Two Resorts

Two Resorts

I had overnight stays at two resorts in the last week.  One is called St. Anthony’s and the other Missouri Baptist.

My transportation to St. Anthony’s resort was provided by special coach with the springs of a hay wagon traveling a farm field road.  My first resort visit was initiated with a no. 10 chest pain that led Becky to call 911.  At the moment I was kneeling on the bedroom floor as if I was bowing to Mecca, except I was facing southwest.  My entourage arrived with flashing lights, accompanied by a fire engine and the city police car.  Soon five or six coachmen were in our living room.  By then I was sitting on the couch with no pain.  I felt like Cinderella.  Hurriedly they stuck stickers to my body, did an EKG and soon I was on my first rough ride of the morning, on a gurney across our mole ridden lawn.  Once in my coach one of the coachmen applied tha stickiest of tape as he put in an IV drip.

At resort St. Anthony all my tests proved negative, except a sonar test which revealed a few gall stones.  Eventually, I was on the cardiac floor where poking, drawing of blood, taking of vitals etc. continued throughout the day and night.  Do any of the resort personnel realize there are people going about drawing blood in the middle of the night?  It’s enough to lead one to think one is in an Anne Rice or Laurel K. Hamilton novel.

The room was spacious, the hallway wide overlooking a courtyard containing trees and shrubbery.

My resort stay ended the next day.  As often happens when one goes on vacation, I was wiped out and needed to rest.  I did visit my cardiologist on Monday.

Wednesday morning I discovered I had chest pressure and shortness of breath.  After three nitro’s and a call to the cardiologist, Becky chauffeured me in our Honda Element to Missouri Baptist resort.  The ride was smoother, though our arrival was not nearly so spectacular, having no red flashing lights.  Instead of attendants wheeling me into ER, I walked in.

Here followed much of the same registration routine, chest Ex-Ray, EKG. Etc.  Then up to the cardiac floor.  At Missouri Baptist resort the room, personnel, and food were better than St. Anthony’s.  We did have some difficulty getting food.  “There goes the cart,” I said.  Another time a person stepped in the door with a tray tantalizing me with gourmet prospects, only to step back out into the hall and go elsewhere.  Over all Missouri Baptist resort provided a dining experience of the highest quality.  That is, once we chased down the personnel from the dietary area and pleaded our case.

The resort provided a room with an interesting view.  The construction of a new medical tower and parking lot was underway.  Like viewing an ant hill, clusters of men worked here and there.  Large I beams were moved by a huge red crane, trucks brought in dirt and gravel, graders graded and rollers rolled the parking lot area.  When I left this morning they were blacktopping the parking lot.  Resort people who worked at a lower level stopped in to take in the view.

Yesterday my cardiologist did a catherization to see what she could see.  What she saw was that I only have one by-pass supplying blood to the heart.  So now we are reassessing what I can do.  I have this weekend off; Becky and I were supposed to be in Maryland this weekend.  Next Sunday, I may try doing the service sitting on a stool.

In speaking with our neighbor Bill, Becky summed up the situation.  If he sees me laying in the yard, just walk over.  If I’m sitting in the yard, hurry over, because I may still be able to be helped.

There is mercy.  A book was overdue at the seminary library.  When I got home I called to renew it so the charges would not continue to mount.  They not only renewed it, but forgave the debt.  There is forgiveness for the sinner.

There is much for which to be thankful.  The two Christian based “resorts,” the personnel, Becky who once again sat by my side and made numerous trips to home and back, to God for loaning me extra time on this mortal coil.  All of this, that thanksgiving to God might overflow.

 I will ask him to extend the loan according to His will.         

               

Comments

[Rev. James T. Cumming]

Dear Brother in Christ:
Warming greetings to you from Wisconsin.
Larry and Becky Roethe of Zion, Pinckneyville relayed your account of your recent "vacations" to me.
We are so glad to "hear" that they treated you well at both places and that you now at home and feeling well.
With the Pinckneyville folks, we give thanks to our God for you and for the good "treatments" you received at those two "resorts.

In and for Jesus, we are,
Jim and Margaret Cumming

[Ronald Jansen]

Thanks. I seem to be doing better than I am supposed to be doing. I hope to be in the chancel and pulpit as scheduled next Sunday.
Ron