loving care.

Mike and I are overcome with the grace extended around us. We have enjoyed the sweetest phone calls, emails, blog comments and texts... and each one has landed at the perfect time to calm and encourage... thank you for your love and prayers...

Since we landed in St. Louis we have been pampered and cared for beyond belief... We are staying with long-time friends, Tom & Janice Vespa. (Since they have made numerous visits up to Oakland to visit, all of the kids know & adore them which makes it more comforting for the children. They all understand what loving care we are getting!)

Eating is certain to be uncomfortable for Mike for several days after his surgery but be assured that Mike's "last supper" was an amazing one! Tom lovingly made Mike fresh linguine pasta noodles using his Italian aunt's recipe because "that is what his mom would have done for him" when he needed comfort. When we arrived, the pasta noodles were drying on a tea towel and the aromas in the house were intoxicating. Tom made "wedding meatballs" made with fresh meat that he ground twice that gives a texture as soft as mousse. He also made a special tomato sauce from the region of Italy where his family is from - and to top it all off, we had a bottle of wine from that same region. Loving care. The meal was amazing. Mike had 3 servings.

The Vespa's home has a 3rd floor that they are considering our home for the next week. I cannot express how comforting it is to be with them. They are amazing friends. They are amazing caregivers. Because of Janice's extensive medical background, she also knows how to say "just the right thing" to encourage. When we headed out the door at 5:15am this morning she simply said "this starts the journey to healing". Those words have been a balm today. For years Janice has modeled being an advocate for aging parents in the hospital, and last night she coached me again about "being attentive, not being afraid to question & following your gut" with a loved one during a hospital stay. She printed out of check list for me to take notes on during each day in the hospital. Loving care.

Did we mention that the Vespas live just a couple miles from the hospital complex? I could actually walk from the hospital on Kingshighway to Skinker through Forest Park to get "home" if I wanted a two mile walk - which I might do later in the week.

We feel this same kind of love flowing in from friends far near & far... it is an amazing kind of journey to be on.

Dr. Haughey had so much care in his eyes this morning... and his confidence & excitement over his work are very comfort giving. It is hard not to tear up when I think about the path that brought us to Dr. Haughey's care.