Sign of the Times

Paul had a much better day yesterday and he was able to walk the hallways without having to use me as a support. He joked a bit as we walked and after we had gone down a couple of different hallways, I asked him to find his way back. He did it with ease. Unlike me, (Jon), who is so directionally challanged I got lost a number of times trying to find my way back to the room! He had great orientation and balance. I was really lifted in spirit after watching him all the long hours these past 7 days. He has been taking only Tylenol for his pain since yesterday at 3 PM. He also got to have a good night sleep. The nurse on duty was so happy to see him so improved since her last shift. The IV is out, which was the last of 4 tubes to be removed. Since he was not hooked up to anything, there was not much need to wake him much. She walked in and would look at him, and if he did not hear her and wake up, she would quietly leave the room and let him sleep. His face and attitude reflected a great night's sleep.

He has eaten all the meals brought to his room since yesterday. Let me correct that..........he has 'picked' his favorite things to eat, then asks if I can think of some other things he can eat. I went down to the cafeteria last night and he supplemented his meal with a plate of chicken alfredo. He walked one more time before going to bed. We said the rosary together and at one point, I fell asleep in my chair as I was reciting the Our Father and he gently called out to me and asked if I was going to be able to finish it. He took over saying it for a little while, then I finished it. We were both very tired souls at day's end. But we finally had great hope about getting to go home soon.

Today, the doctor stated that with the marked improvement, he may let Paul go home as early as Wednesday. It will depend on the level of headache and activity today. Paul asked me one more time, as he does every day, "When did you say my headaches would go away?" I told him that if I knew that, we would be living in a much fancier house than we do! I told him that God knows and since He is in charge, we will just keep praying for a quick and full recovery and will trust that God has heard our prayers. Paul said, "Okay. I sure hope it is soon."

In this past week there have been some tough times and moments where I felt real sadness about the whole situation. It hasn't helped that the room is always dark, as Paul still can't handle much light. The curtains are drawn during the day, and it is really dark in the room. Also, I can't get internet access at the hospital - for some reason I have been denied access after the first day I logged on to write a blog. I did go buy a small lamp and have a 25 watt bulb in it and then 3 night lights to help find my way around the room without tripping on anything.

But even that did not help me last Sunday to feel less sad. Jon and I had gone to a very early Mass at St. Patrick's and when we got back, we were told the doctor had come in that time. We had really wanted to speak to him to get a better sense of what was going on and what to expect. We were really disappointed about that. Later, I was talking to Jon and we were talking about our dear friends, Joe and Juanita and I could not get past my sad emotions. I was very tired, so Jon told me to go back to the hotel and get a bit of rest. I agreed I needed to get outside and see the sun and feel the cool air. I prayed to God all the way to my car and asked for his blessings on everyone I could think of and also to help me keep up my spirits. I opened the front door and I kid you not..............there was a shiny penny in the driver seat and a shiny penny in the passenger side front seat! I said out loud, "I DON'T BELIEVE IT!! OH HOW I LOVE YOU DEAR GOD." It was only a few days before and there had been that penny in the doorway of the room I had gone to to pray for Paul and for my own strength, now these 2 pennies. When I got back to the hospital, I took the pennies up and told Jon what had happened. He looked at me and said, "And I have not had any coins in my pockets!" I told him that I didn't either and also said that I had opened the sliding door to get my purse after Mass, since that is where I had left it. So it would not have fallen out of my purse. I know it sounds like there should be a reasonable explanation for those 2 pennies being there.................but I don't have one. I have thought it over and over how they could have gotten there, but don't know. They were sitting smack dab in the middle of each of the seats and both of them nice and shiny. I am going to hang on to it as God asking me once again, "Do you trust me?'. Just like the penny shows.............IN GOD WE TRUST.

The most incredible story so far for us has been this. Paul has spoken to me about 3 times prior to the accident about how he really wants to become a Eucharistic Minister. He wanted to know how he could go about doing that. I told him that he would need to speak to Fr. Paddy (Irish for Patrick). He also said that while God may be calling him to become a priest, as he thinks about it sometimes, he thinks he would rather be a deacon. He has asked if he has to be married to be a deacon and other questions about the process. He loves Deacon Evilio Garcia at our church so much and said that is why he thinks about being a Deacon. Last week, I asked where there was a Catholic church and the one about 4 blocks away is St. Patrick's. When I had inquired about having Communion brought to Paul, Fr. Robert said he would bring it. When he came to the hospital, we talked with him for awhile and he told us how he had lost his wife when she was young and it was a sudden death. He had been in the corporate world and then became a priest, after converting to the Catholic faith. He asked us if we were related to Deacon Fidero, who is at St. Patrick's? I was shocked to hear him ask that, as I didn't realize there were any other Fidero's, besides those in California. I did not think we were related, but said we would have to check into it. As he was leaving he said he would see if a Eucharistic Minister could come back on Friday to bring Paul Communion. On Friday, a man came to the room and he said he was from St. Patrick's and he came in and prayed with Paul, Jerry and me. After receiving Communion, I asked him his name and he said Dick Kelly. I smiled to myself and after he left I looked at Paul and said, "I think God is letting you know that your plans of being a Eucharistic Minister and a deacon might just be your pathway." Paul asked me why I thought so. I said, "Call it coincidence, but it was at St. Patrick's Cathedral that there is a Deacon Fidero, and the Eucharistic Minister's name is the same name of Grandma Fidero's brother, Richard Kelly. Your grandparents last names of Fidero and Kelly, both at St. Patrick's......and Fr. Paddy has been so instrumental and supportive to you in your spiritual journey Paul. I can't help but think that God is leaving little signs for you!" Either that, or the odds of having a Eucharistic Minister named Kelly and a deacon named Fidero at the same church only blocks from the hospital we were told to come to, was a sign that we needed to buy a lottery ticket instead!

Today, when the doctor came in and told Paul that he might be able to go home tomorrow, Paul's first question to me was, "Would we be able to get back in time to go to Joe's funeral?" I told him that there would not be enough time due to the 4 hour drive. The doctor asked him about his statement and when told, said he was very sorry for Paul's loss of a dear friend. Paul said, " I really do love Joe and Juanita. They have been so good to me." I was amazed that that was Paul's first thought after being told the hopeful news of an early discharge. I am so thankful though that it was. He has a very tender heart and he has changed so much in many ways. He is always ready to share his love with anyone in his pathway.

God's love for us is incomprehensible, but the signs of it are all around us.
May you experience it today and everyday.
Love,
Jon and Rebecca