Give Em Hell Harry! He's Back!

Yesterday I attended a party for our friend Harry (Pictured here a few years ago in a Feisty Halloween Mask next to his lovely wife, Joyce.)

Harry went in to the hospital for a few days of routine tests and quite to everyone's surprise, especially Harry's, contracted pneumonia and  ended up in the hospital for 5 months!  Gosh, perhaps that's why historically so many cemeteries were planned right next to hospitals!

It was literally 5 months of "Lights Out" for our Harry, as much of that time he spent in a medically induced coma, that was needed to save his life.  During this time Joyce never left Harry's side, talking to him about their life and the places they had been together, (including Cape May and Costa Rica). She posted a "visual storyboard" in the hospital room of the life they enjoyed together and shared the daily greetings and prayers of family and friends who were with Harry in spirit.  Perhaps more than anything, Joyce shared her love and unending belief that her tall and handsome hero would return and "Give em Hell Again".  They told me "you never know what he will hear and just talk positively to him".   

Awakenings--Harry says Hello after 5 months in a Coma

The months passed and Harry slept in the coma through birthdays and their wedding anniversary while Joyce learned medical speak, and did talk non-stop to Harry (Note:  On average, Men speak 12,000 words a day and women speak 24,000, but 0 words a day from Harry?) That's a husband and wife communication gap! She talked and talked to comatose Harry, ate comfort food and did what most women do to forget about problems----Bought shoes! lots of them and then a miracle happened... Harry Said Hello! 

I asked Harry yesterday what he remembered during the "big sleep" and he said " It was embarrassing Rosemary...All the Doctor's and Nurses were coming up to me and talking and crying and I thought who are these people?"  Well in ICU they don't normally have such a success story Harry!  You gave them a win!

At yesterday's party, Harry and Joyce toasted each other, their friends and their blessings with a belated celebration of the special events they had missed during life's unexpected holding pattern.  They were celebrating the special gift they had received from a higher power, who had decided Harry still had more Hell to give.  During the toast, I looked at the place card bearing my name, a photo of Harry and Joyce and their simple phrase "Life is short----Celebrate".  I will keep the placecard in my wallet always as a reminder that...

1)  Life is Short! Celebrate every day.  Caught up in day to day frustrations, it's so easy to forget that until something traumatic happens, when we suddenly we get  whacked on the side of the head and realize what's most important in life.

2) Positive Story-Board.  Your mind is paying attention even if you aren't and sometimes if you're not even awake!  Surround yourself in an environment of  positive thoughts, words and people and avoid "Negative Contagion".  You bet! Bring pictures and words to the office that lift you up even in the midst of crisis.

3)  Be Brave! and Believe! I told Joyce yesterday that I only hoped I was 1/4 as courageous, patient and with such unending faith as she had been with Harry, during this ordeal, should anything happened to my husband, Barry.  "You better be" Barry chimed in, or "I'll never talk to you again".

4)  Medical Miracles Do  happen!  If you know of someone who is faced with a serious medical situation share this "Givem Hell Harry Story"

Life is Short--Celebrate!

Meet us in Atlanta, Georgia this coming Weekend!

Want to get a Life-Lift and Celebrate This weekend in Atlanta, Georgia?   Go Wild! Go GREAT! in 2008 and live the life you so richly deserve.

It's a Wisdom, Wellness and Wine Weekend Retreat in Atlanta, Georgia January 26th and January 27th.

Jump-start your Mind, Body and Spirit!

http://www.gowildgogreat.com/go-wild-go-great-2008.htm

or visit Rosemary at www.gowildgogreat.com