Today Stephanie had her heart procedure performed and they felt it was a complete success. She was nervous, as we all were, but fortunately everything went extremely well. Steph is a very fine-tuned athlete, and that was well in her favor. It just made my day to be able to bring her home with this all resolved.
AND here is some exciting news……Steph is now responsible for what has come to be known as “The Mystical Camel of Healing,” and as you can clearly see from the picture, she is TOTALLY THRILLED.
The camel made its original appearance in 2008 on the week that I had my stroke. As the story goes, the kids were cracking up about it as it was for sale in the gift shop (St. Vincent’s Hospital….probably a remnant from a Nativity set) and just “had to buy it.” That camel stared at me all through my hospital stay and recovery…..that is until my dad got sick and had surgery either last year or the year before.
Oh yes, he received the camel, not willingly but as a good sport……he himself waiting the day when he could unload, I mean pass it on. He seemed a little too excited a few months ago when I had my knee problem. Asking in a very concerned way if I was having surgery. Of course we are all now on guard. So when I hear the words, “I hear you may be having surgery,” what it translates to is “I am hoping to unload this stupid camel.” Sadly for him I just needed my knee drained and shot up….and sadly again I forgot to mention that eye surgery I had in March.
But of course we are not nearly as pastoral to Stephanie, the co-originator of the camel tradition. My dad was glad to give it up, and quite honestly there will be hell to pay when she finds out that Scotty reminded my dad and even went to pick it up. He may be having a surgery of his own sometime within days.
But the camel is hers to worry about for now and she is waiting for one of us to need it. I am sure it will not be hers for long. But although it is just a stuffed camel, it has also meant a lot in terms of joy. It made me laugh in quite a few tough times in my life, including today. I am just glad she is okay.
Goodnight my friends and God Bless!
Tommy+