her husband saying he was still in some pain and going to run to an urgent care in the area.  After our lunch she he said he was going back for x-rays to confirm kidney stones.  L & I shared a small laugh about men and pain and I wished her well nursing her husband through the weekend as we all know how terribly painful kidney stones are.  We hugged and parted ways around 3pm.

I get a text later in the evening (maybe around 7) that is was not kidney stones, it was a bleeding abdominal mass and that he needed surgery.  What?  Are you serious?  Immediately I was struck with guilt over joking so lightly!  Who would have ever known??  Even J didn’t realize it was something worse…I mean come on, we are young and healthy!! What was going on??

L blogged about it here.  I won’t even try to rewrite what she has said. But what a reminder of being thankful for health!

My dear friend who I was laughing and joking with was faced with possibly losing her husband just hours later. I couldn’t imagine. I prayed for hours for his recovery…..for her strength…for my own family and health.  Be thankful.