[Oe List ...] In Gratitude for a Caring Community

[jfknutson at aol.com]

Things are beginning to return to normal after the events of the past five weeks when I had surgery for total knee replacement.  I have had some time to reflect on this and decided the two overwhelming experiences were that of "Pain" (You were right, Mary Laura, Maxine and Claire, it hurt like hell!) and "Care".  I'm sure you all can imagine the pain involved in surgically removing the bones in your knee and replacing them with a mechanical titanium and plastic knee so I won't dwell on that.

But I want to share about the unbelievable care I experienced from family and friends.  First of all to have Jann McGuire here for a week watching over my care was the ultimate.  Some of my beading friends took it upon themselves to watch over Jann while she was here.  While in the hospital I received phone calls from friends I hadn't heard from in years.  Marilyn Crocker called me; she was one of the teachers in my first RS1 course in 1968.  I had many other calls wishing me well and I want you all to know how much that meant to me.  Get well cards and flowers arrived daily.  After four days I was transferred to a nursing care facility by ambulance.  Poor Jann did her best to follow the ambulance as she had no idea where I was going but she was not going to lose me at this point.  I now dubbed her "the ambulance chaser."  While in the care facility I continued to hear from friends and have lots of visitors.  As the food seemed to be following a color theme of "white", friends would bring me real food that was fresh and had color.

Luckily I only had to stay one week in the care facility and when they released me to go home, my high school, college sorority sister and maid of honor at my wedding (this is all one person) and her new husband came and took me home.  When I walked in the door of my apartment, I burst into tears--Edith Byers had arranged to have my carpet cleaned while I was gone and it looked terrific. Friends helped put the furniture back into place so it was perfect when I got home.  I had been complaining about the carpet but didn't have the physical energy to move all the furniture to do it.  That same day here comes Marilyn Oyler with a warm, out-of-the oven loaf of her 11 grain bread.  I now have two beautiful large green plants in my living room from friends.  Judi Weigel sent over a basket from her garden of fruit and vegetables.  A college friend Delsie brought over lunch one day and spent the day with me.  My daughter Kristen came for a week to take care of me.  Lots of friends took the time to drop by, offered to shop for me; neighbors took my trash out to the bin for me.  I was absolutely overwhelmed by the care I received and felt very loved.

Last week I finished physical therapy.  I am walking without any cane or walker.  I am going to aqua aerobics four times a week and driving.  All in all, this has been great experience and I wanted to express my gratitude for all who reached out to me.  Joan Knutson

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