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Joys and Concerns
By Delbert Blickenstaff
Pastor: Now is the time in our service for joys and concerns, and
we ask that you keep your comments brief. Please come up to the mike.
Mother: Our son had his appendix removed yesterday and we ask for
your prayers for a speedy recovery. Thank you.
Pastor: We’ll pray for your son.
Young person: Grandpa has some heart trouble and will be going
into the hospital for evaluation. Please pray for him.
Pastor: Your grandfather is in our prayers.
Cousin: My second cousin lives in Cincinnati and we learned
through his Christmas letter that he has had a total knee joint
replacement. His trouble started several months ago when he was
out taking a long walk.
Pastor: Please – (reaching for the mike)
Cousin: (Pulls away and continues talking.) Anyway, while he was
walking someone yelled at him and when he turned to see who it was he
twisted his right knee. I think it was his right one.
Anyway he had to hobble back home on his injured knee. The next
day he decided that he should see his family doctor, but he was away on
vacation so he had to call another doctor. This doctor poked
around on his painful knee and said that there was fluid in the joint
and he was going to remove it. So he got a big 18 gage needle out
and stuck it inside the knee joint and aspirated 31 ½ cc’s of bloody
fluid.
Pastor: (Retches and leaves.)
Cousin: After that they tried some physical therapy on the knee
but it continued to bother him. So finally he was sent to an
orthopedist, that’s a bone doctor, and he took some X-rays which showed
that the cartilage in the joint was worn out and the bones were riding
on each other. (Demonstrates with his fists.) So the
orthopedist advised him to have a total knee joint replacement.
Pastor: (Enters, wiping his brow.)
Cousin: I looked it up on the internet and I tell you it’s a big
operation. They start by making a long incision over the joint
and displacing the patella, that’s the knee cap. Then they saw
off a few inches of the tibia, that’s the shin bone. Then they
saw off a few inches of the femur (checking his notes), that’s the
thigh bone. Then they put in the metal knee joint. I tell
you it is a bloody operation.
Pastor: (Retches and leaves again.)
Cousin: Anyway I guess my cousin is getting along OK with his new
knee and I would appreciate your prayers for his recovery. He and
I didn’t get along too well when we were kids because he wrecked my
bike, so I don’t care if he suffers a little. Janet and I would
appreciate your prayers. You remember Janet. She’s my third
wife.
Pastor; (Returns and sits with his head in his hands.)
Cousin: (Looks at the pastor.) What’s the matter with you?
Delbert Blickenstaff
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