Pastor Phil came back to the pulpit today. It was his first time to preach since February. He tells the story here: Pastor Phil’s story

He said that he so appreciated his wife for standing beside him throughout the whole ordeal and that nobody knew what she had been through. I nudged my friend and we both smiled. We know all too well what she went through.

Eileen is the newest member of the Not Quite Widows Club. It is not a club any of us necessarily wanted to be part of, but we are thankful nevertheless to be part of the club. Because, you see, we came through the other side of our loved ones’ ordeals with our loved ones still with us.

Three years ago my husband survived a “widow maker” cardiac arrest. By the grace of God he was at the hospital for an unrelated appointment so was able to be revived by hospital staff when he went down. The doctors there told me he might not live to get from their Emergency Department to the helicopter to the hospital in Anchorage. The staff at the Anchorage hospital told me again and again he might not/would not/should not make it. We will celebrate our third “bonus” anniversary this week.

Two years ago Angela’s husband was severely injured in a marine accident. The early days were not promising and the medical staff also warned her that his future was questionable. By the grace of God, even though he has far to go to be completely healed, he made it. They celebrated their second “bonus” anniversary recently.

My dear friend Sandy has nursed her husband through heart issues, cancer issues and now Alzheimer related issues. (How funny that we call these life altering moments “issues) She is yet another member of our club.

And, now Eileen, who will celebrate her first “bonus” anniversary with Phil in July.

Every day is a bonus. We do not take them lightly. We appreciate each and every one of them.

Often our husbands do not remember anything of at least the first few days or weeks after their incident. My hubby has very little recollection of anything until about a week before he was released from Heritage Place, some 7 weeks after his cardiac arrest.

We wives remember it all. We lived through every code and apparatus beep. We hurt for our loved ones (who, because of meds, felt no pain) when they had procedures done or surgeries. We rejoiced with each victory : when the tubes came out, one by one; when the machines were turned off, one by one; when they moved from intensive care to their own room in another wing of the hospital; when they moved from hospital to long term care; when they came home; when they graduated from wheel chair to walker to cane.

And you know what? We would do it again if need be.

We did not ask to be members of the Not Quite Widows Club, but we consider ourselves blessed to be.

Pastor shared a verse from Jeremiah today: Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I cling to those words. They may just become the life verse for the Not Quite Widows Club.