Doug went home around noon; Ed showed up around 4pm.

 Good Morning,

I pray the day finds you well.

I have a new roommate.

Doug went home around noon; Ed showed up around 4pm.

Did I mention I am in the hospital?

It seems that I now have diverticulitis, which evidently is when someone who has diverticulosis has a flare-up, and evidently, diverticulosis is just a big fancy term for "You have a pocket in your colon." 

I was sitting in a meeting yesterday and started to feel unky; unky is just a fancy Button name for "I don't feel so good." 

Then I started to feel woozy. I thought, "This isn't right," so I did what any other man would do and drove myself to the E.R.

Turns out I was bleeding internally.

I was admitted, subject to a bunch of tests, which caused me great worry (I hadn't studied for any of them). Evidently, I passed because they gave me a prize. 

I got a free trip to the G.I. ward for a colonoscopy! I even got to drink this amazing liquid, which I found out caused a lot more fantastic liquid to show up out of nowhere. 

Ed is just an old guy with memory problems and needs help. 

Ed kept me busy, talking to him, taking his urine bottle, marking down the amount of urine on the board, getting the nurse for him, clearing his dinner tray, and finding his wife's phone number on a piece of paper. I found that piece of paper on the floor multiple times during our time together. 

Ed was obviously a very intelligent man who was losing his faculties. He knew he was losing them and was open about it.

We talked about the fact that you don't have to look very hard to find someone worse off than you and to find joy in the midst of pain.

I am reminded of something Solomen said, "For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief." (Ecclesiastes 1:18)

When Ed and I talked, Ed talked of his wife and her dementia, how he loved her and wanted to be with her. 

Ed is a wise person. He is always gracious, pleasant, and kind. 

I am glad that I got to meet Ed. I am grateful that I was able to help him. 

Every so often, I get the opportunity to look outside myself and truly see another human, just as they are.

I thank God for allowing this to happen.

How are you doing? 

Are you inward or outward-looking today?

Something to ponder.

Blessings,

Roger