Lucky Guy

So I'm home. The support system has relocated and we're pushing through this thing one day and night at a time. I say night because I feel like a baby, needing to be fed his medication every couple of hours, which includes the evenings. Dad has helped me to the bathroom at two, four, and five and or six in the morning. Staying here, Clark was up until 3am working to make sure I kept one step ahead of the pain by not getting off schedule. Today, he basically held my hand while I showered for the first time in three weeks and then was patient enough to shave off the beard I had grown with numerous sorta sharp razors. Betty has run all over town getting all the supplies I've needed. Fleming's both entertained me and helped readjust the fitting of my brace to make it Significantly more comfortable. Mom's still recovering from her round the clock support in Durham, taking care of herself at Duke over the past couple of days. Without a doubt, just recharging those batteries to get back in the game as needed.

Ashley has been the CEO/MVP of care giving, handling everything I've needed from food, to medicine, to being comfortable, to making my return home be more than everything I was looking forward to for quite some time in the hospital. She has stepped up, juggling a successful business with the successful recovery of her husband. I couldn’t have more loving and dedicated support. I love them all as much as the affection they have shown through their actions, words, and thoughtfulness.

Earlier this week Ashley made a heart-felt comment about her reaction to this experience and her admiration for me and my handling of this whole damn…I don’t know how to describe it…repeated obstacle, struggle, and crappy pain in the ass. I wanted to post her comment on the main blog not to make myself look good or strong, but rather to show how lucky I am to have such a wonderful woman in my life, in both times of joy and times of need…


Ashley said:

i have been too quiet on the blog for too long. you all have to know how courageous and brave our clyde has been. there have literally been times in the last few weeks where i have said to myself "i could not do this". i have seen clyde in more pain then people should have to endure. the pain team at duke said nerve pain is the toughest pain out there and the hardest to treat. they are actually surprised at how well clyde is handling the whole situation. i have seen him wince but never whine, correct a situation but never complain and honestly, go through the hardest thing he has ever done with humility and grace. 

my parents always told me the true character of a person is how they handle a rough situation. clyde is an example to us all. i hope none of us ever have to go through what he has but, if we do, we can look to him because he truly has amazed me with his strength. 

i've always told clyde one of the reasons i fell in love with him because he constantly intrigued me and was so interesting....he still fascinates me and boy does he keep life interesting! even in his bed at duke (in the buck of course) with needles and wires sticking out all over him he still looks so strong...its kind of bizarre. 

when clyde was a child, he used to pray before he went to bed every night that he would wake up with Wolverine's (his favorite comic book hero) strength and powers. now that i think about it, they are similiar; in being strong and courageous (of course), healing faster than normal, functioning while heavily sedated (that one cracks me up)...and they both are a little on the hairy side. 

i am not just proud to be clyde's wife but proud to know him. we are all so lucky to have him in our lives and constantly be amazed by him. my mom laughs because she says i went to wake forest to learn, but instead met clyde and he became my teacher. i am constantly learning from him. this lesson is about how hard life can be and how to handle it. i can't wait for clyde to come home..entourage just isn't as fun to watch without him.

love,
ashley