Merry Christmas and Happy New Year “09”
After Time Magazine referred to the oo’s as a decade from hell, it was ironic that recently “Bad Day" was named the One-Hit Wonder of the Decade; and the singer’s only “good day”.
I guess history will determine but I’m still leaning toward the 60’s as the worst decade with hippies, social unrest (burning cities), Vietnam, poor people march on DC, and assassinations.
Of course, once I say that, I recall that we were married, had a son, and Razorback football was at its pinnacle. So there are many good things, if we look for them, even in the worst of times. As Charles Dickens wrote over 150 years ago, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times”. That could also apply to 09 and the 00’s.
Sandy said “09” was all about Christy and me. It started with our trip to NIH in Bethesda, Maryland in late March. Christy was part of a clinical trial researching her oral-facial-digital syndrome and polycystic kidneys. Bottom line, we found out she was eligible (now on it) to get on the kidney transplant list and the syndrome, through a DNA test, was determined to be a one time event, not an issue for Craig’s family. Side benefit for me was there was a determination, through an ultrasound test, that I had a small tumor on my kidney, which since has been removed and appears isolated with grade 2 cancer, requiring no further treatment. Christy is taking credit for saving my life. Another good day from a bad day.
My kidney surgery and back surgery (not related) occurred within a month. I told Dr Kent Westbrook (UAMS distinguished professor of surgery) I was spending more time at UAMS than he was. Everything went textbook; Westbrook sagely told me there’s another textbook that covers when things go wrong. After my second surgery, within an hour after getting to my room I sent the infamous e-mail to all our church members that I had discovered what hell was really like – most expected me to say something about my pain level and surgery, but I said riding with Sandy for six weeks was my taste of hell (she found out about it and then proceeded by hitting every pothole on the trip home). I guess a good day for her?
Grandkids have had a great year; Sophie and Cooper are learning to play several instruments from piano to guitar to violin and are involved in soccer and gymnastics. Growing up fast. Wendy keeps busy shuttling both kids, as well as serving as Church Children’s Minister with classroom planning, VBS, and Christmas activities. They all had fun at the beach in June and in New York over Halloween.
Craig was born in “69” between man’s walk on the moon and Woodstock, something that may explain why he celebrated his 40th by running the New York Marathon. Another way to be low tech in a high tech world, not unlike the happenings when he was born. I’ll stay with high tech when I travel in NYC.
Sandy says the best thing to come out of 09 was her new motto which she has taped to her refrigerator and her heart, “Watch me trust in the Lord”.
Merry Christmas and a good new decade –---------------- Herb, Sandy, and Christy
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