Covid Without The Covid! - May 2025

Take a step forward (or quit being afraid)

I have been remiss in writing a monthly blog although it has been on my mind.  I have been, like many, watching and reading the news and thinking about my place in it.  It was only recently that all the pieces fell into place.

With the way news is being handled, it is causing many people to crawl into a corner.  The news has become a mirror of political campaigns or visa-versa.

  Yet, we all are pretty disgusted with political advertising as it is always negative and what's wrong with the other person.  We are all relieved when elections are over because we don't have to listen to it any longer.  Oddly enough, however, common news is given a passing grade when the very same type of negativism needs to be followed.  

Years ago, as many of you know, my wife began to suffer from a genetic heart disease known as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (or HCM).  Notwithstanding all the attempts to fix the problems (which required multiple surgeries), it began to fail.  This required a heart transplant which she received Thanksgiving Day, 2020. In the 4 years following that event, Deb eventually forced into retirement by her employer as she no longer had the steady hands needed to draw blood.  This was caused by the medications to prevent rejection.  In addition to this, over the next four years, she nearly died 8 or 9 times.

Through this, I made about 65 trips to the Cleveland Clinic from Virginia to be at her side not knowing the outcome. It was difficult on both of us.  Yet, through this all, a seed was planted.

Shortly after she was "retired" Deb began to plan her future and decided to pursue the path of being a social worker to help other transplant families.  As Covid protocols were still rampant, she chose Mary Baldwin University of Viginia as they offered on-line courses.  Working with them, they pieced together a path using credits she had previously earned nearly 40 years ago from another university combined with their program. 

Over the next few 2 ½ years Deb worked away on getting this degree and in the process held a GPA of 3.98 with honors.  In April of 2024, her transplanted heart began to fail.  The Cleveland Clinic offered the chance at a second heart transplant.  So, amazingly, while she was lying in bed from that time to August 21st, Deb continued to work away at earning her degree.  I, for my part, continued all the support necessary to run a farm, keep a household and run Audible Elegance which I have been visiting when I can. I made multiple trips during that time to continue the emotional support. On May 18th, she graduated from Mary Baldwin with her degree.  She plans more....  

Debbie's Graduation May 18th 2025

So, why write about this?  It is because she could have chosen to crawl into the corner and eventually die.  She not only chose to live but to see to others who are on this path.  It is, for both the patient and caretaker, not always an easy path.  She stood up and chose life.  It took 43 years to graduate and she did it after so many of life's distractions. 

Most recently she has been declared legally blind as a result of all the trauma her body has been through.  She has lost peripheral vision.  I am now her transportation to the future.  We are not giving up, we are not hiding in a corner.  We are looking forward. 

So, indeed it saddens me when I see perfectly healthy people crawling into the corner afraid to live life.  Afraid to enjoy the things of life, afraid to bring things into the life for enjoyment, afraid of what tomorrow may bring.  Well, from my experience, I can only say to you is to live life, enjoy life, and quit being afraid of tomorrow.  

-Lou