I MADE IT!!!

I made it! I actually made it! I had surgery and it was very successful! I am not sure what is meant when doctors say that a surgery was successful. Are they meaning, "I did this procedure and now I can charge them an arm and a leg (or in my case a knee!)" or "We got the guy on the table and did something to that guy (me) so it was successful! But Dr. Walker (can you imagine I selected a surgeon by the name of Dr. Walker to do my knee surgery?) did a great job. I commented about his name and he laughed and told me he has a clinic and his partner's name is Dr. Chop! So I think I got the better end on the deal!!!!

Dr. W. told me I had one of the worse knees he had ever seen. I wonder if doctors tell everyone that or if it was really that bad. I asked him if he could now charge me double for having to do surgery on a bad knee. After deciding that I wasn't getting the right pain medicine and getting me on the correct juice, I am feeling great and doing great.

It was a tough week with a death of a good friend earlier in the week and my not being able to attend her funeral and coming home yesterday from the hospital to learn that my mother-in-law was in the hospital as well. I learned once again how GREAT our God is! It just marvels me how God can manage all of these things if we will just let Him do that in our lives. I have learned a lot about patience and God's grace this week.

I also saw grace in action as Evie (my wife) had to run to Nebraska to be with her family to help their mom and my wonderful sister-in-law (Barb) who really is my sister as far as I am concerned, changed her schedule and came to S.F. to care for me this week. Barb helped my twin brother after his knee operation a couple of years ago so she is doing a great job telling me what to do. Her graciousness and desire to serve me has impressed me once again about the kind of person Barb is. Wow Tim, you are like me and definitely married up when you connected with your wife! We have had some great visits and have learned we agree on a lot of things and don't agree on everything but that doesn't really matter to us. We love each other. Our family has been so blessed to have Barb a part of it for over 35 years. Thanks Barb for coming to help us out.

I am either sleeping in bed or in the chair but am getting better everyday. I have had tons of phone calls from my Christian brothers and sisters who have been praying for me during this time. Thank you guys for your love and prayers. I am doing great and soon will be chasing my wife around the house. Well, maybe slogging around the house would be more like it.

God is so good and we all have so much to be thankful for. I appreciate my family and friends who have supported me during this time. My surgery has reminded me that it isn't really about me at all. God is using this time to teach us about His healing grace and love.

God's richest blessings on you all! Evie, I look forward to when you can come home and when Barb can get back to Iowa to be with my twin brother Tim.

Marko