WHAT A RIDE

"HOME! And this is my room--and you're all here! And I'm not going to leave here ever, ever again, because I love you all! And - Oh, Auntie Em - there's no place like home!"

Those were the words of Dorthy when she woke up in her own bed after her adventure to Oz and back. We said some of them -- but mainly just "HOME" and "Thank you Lord for putting us safely on the ground!!". It has been a while since I've seen the movie, but I recall the rough ride being at the beginning of Dorothy's journey. Not the case for us. It was definitely not the ride we had going to Baltimore and so I was not even prepared for the storm! Not a literal storm outside the plane but oh what tossing and turning there was on the inside. I have flown many times in my life but this was the first time I ever got sick. AWFUL!! Ken was so uncomfortable due to bunched up sheets and an uncomfortable-too small mattress. There was not enough room to move around and try to get him really comfortable. I tried pulling on sheets while buckled in my seat since the plane would suddenly drop and twist and turn at any moment. I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE SLIDING INTO TENNESSEE I had mentioned in a previous entry. I just kept praying and rubbing Ken's head to calm him (and me), and we kept saying we're going home, we're going home.....There's no place like home!!

The ambulance was there to meet us at the landing strip and we went straight to Baptist Hospital in Nashville. My neighbor, Brenda, came and picked me up after Ken was all settled for the night and took me home. I was so tired I did not even pull back the sheets on the bed. Tuesday morning I had my first experience with driving and FILLING UP WITH GAS since February 21st, but I managed to travel that all to familiar route to the hospital without incident. Ken's care this week has been mostly about getting him settled after the trip and familiarizing themselves with were he is in his recovery. He got dialysis three times since Tuesday as well as three units of blood since Thursday. He has been sleeping a lot and his appetite has not been very good, but we are hopeful with the rest and the units of blood we are looking at more productive days of rehab this next week.

For various reasons, some of which I will share at another time, this week has been extremely difficult. Even though we are back "home" we have both experienced some feelings that we were not really prepared for. We feel a little lost and out of place. This probably seems very strange to you since this is what we have been wanting and praying for, and it does to us as well. I know this will pass, and before long we will have established a routine and be very comfortable with his care, but for this week it was a little unsettling. We are extremely grateful to and for the people of UMMC of Baltimore for their hard devoted work to get Ken to this point in his recovery and back home. Their tender and caring hearts made us feel at home and loved through PART ONE of The Tin Man's journey to get a new heart.

Our gratitude continues to increase daily for each of you and your faithfulness to help meet our needs physically and to lift us up daily to our heavenly Father for renewed strength and healing. We hope you continue this journey with us. I even gave the Tin Man a new look for Part Two (thought I'd mention it -- just in case you didn't notice). God has been so faithful, and we give Him all Glory and Honor for He is worthy of all our praise.