Thankfulness Interruptus

OK, so I didn't get to finish my thankfulness list. There were a few things that got in the way - like Thanksgiving. Well, Thanksgiving plus a variety of health issues. I've been making up for the last few years when I didn't have to go to the doctor for anything other than mammograms and yearly exams.

So back to my thankfulness list. I'm thankful for really good colleagues who work well with whatever I throw at them. I did a few things with the Thanksgiving service this year to try to be a little creative, and my colleagues from the other congregations blended so well that you'd have thought we actually went through it more than 15 minutes ahead of time. I do like this yearly opportunity to work together, and they are a good group of pastors.

That last entry also includes the musicians at my church - I'm beyond thankful for them! I am always in awe of their talent (especially Lois!), and also somewhat filled with fear that we may someday lose them to another congregation. So I guess I should add that I'm thankful no one else has discovered them yet either.

I'm thankful for my family. Yeah, you have to have the traditional hokey stuff on these lists, but I did enjoy my time with them on Thanksgiving Day - even though it was shortened by my necessary early return to Milwaukee to see a doctor. I'm thankful that Mom is still feeling good - and actually looked better than she has in a while. Maybe being sick is good for her. :-)

And speaking of doctors, I'm thankful that I found a doctor I really like now. She is so gracious and genuine when she meets with me, I really do feel that I am more than just one more body she has to get through to go on to the next patient. I'm also thankful for the various other doctors I've seen in the last week too, who have been really patient and caring also. So I guess I should explain... first there was the cyst on my breast that became infected and inflamed over Thanksgiving (hence the early return to Milwaukee to see whatever doctor was available.) Then there was the endoscopy on Monday that had been scheduled for weeks already, so I went through with it even though I was dealing with that darn swollen and painful cyst. And finally there was the surgeon today who very gently sliced my boob to relieve that pressure from the infection, and who will eventually do the surgery to excise the remaining cyst. So that makes 3 doctors in 5 days - all on my thankfulness list.

Which brings me to one more thing for the list - I sure am thankful for drugs! And I guess I should also be thankful for friends like Darlene and Sue who offer to sit with me during appointments because I can't drive due to those same drugs. (Sue's even going to help with changing the dressing for the wound.... it is very nice to have a friend who's a nurse!)

So I think that should take care of my thankfulness for this year. Time to move on to new topics again.... and you who read this should just be thankful I spared you the details of the boob saga!