There is a light at the end of the tunnel, at the moment it is just a tiny pinprick of light but it is there. Ray is "walking" with the help of two nurses, a gait belt and what is called a "full arm high walker". He walked to the shower and back yesterday ( about a dozen steps each way) and today walked out to the nurses desk and back ( about twenty steps each way). His pain level the nurses now describe as "manageable with mild pain killers" so no more morphine.Yeah!!

I have had some easier days too. I went out to dinner with friends on Thursday night. On Friday as well as visiting Ray I got some housework done before the visit and some shopping on the way home. Yesterday (Saturday) I had some time at home, went to see my mother and on my return did some gardening until I got too hot. Then I watched the "Da Vinci Code" which my son got for me on DVD and then we had a chinese meal. At last, some "ME" time!

Today I went to church and had some time to talk to some of the craft group ladies, they were discussing a luncheon to be held in February with a Valentine's Day theme, must have been on last year too. I missed it last year as it was late March that our old church closed and we joined this one. At last I feel only a little regret about the closing of my old church last year. It is no longer as painful a memory as it was, that real heartache is over. I am starting to feel "at home" at our present church now. Time is a marvellous healer.

This afternoon, after my visit to Ray I went to our older son's place and had afternoon tea, some playtime with the two grandchildren and then stayed for a BBQ dinner. It was absolutely lovely on their back deck and it was a lovely relaxing time. I know they are busy so it was nice they made some time especially for me. Ray had a cousin and her husband visit this afternoon too, they have his father in a nursing home now, at the age of 89 he has "gone in the legs" so under protest he went where he could get the help he needed. So they understand hospital visiting etc and seems quite happy to visit and talk for a while.

It has been a long two weeks, the first two weeks of Ray's hospital stay, the last two weeks of January. I don't know how many more weeks Ray will be in hospital. I am guessing that if the physiotherapist works closely with him this week he may be home by next weekend. I feel like crossing all my fingers and toes but then I would be the one to fall flat on my face...lol.

I feel as if the world is slowly righting itself again. It is always like this with every new crisis. I had a phone call from an old friend who's husband sometimes plays the organ at one of the larger Catholic Cathedrals on the outskirts of Sydney. She assured me that Ray would be prayed for during their Mass this morning. I know he is being prayed for in our church, my daughter and son-in-laws Salvation Army Corps in North Queensland are also praying for him and I know people on this site are too. I am sure he will be uplifted by all of this. And want to assure others that this is all a part of his healing and this sharing in the journey certainly helps my peace of mind too.

Now all they have to do at the hospital is get Ray fully mobile so he can come home again.