A beautiful birthday

Mon 07/23/07
As we awoke in the early morning, Susan said, "I know I'm asking dumb questions, but who is your wife?" (You are.) "Of course I am. That's right. I'm your wife." I described our wedding photos on the wall and wondered what she was thinking. (Who did you think you were?) "I'm not sure who I am. It's all so bizarre."
Susan's birthday. She was served meals with the red birthday plate. She had a bowl of cut fruit with breakfast – apples, nectarines, bananas, green grapes and red grapes. We worked on naming each fruit as she touched and tasted it. She struggled repeatedly and commented how strange it is that she can't retain such basic information. She felt tired after breakfast.
Susan mentioned again that everything (the room, the sky) is constantly spinning. It makes her dizzy. With vertigo and obscured vision, no wonder she needs help to walk.

Today is Susan's birthday. We had dinner provided by a loving relative and were visited by my mom, my 100-year-old grandmother, and my brother Chris, whom we convinced to eat with us. We also had phone calls from our Pastor Ken and my high school friend Robbie Lyell. Later Bob & Chris Olson, Bob and Kristin Feenstra, and Sue's brother Randy dropped in. We enjoyed coffee and dessert with lively conversation. Susan and I remarked how satisfying it is to spend leisure time with friends and family – and a crisis forces us to do what we're usually too busy to do: make space for others.

Tue 07/24/07
A physical therapist visited our home to evaluate the environment for safety, to observe Susan doing several daily living activities, and lead her in some basic stretching and callisthenic exercises. Our friend Holly Weisenberger brought us lunch with her visit; and Dorothy Romberg sat with Susan while I went to the hospital to pick up some records and pre-admit Susan for radiation treatment. Sue continues to improve.

Dorothy stayed with Susan for several hours while I went to the hospital to pick up records and pre-admit Susan for radiation treatments. Our friend Melanie Gunsolus came by to visit and to pray. While they were in prayer, Melanie was in the Spirit and saw two angels attending Susan, one on either side. She's never seen angels before. They appeared to be male, they were huge, had large wings, and they quietly guarded Susan. Wow. God is up to something!