Thursday, May 29, 2008

Remembering our First Anniversary

 
Today I want to share with you John's and my  first wedding anniversary.    
 
I hope you'll enjoy this love story!
 
May 7, 2006, started out like any other day.  Well, a regular day for my husband John and me, anyway.  John was in the hospital being treated for complications from his bone marrow transplant.  Healing from a bone marrow transplant takes a long time.  So this was a regular day for us.  John in his hospital bed, me by his side.
 
Today was different though.  It was our first wedding anniversary!  I was feeling slightly down, but was determined to make this a special day.  I slipped down to the hospital gift shop to pick up a card for John.  Then I chose one for him to give to me.
 
I sat down in my chair.  John was getting prepped to get blood.  His blood was administered through an IV pump.  He had named the pump Baxter.  Baxter had become one of his closest friends.  John says Baxter went with him everywhere, even to the bathroom, LOL.
 
We sat back and relaxed because it was a Sunday afternoon.  John got in the frame of mind to receive his two blood transfusions.  We waited for the blood to arrive. 
 
Suddenly a group of medical personnel busted through the door.  First, in came Marie, John's nurse for the day.  She bore a fake red rose.  She was followed by lots of nurses and doctors.
 
They sang "Happy Anniversary" to John and me!  They were determined to make our day special even if we were trapped in the hospital!  
 
Marie, John's nurse, gave him a plastic red rose.  "Well give it to Krissy," she said.  "It's for her anniversary."  The reason why the rose was plastic is because bone marrow transplant recipients often can't be around live plants, especially when their immunities are low.  John gave me the rose.
 
Next came a beautiful, shiny red heart balloon weighted down by a bag of Hershey's Kisses. 
 
But the most thoughtful thing of all was when we were presented with a cake top. 
 
I was stunned.  Cake tops are not just made in a few minutes.  And nobody had known that it was our anniversary since a few hours before.  That meant that this was not a newly made cake top.  It meant that somebody had gone home, taken out their own cake top from their freezer and brought it to us, so we could have an anniversary.
 
Who would do such a thing?  Who sacrificed their cake top?  
 
We will never know, but later on, Marie asked us if it was special.  I replied, "It was excellent and very special."
 
After singing Happy Anniversary the group decided we should have privacy and closed the door.  They made a big deal about us having privacy! 
 
We ate the cake top, pretending it was ours.  Then John and I exchanged cards.  "You have good taste!"  I told him.  "How did you know what I'd like?"  "Oh I just knew," he laughed.  
 
John and I had a few more precious moments celebrating together quietly, but soon the door was opened and in walked Marie to take John's vitals (temperature, blood pressure, etc.) and give him blood.
 
What a precious gift the staff had given John and me.  We had a really nice anniversary despite the fact that John was in the hospital.  I lovethat staff. 
 
But most of all I love John.  
 
To read the original account:  John and my first Anniversary! 
 
             
                   Anniversary card John bought me
 
            
                     John receiving a blood transfusion

21 comments:

  1. Happy third anniversary to you and John- Your story brings tears to my eyes good ones and sad ones too. I hope you both have many more years together. You are so very special- Love, Dannelle

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  2. That was a very nice story. I hope you guys have a wonderful anniversity. It is very heart warming to hear that there are still caring and thoughtful people out there. So many people are too busy with thier own lives to make a difference in someone else's. Nurses tend to be kind people. My mother is a nurse and my daughter is in school to become one. My daughter is sucj a special person. I think she will make a great nurse....Christine

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  3. What a beautiful story!  
    Missie

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  4. what a beautiful story

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  5. I did enjoy the story and seem to remember you writing about it at the time... we are so blessed by loving hospital staff.  Most of them do really care about the patients.  May you and John be blessed with many more happy years together.
    'On Ya' - ma

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  6. That is a sweet story Krissy. Yes, sometimes hospital staff go above & beyond the call of duty. So happy that this anniversary is different. Linda in WA

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  7.     There are some very special people in this world. Your special day is what I'd say is making lemonade out of lemons. Again, Happy belated Anniversary!
    Jude
    http://journals.aol.com/jmorancoyle/MyWay

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  8. this was so sweet to read, Krissy!! I cried when I read the part about the cake top!! what a wonderful gift that person gave to you and John!! I bet the Lord just smiled on that person whether or not that person knew the Lord or not

    thanks for sharing this

    betty

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  9. What a wonderful story!! I loved it!  Thanks for sharing it Krissy.
    Pam

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  10.  That is so sweet and touching.

                 Julie

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  11. Wonderful story.

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  12. What a beautiful story Krissy. That made my eyes fill. Love Pam xx

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  13. You always make me cry, Krissy... Love, your TBADT xox

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  14. one more thing, I love how John is holding the balloon as he is receiving the blood.  It is precious!  How I remember how critical things were just a year ago.  Wow... You two have come a LONG way! xox

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  15. Krissy as usual you touched my heart reading your journal today.  You and John have something very special - LOVE FOR EACH OTHER.  The Dear Lord knew what he was doing when you brought you two together. Bless you both.  Arlene (AJ)

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  16. that's just amazing that the staff did that for you!  how sweet of them to make it a special day for you both!!!!

    ~Amy

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  17. What a lovely entry Krissy.  Belated I know but I would like to send a very special couple Anniversary love and wishes for you to spend countless more years together. xxxx

    http://journals.aol.co.uk/jeanno43/JeannettesJottings/

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  18. I loved your Love Story!  And... I would give you my cake top!  I also know what it is like to spend your first wedding anniversary in the hospital.

    On my first wedding anniversary at the ripe age of 24 I was in the hospital having my Gall Bladder removed.  My husband wasn't able to be with me when I came out of recovery.  See, my husband had just started in the Police Academy and he had to stay there.  But... 22 years later, we have had many nice anniversarys since then.

    I am so glad that you had so many people help make your first anniversary so special.

    ~Rosemary

    OH and Happy 3rd Anniversery!

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  19. awww...... many more to you both ....anniversaries that is!


    Patty

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  20. Ah Krissy, you and John have been through so much.  Your love is a living testiment to your marriage, and all of us who know you can take a lesson from all that you and John have been though.  I hope and pray we don't have to walk in your shoes, but if we should-I'd pray for help from God to have our love be just like yours is.  I love you both, (even though we've never met, you are right, we ARE still good friends!) Merry

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  21. what a beautiful story
    hugs
    Sherry

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