Giving Thanks

I have been out of Blogging- touch for about 10 days because a cat bit me!. Sounds innocuous but I am here to tell you that everyone should treat a real cat bite -fangs to the bone- with the utmost respect and caution. I was in hospital, almost to the point of septic shock, within about 24 hrs. Immediately on an IV antibiotic drip, with thumb joint surgery imminent. Now, 11 days later, Thanksgiving Day, I am home and so grateful for so many things. Which will be the focus of this blog. I will tell everyone about my hospital adventure which was extraordinary in a later blog. It is a tale.

But, today, I want to give thanks. I want to thank modern medicine and the American medical system, which may be flawed but is so much better than just about anywhere else. 100 years ago I probably would have died from this stupid cat bite. Really! So kudos to my surgeon, the infectious disease specialists and all the overworked nurses who made my life run the gamut from absurdly surreal to real kindness in the hospital. Next, I want to thank my husband for being there for me through it all with love, patience and grace. I know I am not an easy patient- way too controlling, as he oft reminds me!!- but he held my hand while they sliced my thumb open (without the benefit of pain killers). He tried to make me warm when I was shaking with cold in septicemia, and he is still lovingly, patiently giving me IV drip antibiotics 3x a day, which for this controlling, bitchy woman is an exercise in surrender. Aaagh!

I want to thanks my kids, who came or called everyday, to tell me they loved me. Thank you, I love you too. Thank you to my former husband, with whom, I had the best three kids in the world, and who called to wish me well. I am blessed to have family and friends all around me. My friends are the best. Thank you, thank you for all the visits, the phone calls, the laughter and the encouragement. My horse friends were sure this was a joke. They all might expect to hear I was thrown, or kicked or trampled by a horse, but to be sidelined by a cat bite was just too funny- so we laughed. My friends keep coming by to help with IV's (thank you Pam) or with horses and feeding (thank you Laura) or just giving support. You guys make my world an infinitely better place. Today my heart is open and surrendering to the goodness in the universe.

Which brings me to the idea of "passing it forward". We all care for each other. Today I am supported, tomorrow I give love and encouragement. This is what I have learned by being humbled by a cat. During the past week, my friends have also suffered some unbearable sadnesses. Our friend who was thrown from his horse passed away last Saturday. He will be missed terribly and all we can do is rally around his wife and give her our help and love and comfort. Another friend is counting on the same love and comfort, from her friends, as she is coming to a tough time in a cancer fight.

So, Give Thanks to all the important people in your life. Love and cherish and laugh and cry together - we are all so connected. And I am grateful for the wonderful animals in my life, my

horses and dogs and, yes, even the cats, are beautiful and full of unconditional love. Thank you.