Have A Little Faith in We

Happy Wednesday folks! We are half way through the week….. so cheers to that and time for two weekend updates!

Danny is still on home IVs which makes for some pretty quiet weekends. There is no doubt we miss being out and about – plus you really do feel a burst of energy when you are seeing friends and family, but with the inability to predict how Danny is feeling, trying to both make and keep plans is tough.  But I would also be lying if I didn’t agree that when the weekends do roll around – we are pretty ready to crash. Balancing normal life with the bumpy medical life is hard right now – and I find my down time or escaping into a good book or show has been a huge part of keeping our sanity!

So two weekends ago we were total home bodies who mostly hid away from he world. There was a lot of reading and of course some serious time investment in my latest binge obsession: Scandal!

This weekend agenda also left a lot of time for cleaning, organizing, getting ready for the week and of course a Target trip to secure the most perfect Halloween costume for the dog of a Dad whose family hails from New England and are/were lobstermen!

That Sunday concluded with a visit from my in-laws to check in and take us out to eat. The realization that we are living a life that is often best as home bodies, but that folks still want to just be around started to set in with this visit. Danny woke up not feeling good and I screwed up my timing to try and get all my errands in before they arrived  – needless to say we both were a mess when they arrived and our house wasn’t much better. But you know what, it turned out just fine! We hung out, watched football, and even though Danny never felt better both he and I discovered the power of a good distraction and that a simple visit was just fine.

This past weekend we were all in recovery mode! Danny continued his IV course and I recovered from surgery so we were pretty much stuck at home! Friday my surgery required that I be at the hospital at 6:30AM  – which is not the time of day that is really ideal for Danny (just to get up he needs an hour + of treatments), not to mention adding in the complication of IVs. So we decided to have my mom be my surgery plus 1! And when I say decided, Danny very reluctantly gave up his chance to be patient transport – but it worked out nicely so he could rest and I could get to the carving.

That afternoon I just felt tired, so Danny got me all set up on the couch and then headed to hockey practice. This left a few hours where I was alone and gave the Heppes ladies a chance to visit! My Ganmommy, Mom, sister Katy and niece Lola came to check-in and bring my some of my meds…. it was a good little visit!

Saturday morning we were moving slow, which was not quite the plan with our first round of Saturday lunch visitors starting, but again it worked out perfectly. We were able to continue practicing our new relaxed mode of just opening the door and ignoring our messy kitchen or Shiba Inu tumble weeds in exchange for great time with sweet friends! Jeff and Bridget brought over one of our favorite lunches – Lost Dog – and were so kind to also bring some baked goods and dinner! We were spoiled rotten.  This visit really helped us to forget our permanent patient status and just enjoy a saturday hang out with friends!

That afternoon everyone found their way to a couch and snoozed a little until we realized that our chance of puppy parents of the year was quickly diminishing, as our little guy needed a walk. Thankfully my parents dropped by for a check-in and were able to help get Q moving, along with a little college football watching.

Sunday Danny and I welcomed his parents over to watch some Sunday football, but also to help out. It is just plain weird to keep ask for help to do things that are so regular, but due to my recovery and Danny’s exhaustion, we had to – and luckily people have been willing! Pat and John helped with our trash, picking up Dan’s basement man cave, and to fix a toilet. It may have seemed simple to them, but meant a LOT to us. They also helped to get us squared away with some good food and offer Quinlan a nice walk.

That Monday I was still home trying to recover and Danny was starting to feel a little better – so he ran a few errands. You know – just the essentials: toilet paper, milk, eggs…. oh and a brand new TV and TON of beer!!! We have been discussing a TV for our living room for awhile now and after a weekend where I was laid up on the couch in that room, we realized how nice it was to spend more time on that level. So Danny dusted off that birthday check and got us a new TV! And just like if you give a mouse a cookie….. this TV was also prompted by the plan to now have regular Saturday visitors and Danny figures that will include a little college football. So what better way to enjoy with football – beer! So now we are officially ready for our Saturday lunch dates and to assure they don’t feel like a “funeral procession” – Danny’s words not mine – of friends, we have found a few ways to guarantee some fun! Sorry Jeff and Bridget….. you guys might have to come back since you were the guinea pigs for round 1!

So there you have it…..living life over here in the fast lane! Truth behold, there will come a time when this season of life will seem like a distant memory. We will (God willing) be crazy busy someday with two careers to balance, a couple of kids to get to lessons and practices, more energy to do the house projects we dream of and take that day trips that currently live in our minds. Being busy with full schedules will become our new reality – and moments like this to linger over conversations with friends, binge on a few extra TV shows, or just be still will seem so far away. So as best that I can – I am trying to soak up the good parts of this time and find a lot of gratitude for those surrounding us who are determined to have a little fun too!

Thank you so much for reading and remember to make it a great day!

Jackie