Perserverence

Meet one of the most interesting and incredible couples I have ever met.

Love them.

Mr and Mrs Wagner.

If ever there is someone that personifies perserverence, it would be Mr Wagner.

I met them a little over two years ago. Mr Wagner had a brain tumor. Benign. After that surgery, you couldn't even tell he had surgery. Unfortunately , as sometimes happens, he got an infection. This has left him basically hemiplegic. His right side is severely affected.

He has been through every complication imaginable from seizures, to repairing the hole the surgeon left in his skull, and even last summer three months of recovery after gall bladder surgery where the gall bladder was wrapped around his small intestine and sever pancreatitis.

He has been in a coma. He has seen the light and been in the tunnel. He had two buddies he lost in Korea tell him he had to go home because there wasn't a bunk for him. He was given last rites twice. Yet, with only good solid medical care, no heroics, he is still here. And you know what? With each and every set back, has come back kicking. He stays positive. Dont' get me wrong. He has days when he says he should have just died and done with it. Who can blame him? He wants nothing more than to be able to get in a boat and cast a fishing rod again, which he has been practicing! He still teases me when I am there, treats me like family, and raises hell out on the block on his scooter. The secret according to him? He was a marine. "We don't go easy".

He amazes me.

She amazes me.

They have been married 56 years. She is a tiny thing, but does her best, and a darn good job of it, taking care of him. Strong does not begin to describe her.

They are poster children for making the most of what we have. He may not have the life he wants, but he does make it a full life, and enjoys his family and they enjoy him. Totally changes my perception of human euthenasia.

I have once again discharged him. My job is to get him ready for outpatient therapy, then discharge him. I, of course, have had to promise to stop by for lunch, which I will do. I am a bit nervous. It seems each time we progress to outpatient therapy, he has a set back. We are praying this time is different. When I told them I wanted a picture for my journal, they couldn't understand why I would want to have a picture of them. Humble. I want to be able to look back at this picture every now and then, and remember everything I have learned from them. Living the best we can with what we are given. Making the most of every day.