CAN'T MAKE THIS UP!

What do you do when your husband falls and fractures his hip in 3 places requiring surgery - after surgery to remove a adrenal gland - after his 2 day back surgery that inserted erector sets into his spine - after he had open heart surgery to repair a few valves in his heart to prepare for the back surgery? I wonder? Never get out of bed? Fly away to Never Never Land? Rise up, drink strong coffee and begin each day anew? Write a best seller that NO ONE would believe? Sell the story to Saturday Night Live since it would make a great comedy sketch?

I have been thinking on all of the above. I am living this "You Won't Believe It" life.

Once again, I'm gut smacked with the reality that life is a bumpy road and each day brings joy and challenge. With the last 18 months of hospitals, I have paused each night to search the sky for the evening star, the moon, to make a wish. And look into the universe. How awesome to think beyond hospital walls. Each morning I try to look at my garden as it transforms from summer to fall to winter to the blush of spring, presenting evidence that change is a constant.

I'm glad we have spent time talking about aging and what we want. I don't have to think about that now in the midst of medical decision making. I do have to remember to reread our plans and implement those decisions. I try to be grateful that we made plans when we were calm and no doctors were around. Deciding things in the emergency room or doctor's office is not very smart.

Take from my experiences what you will. I'd like to invite you to share how you manage life's bumps, twists, turns with other Gift Box users. We all need to share our little tricks because - I guarantee this - we will all need to use all the tricks we can muster when the big challenges arise...and they will arise.

Your challenge is to complete your Gift.