13 September, 2001 - 22:15 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Blessed Duty

Heather told me when I came out for coffee this morning that Tuesday Morning had something on sale that she wanted to get, an iron. She told me she knew that a person had to be there when it opened to get the desired thing. So she left in time to be there when the doors opened at eight -- she thought.

So I sat wallowing in the muck, mire and bile existing after 911, WTC

Our phone rang -- not the one hooked up to the Webtv unit but the one for Heather. I answered it and a weak voice said something, I asked for a repeat and got the same weak response. I thought a second and said, "Is this Junie ?" Receiving an affirmative I asked him, "Do you need help," He answered, "Yeah." I told him that Heather was out and out of reach for awhile, but that I would get something done to help him."

First call I made was to eldest son, fortunately he was not working yet and on hearing that his uncle was in need of help and Heather was out shopping he said, "I'm on my way." That was about eight ten AM, about ten o'clock son called and told me that he had got his uncle to the hospital and he was being checked out.

I told him that Heather and I would be over as soon as she returned from shopping.

The tale gets a bit complicated. About ten twenty five AM Heather comes burning in the door, fuming like mad. Tuesday Morning doesn't open until ten AM. She went nearby to get a bite to eat and do a short bit of shopping. She returned to the store and on opening she walked in got what she was after, the last one no less. She had much activity planned for today, but I said, "Sit a minute and listen, please."

I told her about her brother and very shortly were on our way.

My brother-in-law is the person who just recently lost his wife and was in hospital later with pneumonia. He has diabetes, wears a pacemaker and is using oxygen at 3 liters an hour. During the long wait, his cardiologist came in, did his poke and prod, ordered an ekg and a check made on the pacemaker as well as x-rays.

In the course of his talk with brother-in-law he spoke of his condition - as it was the last time he saw him. He has arterial blockages in his carotid, femoral and heart arteries plus a heart valve that is not operating as it should.

Heather and I were with her brother while he periodically was taken out for one test or another. We stayed until his son arrived from work after stopping at his dad's house for his rx medicines.

Finally at five twenty this evening they took him to a room. We stayed until he was settled in and his keys, checkbook and ID's were given his son by Heather.

At least he is in a place where the most good can be done for him. His cardiologist told him to consider the aspects of heart treatment -- different medication, angioplasty and if the worst comes about -- bypass surgery.

He has been living at his house, going to the store, postoffice and out to eat sometimes. We doubt that he will be doing that anymore, possibly going to an assisted living home.

That is the bare bones of today, not discussing the state of Heather and her brother's family. Details like that probably will be obvious to those who have had relatives in a similar shape, whatever the cause.

I must marshall all my faculties to be beside Heather these days to come, knowing what eventually will happen, only time being the unknown.

But for today WTC was way in the far background, hardly noticed. And we took care of Blessed Duty . . . . .

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