Nyel Approaches The Coop
Yesterday, Nyel completed a trip that he began on February 28th. That was the evening (my birthday!) that he fell on the way out to the chicken coop to collect the day’s eggs and say goodnight to the girls. It was the evening he fractured his hip which ultimately led to several surgeries, many weeks in the hospital, and, ultimately, to no hip at all.
This time, it was broad daylight and he approached the coop from his regal position on his new electric all-terrain wheelchair. He had gone out the garage door, up the middle of the street (well, it’s Oysterville!), through the gates that barricade the cannon, and over the expanse of abnormally mole-ridden lawn! He had done it with the singular nonchalance and aplomb that I associate with the bearing of kings!
Farmer Nyel Back On Duty!
An electric wheelchair!!! Can you imagine? We certainly couldn’t — not in our wildest dreams. And then, for reasons that will probably always remain mysterious, we were handed a huge check from unknown benefactors. They must be people we know — why else would anyone just give money to a little old couple from Oysterville? To say we were gobsmacked — both of us — doesn’t begin to describe it.
And then… how to honor this gift in the best possible way? Weeks before, we had briefly considered getting Nyel a sturdy electric wheelchair so that he could safely resume his rightful place on the property as “Farmer Nyel.” But we had discarded that thought almost immediately. Too spendy and, perhaps, not really necessary.
But, now? The more we talked, the more it seemed like the perfect idea. And so. yesterday, Farmer Nyel was back on chicken duty! And rhododendron-trimming duty. And if he’s not careful, mail-fetching and even grocery-shopping duty! (I jest, but the batteries — two of them — will take him twelve miles before they need to be recharged. I’m sure Jack’s is only about five miles away…)
We are SO grateful for the generosity of whoever you are out there! You have no idea how the atmosphere in and out of the coop has changed! Overnight! The girls and I are ever-grateful, to say nothing of Farmer Nyel.
Consequently, I have no photographs of Jay at work on the house, much to my chagrin. In fact, the only picture I took of Jay-at-work this time around was one of him painting the post that holds up the bird feeder! It was a complete serendipity painting-wise — not at all part of the plan. “I just thought it should look nice for your Grand Affair,” Jay said. What a guy!
This past week was one of those periods when everything seemed to catch up to me. Nothing serious or even very out of the ordinary, but I suddenly felt overwhelmed and inept. But before I could really think about it, the days filled up with friendship and blessings!
I arrived at St. Vincent’s last night to find that Nyel has been a) diagnosed with yet a new infection — chronic osteomyelitis — and that he does not “qualify” for hospitalization. Everything that was done could have been accomplished as an outpatient says the hospital. And, since that is so, he does not qualify for admission under Medicare Part A’s rules and we will be billed for the Part B deductible.