Grateful

Friday and Saturday were pretty terrible around my house. The weekend started out okay then my super fit, very healthy, half-marathon-running hubby started experiencing numbness in his ear and face. He decided to make a quick trip to the doctor in case it was a pinched nerve and he needed some meds. I was at home writing when I got the first text about the doctor sending the hubby to the hospital for tests. The next text from the hubby talked about being in ER and strapped to machines. By the time I got the hospital, my hubby's blood pressure had soared and the ER doctor was talking about the possibility my very healthy hubby who just turned 43 had suffered a stroke.

The next five hours in the ER were just plain awful. I was desperately worried, the place was a madhouse of noise and activity, the guy two spaces done coded and the ER doc just keep giving us bad news. The hubby had to stay the night. There was talk of tests and operations. Our friends and family rallied around with love and support. Friends who live hours away offered to drive in and folks closer to home asked to come and help. It was reminder of why we surround ourselves with the incredible people we have in our lives. I am grateful to all of them.

I'm also grateful to the amazing hospital team and the wonderful news that the hubby didn't have a stroke, is fine and is now back home with me. I'm also grateful for everything else. You realize how lucky you are in times like these. One moment of clarity came from an unexpected place. The man sharing the room with my hubby was homeless. While we waited impatiently for the hubby to be discharged on Saturday night, the man in the next bed didn't have anywhere else to go. At least in the hospital he could sleep and get three meals. He was gratious with the staff and spent most of his stay alseep. The only thing I heard him ask for was a shower. It was a humbling moment.

So, today I'm grateful. We have our health, our lives, our home, our family and friends, and each other. That's a pretty great deal.