Thank you for your many kindnesses and prayers.

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

I was so impressed, joyful and happy with all the great, warm, kind comments and well wishes from my friends and readers concerning Sharon's successful open heart surgery and recovery. I miss her dearly, and I sure have a lot of time to think about how blessed and favored I am to own a small country house, garden, a few toys and money in the bank, plus my super tank Dodge Ram 4 by 4 pickup truck that has enough head room for my large body... LOL. I suppose that many think I should be with her right now at the hospital in CCU, but she is still dormant, in a deep, drug induced long sleep as they assist her in their studied, experiences battle plan to help and encourage her damaged heart to start repairing and strengthening her heart pumping muscle. There IS a method to their madness-- and it will require a lot of patience on MY part. I believe the surgeons and cardiac staff know much, much more than I do, and I know how to be humble and keep my mouth shut at this time. If I dwell too much on this subject, I will start crying, big old nasty Soldier that I am. We combat Vets have soft, sensitive heart too-- but we guard them so we don't get caught off guard. We have built a 'barrier' of protection so we could remain to appear "normal" and sane to be a productive member of society-- even though "our Society has drifted away from the true saying and counsel of God and His Word these days-- and our beloved America going down the tube in a hurry. We are damned tired of fighting and wish the rest of the younger people would grow up and assume the role of mature, capable Christian warriors! It's frustrating us Vets to watch everything we worked and fought for disintegrate before our very eyes, losing one Freedom after another with the monkey in the White House. On the other hand, we just may be fighting against GOD'S WILL! We learned, well studied ones know for a fact that the Lord has a defin ate battle plan set in motion. So, for us to miss the true meaning or 'miss the boat' would be pure foolishness, IMHO. God has plainly foretold that He will allow the world to destory itself [in many ways] before Jesus returns to earth to claim His faithful servants/ believers. If you don't see it happening-- I truly pity you. I don't want to re-hash all that right now. My thoughts are else where, and I hear that there may be foul, snowy weather in the fore cast. Time to put my socks and shoes on WITH OUT my dear wife's assistance. Yes, I am getting that disabled!

I just don't have an appetite lately and don't care to eat much. The only way I can explain it is when I was a teenager in love in high school with some lovely girl... and Mom readily noticed that something was wrong with a tall, growing teen age son named Tom. When Tom doesn't want to eat-- something is radically WRONG... LOL! Well, I sure need to lose the weight anyway and maybe I can surprise my wife when she gets out. gets back from the hospital in a few weeks. That would be a scream.

I want to mention that one of my dear Vietnam combat buddies, fellow Christian, ex-Marine and even worked with me on the same assembly line at AMC/ Chrysler in Kenosha-- is in the same hospital as my wife!! Poor old Marvin Ellis is on the 7th floor of Kenosha Memorial Hosp with a serious lung infection and he also has a chronic lung ailment, emphysema-- but his wife is a chain smoker, unfortunately. I get along so well with Marv AND his wife, but it boils down to nice people-- bad habit, IMHO. Please keep my brother, Marvin Ellis, the Patriot, in your prayers. Thank you.
I got a $60 parking ticket because I left my Ram parked on the street in from of my house-- EVEN WITH A "DISABLED TAG" on the vehicle!! I fully intend to take the goofy, arrogant Key Stone cops to task on this matter soon. Sharon is an expert on ADA -- the American Disabilities Act and know how to burn myopic cops and belligerent businesses or public places who discriminate against the disabled people. Now I have to bone up on the ADA laws, as if I didn't have enough on my plate already.

PS. I got up the will power to fill gas and then decided to go to the store and then visit my wife, and Marvin Ellis at the hospital. I was so surprised to see Sharon move her eyes open a bit and recognize me today!! She could only open her eyes a little bit but when I touched her hand and asked her if she could hear and feel me, she nodded her head YES! I have always believed that a baby even in the womb can hear and feel, and some women play special music and read the Bible as they carry the infant inside of them. I also believe [but can't prove it with eloquent 'tech-speak' that many people who are comatose or whacked out/ unconscious can still hear things going on around her. Well, the RN only had Sharon as her patient as a full time job who needed around the clock care and monitoring... and there were so many gadgets, lines, dials, meters, hoses and monitors around my wife, but she was definitely conscious-- but very weary and tired, and the nurse gave me a run down/ report on her status, but had trouble putting it into words... and she seemed a little "spacey"-- like a space cadet, as if she was drugged on anti-depressants-- just my opinion.
Seems like my wife's heart is healing more quickly than anticipated, but early this morning the heart made a few rapid flutters [ 'pre-beats'] and had to be put back on track [somehow]. The good looking nurse, Laurie, was certainly an expert IN HER FIELD, but a 'one horse pony show' and a specialist in one field only. Don't get angry, but I told her that I certainly had a right to ask her questions, without getting in her way... but in fact she was fluttering around me checking things and writing them down in her ledger all the time I was there, and I felt uncomfortable wanting to talk about my love for Sharon with encouragement in private, and also pray with my wife in private too. The nurse wanted to turn Sharon over-- but gave me ten whole minutes to say good bye. Very magnanimus of her, huh?? In between my visiting time I had light conversation with the RN probing her mind to see how alert she was for a 48-something lady from Kenosha-- and she seems just a bit "slow" and preoccupied, and didn't know what the word,'prognosticate ' mean, and she took NO Latin in school which made me wonder because years ago that was a required course for medical people... I think I left the RN with a good taste in her mouth and thanked her for her kind, professional care of my dear wife, my precious commodity.

Please remember that I am a "guard dog" and programed to love and protect my family, and so I feel that I have to 'micro manage' my wife's care and keeping. Maybe it's a "man-thing" but for all the bucks $$$ my Insurance is shelling out I demand better care than what the Gov't pays for welfare folks who never worked a day in their lives... Sorry. And then you really have to wonder with all the medical "accidents" like cutting of the wrong part of anatomy instead of the correct one, and all the lies and cover ups. I explained that my wife covers me when I go to the doctor/ hospital-- and I do the same for her. Sharon is in training to be 'Wonder Woman' and even enjoys shooting her own .22 pistol with me for fun and sport, past time. CHAMPVA is paying for most of my wife's care and expenses and I doubt if there is any co-pay for me. Fellow Veterans, especially with service-connected disabilities-- for the sake of your wife and family PLEASE look into to CHAMPVA NOW! The worst thing they can say is 'no.' The VA honestly tries to keep this secret as they don't want to dole out one penny more for any Vet! Illegal aliens and terrorists from GITMO--- well they are OK and will get all they need to live.

I asked my wife if it would be OK to touch and stroke her arm and hand and she made a special effort to nod her head. She must be so lonely, bored with no one to visit her in CCU except family, and I was so glad that I went to give her an orange when she is able to start eating. I gave her my solemn promise that I would bring her fav. food in when she is able to eat real food. I will also rub some skin cream on her feet, arms and hands and baby her.

I visited my close buddy from church, Marvin Ellis and gave him an orange too, and his room mate was an Army Airborne gentleman who served with 82nd Airborne Div, so he got an earful too. Marv is get out of there on Tuesday, and then we can visit more often, practice guitar together and BS as Vets do... lol .
I intend to be with my wife every day now to make her feel wanted and loved. Next time, FLOWERS! And maybe a radio to listen to a good Christian station for encouragement and spiritual food. I might read to her too, just plain sit with her for company. The Bible tells me that is what a spouse is supposed to do! I have to write a 'to-do list' as old farts do.
Bye for now.

Warm Regards,
Tom