Going to work again

Three days of this past week David was working in his Hopkins lab and office (and the other days on his computer at home). He's driving himself (both the car and literally) but it's liberating! On the weekends, I finally decided it was time for us to do some work in the yard and I encouraged David to supervise/assist in the tree planting, grass trimming, and spraying our beautifully flowering fruit trees. It gives us all a mental boost to be outside with the birds, tulips and final daffodils in their full glory. We also managed to remove an entire garbage can of blooming dandelions from the lawn over the past two days. One of our rewards was fresh garden asparagus and rubarb for dinner.

The third week of May will be the next step of his recovery - the reduction of the bulk of the jaw transplant so David can close his lips for easier eating and speaking. I suppose this is considered a small "tidying up" compared to the March 2nd operation. Fortunately, this debulking will occur after a colleague comes from Dhaka, after his brother Bob visits from Oregon, and follows the next vaccine trial conducted by David's staff. We are not sure how much trauma that procedure by the Hopkins surgeon will be. I'm fairly sure that the stomach tube will be put to use again, however.

Slowing down to smell the flowers

David was hit by a stomach/bowel malady this past week. Perhaps caused by a new regime of antibiotics, he thinks he has a mild case of c-difficile and his physicians have prescribed flagyl. Those of you readers who have had to take this huge pill know that it is difficile in itself.

Hopefully he will be out with me this weekend, directing me where to dig the holes for two new plum trees and some new raspberry bushes. We may even be able to harvest asparagus and smell the hyacinths in bloom.

Although several international trips scheduled for this month and next have been cancelled, David has had conference calls almost daily with his colleagues around the world. We also experienced a simple use of telemedicine when Rebecca & Paul used their computer screen (set on a blank Word document page) as a light box for Oren's new arm Xrays. They were in Kigali for meetings with MCC partner organizations and wisely decided to check the healing inside his left arm cast. The radius break had shifted to a 30 degree angle. Orthopedics experts in Baltimore (at Paul Sack's Union Memorial Hospital hand center) and Nairobi (thanks to Embassy friends there) were able to see the new Xrays and urge Mosleys to get Oren's arm reset. The reduction, done after hours of waiting in the Rwanda hospital, was terrifying for our 3.8 year old grandson but we think it was performed safely and well. I believe that Rebecca's family will also need to slow down there in Kigali and find some flowers to smell while Oren recovers enough for the bumpy 6-7 hour drive back across the mountains to Bujumbura.

Dave has been going into Hopkins on Mondays now, with our daughter-in-law Gwendolyn, to meet with his great laboratory staff and administrators. But we have more doctor's appts next week and possibilities of scheduling another type of "reduction" - the bulk of the mouth tissue on the bone transplant is too big for him to thoroughly close his mouth for eating and speech. Stay tuned and enjoy your own Bengali New Years and Springs!

Discovering depths of friendships

If we were to analyze new insights gained from David's need to go through this life-saving surgery, I think the blessings of friendship are right up there with appreciation for the medical interventions. Friends have called from all over the earth, e-mailed from dozens of countries, written cards, and visited from around the Baltimore area during this recuperation month. David would have to take another month off to read the new books you have sent or view all the DVDs on loan. It's amazing, humbling, and inspirational to have such friendships sustaining him.

Friends at church welcomed David back to worship last Sunday and assured him of continued prayer power. On the first Friday of this month we went with close friends to hear Mahler's 9th Symphony played poignantly by the Baltimore Symphony. Like many other 9ths, this profound orchestral vision was Mahler's last completed work and captures the sunlight and darkness of his life = appropriate for Lent and this Holy Week. In playful contrast, we took friends and Paul's family to the Orioles opening baseball game on April 6th where Vice President Biden threw out the first pitch and the New York Yankees were defeated 10-5. David took advantage of a wheelchair loaned by friends and all 10 of us had great leg-room seats in his "assisted" section of the ballpark = the benefits of a disability. Finally we have had friends/family over for dinners this month and shared food and memories. Henry Mosley had just returned from his visit with our Burundi family and showed amazing photos of Rebecca & Paul's work and friends there.

We appreciate this week's confluence of important religious events - Passover and Easter. We realize that life is a journey directed by God and shared with family and friends until death parts us. Getting well from an illness is like a type of doorpost marker or symbol of salvation to remind us of the power of the divine.