EXPERIENCING NEW FRIENDS

I have to give our new friend Tim credit.

Amy has been running a fever the past several days, and her PICC line started looking a little strange so we got the home health nurse to drop over Sunday afternoon. She determined the PICC line (which runs very close to Amy's heart) was infected so it had to be removed and replaced.

I had invited Tim over to watch the Cowboys and when he showed up, the nurse was here. She had already removed the infected line. I explained to Tim what was going on, and that we were waiting for another line to be delivered so the nurse could implant it.

Amy and the nurse went about their business, while Tim and I watched the game. Before long the PICC line delivery man arrived and the surreal aspects of the afternoon started sinking in. Most folks get deliveries of pizza during football games... we were getting medical supplies. The delivery guy didn't bat an eye when we asked if he remembered the free cheesy bread, but he did draw the line at promising the next delivery would be within 30 minutes or it would be free.

Around halftime, the procedure took place. Amy stretched out on the couch in our makeshift medical room, and a piano bench served as an extension for her arm so the nurse could run the line in.

I went in to watch, without a thought Tim joined me. We stood there as this wonderful nurse inserted a line into a vein in my wife's arm and threaded it blindly into an artery in her chest. There was blood.

I'll admit I was nervous.

The nurse tried to apologize for saying a small prayer to Jesus but we assured her prayers were welcome, and appreciated. Hers weren't the only ones being said.

There were no complications. The blood was quickly cleaned up and Amy was moving about soon afterwards.

I've known Tim for only a month or two but I have to wonder how I'd react if I was invited over to someone's house to watch a football game, even if I knew them well, and found myself front and center for a medical procedure.

Tim didn't bat an eye.

Then again, how many halftime shows have you watched that you really remember?