Catherine and Johns Saga, Ch - 9____Doctors Visit

           Catherine wasn’t in the parking lot as john had hoped. John could tell that they had cleaned it. It looked do nice and fresh. Je found a parking place near the main entrance. He took his duffle bag from the truck. He would come back for the frozen things from his mother later.

            After getting into his apartment he called Catherine. He left a message for her to call him, and then he went out for the boxes of steak, eggs, pork chops, and hamburgers for chili.  The strawberry pie is for Catherine and me! He thought to himself.

John decided to lie down for a little. He falls asleep right away, and soon has a night mare. It’s about Catherine. She is walking in a park. A man starts to attack her. She is screaming and kicking her attacker. John was trying to help but his leg wouldn’t move. Johns’ friend dick is running in the park. He hears Catherine screaming and goes to see about what is happening. He starts to hit the attacker. The man ran away. John then woke up sweating the sheets were wet. He lied there trying to figure out his nightmare. It seemed so real. Should I call Catherine or wait till morning to call? He thought to himself. He got up and put the tea kettle on for hot water. A hot cup of tea sounded good to him. He got a tea bag of chamomile herbs it would relax him. To his beverage he added a chicken sandwich with salad on the side to make it a meal.

At 6:00 he called Catherine and woke her up.  He asked how she was. She said she was fine, and that she had gotten home late the night before and didn’t want to wake him. They decided to drive to the lake and go for a walk. It was going to be a nice sun shiny day. A little breeze was blowing as they walked and talked about surgery.

“My family and I decided I should have surgery again” John told her.

They talked about his trip. He said it felt good to get away from work even if it’s just for a few days. John later calls for his appointment. They say he has to wait a month. He tells them that Catherine wanted it for next week. They then give him a date. He agrees with them. The doctor wanted to know how it happened. After telling the doctor he ordered John to get an x-ray. He also tells John he would like an MRI so in that way he would be able to see the leg better. John had to wait 2 weeks.

The doctor suggested that he have surgery after their meeting. It won’t be 100% but it will be much more better than it is now.  His appointment was in May. Being he’s in good health he was expected to recover in less time than before. He was warned that he would have pain during the recovery.
  By G&G   2011-12, 

Catherine and Johns Saga, Ch - 8____Decision

                John was getting ready to go back to the city. As they leave the house mother and father give him their blessings.

“I’ll pray for you.” Mother says.

            They give him a long hard hug. John and brother then walk to his truck. Brother must have ESP as he always knew more about John then he did himself. John told him he had met Catherine in the rain. They hit it off right away at the picnic.

“Maybe she loves you; why else would she be so concerned about your leg?” Brother explains.

            John gives him a big smile and says

 “I wish.”

“Good luck! Just make sure you want to do operation, it has to be your decision. No one else.” Brother says.

            John then gets into the truck and looks at his surroundings. Mother had her rose garden all in bloom. She grows very special ones. Sometimes the florist comes and buys them for his bouquets. There was also a tree that mom had planted when he was born. Brother has one also. It’s a tradition that you plant a tree when someone dies and when someone is born.

The shed and other buildings are in excellent shape. Father and mother have kept things up. They are very proud of their place. John now starts his truck. He waved to his family as he slowly drove down the long drive way.

            After some miles down the road he starts to day dream about Catherine. She is a warm and a kind person. He chuckles to himself. They both like spice tea and blue berry scones. When almost home he looked in his rear mirror and there was a highway patrolman. John wondered if he had been driving too fast. He was thinking about Catherine so hard he wasn’t concentrating on driving.

The patrolman turned on his blue and red lights. John pulled over to the side of the road.

“Sir lets see your driver’s license and registrations.” The man said as he approached John.

“Have you been drinking?” He continues to speak.

John tells him he hasn’t.

“You weren’t driving in a straight line. You were weaving from side to side.” The patrolman said.

“I was thinking about some things and wasn’t paying attention to my driving.” John said calmly.

“Pay attention to your driving so you don’t have an accident.” The patrolman said sternly.

“Thank you! I’ll remember.” John said. He then let out a sigh. No more thinking of Catherine. He hopes he will see her in the parking lot.
  By G&G   2011-12, 

Catherine and Johns Saga, Ch - 7 ______Lunch

            While they were going to lunch father said 

“This has been a very good profitable year.”

            He went on to say with all the warm sunny days any plenty of rains they had a bumper crop. Last year they hadn’t done so well. It was a dry year. The avocados needed plenty of rain. They had done well with the chickens as well this year. They were John’s mother’s pin money she had kept a dozen laying hens and one rooster. She wanted the eggs to them. They will get more chickens later in the season.

“The wheat crop was just as good as could be.” Bother said.

“I’ve been looking for more land to grow wheat.” Father said.

“Do you want to stay on the farm?” John asked his brother.

“Yes” he responded.

“I’m not retired yet so don’t get any ideas of putting me out to pasture, I’ve put money aside for more land. We have been lucky and haven’t had and big expenses.” Father quickly added.

            They then went inside the house where they get into a small shed. It’s where they washed up and left their large coveralls on a hook on the wall. Dad washed his face hands and then combed his hair. John and his brother did the same. They then went into the house and then mother greeted them telling them to sit down, that lunch was ready.

“John will you say grace?” Father asked.

            John says the one he did when he was little. He says he would be happy to answer all their questions. He says he is feeling fine.

“My leg gives me trouble when it rains.” John said.

            Then they finally wanted to know why he was visiting them. Not that they didn’t want him to visit.

“I am thinking about having surgery on my leg again.” He said.

“Mom your chili and corn bread is excellent as usual.” He added.

            He didn’t tell them about Catherine. He would tell them about her later. He tell them about a good surgeon and doctor that is willing to look at him. He wanted their opinion.

“What do you think mother?” father asked.  Mother thinks for a couple of minutes then says

“Life was so nice and care free when my boys were younger. Now John has a bad leg and cant do the things he did before the accident. He had been a marathon runner. He trained very hard to do that, but life goes on with its up’s and down’s. Things could be worse. He could have beem in a wheel chair.”

            Getting back to the question she said

“I think he should go and get it looked at. It never hurts to see what’s new, in the world of medicine.”

“There’s no harm in getting it ‘looked at’. One thing though you shouldn’t forget is to get another’s opinion. You have to remember if something goes wrong and then you would have to come live here at home.” Father added.

“No I would work from my apartment. I could drive a special car made for me” John said. Now there were all kinds of things running through his mind.

“Brother we haven’t heard from you.” John said.

“I will give my younger opinion. I think the physical therapist must know something other wide she wouldn’t have mentioned it. I’d like t have you come back to the farm and then we could work together. I know that you’re a city boy now. I think you should go for it. Let’s see, wait and watch what beings out star.” Brother said.

 By G&G   2011-12,  

Catherine and Johns Saga Ch 6____At The Farm

John left for the farm on Friday morning. He got up at 6 o’clock and showered, brushed his teeth and made a mental note that he was due for a haircut. He had a full head of black naturally curly hair. It grew like weeds. He thought he would wear his shorts and t-shirt to the farm. He wouldn’t be seen by very many people. It was going to be a hot sunny day. He didn’t like air conditioning flowing on him. It made the arthritis in his leg hurt. He decided to stop by the take out the window and get a cup of coffee. Maybe an egg and a cheese wrap would be nice. That should hold him over till he got there.

An hour and a half later he stopped at a way side rest area and used the facilities. He had been thinking about Catherine. She stays in his mind more and more every day. He had to get that leg taken care of first.

He arrived at the farm with no problem. When he drove into the yard, Buster came barking at his truck and chased him all the way to the house. Buster was so excited to see him. He had flunked obedience school.

His mother was on the porch to welcome him home. She was a petite lady with the same black natural curly hair as John. She was small but she could still shape him up if needed. She was dressed in a print house dress and her apron that was standard attire for her. He gave his mother a big warm hug. It felt good to be home again.

“Where are dad and brother?” John asked

“They are in the sheds harvesting is almost finished. It’s almost time for lunch” His mother said.

“I will walk down there.” John stated.

He looks around the yard and sees the green grass is still rich and thick. Buster was running in circles around I’m. He is a crazy dog. I see they still have a few chicken in the coop. he sees a large rooster that would fit into the roasting pan. A little oyster dressing would make it perfect. John’s horse is still in corral he looks good but he’s getting old.

“I wonder if brother rides the horse enough, he looks like he could use more exercise.” John said aloud.

The groove of the trees had trees that had been blown down because of the storm last month. Soon the leaves will turn color. In the city you don’t think much of that sort of thing. Seasons come and go, but John didn’t put too much thought into it. Only on the farm everything revolved around seasons.

Truck came by the huge shed; it had a load of avocados in it. John walked over to the truck and spoke to Bud, the driver. Bud told him it was a good crop for avocados. Prices were up so they should be sitting pretty.

Dad and brother gave John big hugs.

“It’s time for lunch. Let’s go eat” John declares.

Mother has made Chile and corn bread with jalapenos peppers, Johns comfort foods. They have all kinds of questions to ask him. Questions as ‘How are you feeling?’ or ‘How is your leg?’ and ‘Do you have a girl friend?’ John was a little shy with all the questions.
 By G&G   2011-12, 

Catherine and Johns Saga_______Ch. 5 Consultation

Catherine was dreaming of John. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheeks. It felt so good. He was such a relaxed person. She wanted to hug him and hold him forever. The one thing that was preventing all of this to happen was that leg of his.

“John, I’d like to talk to you about your leg. I’d like to help you, because you helped me on that rainy day, when I couldn’t find my car keys. If you hadn’t come to my rescue we would have never meet. I don’t remember the details of your accident; would you please refresh my memory?” She asks.

John tells her how he was working a power drill press and needed a piece of Iron and tripped over some pipes that were on the floor. It broke his leg in several places and it affected his muscles. The doctor who helped him didn’t do a very good job. He said he didn’t want to go through that pain again. She asked if it would be okay if she could talk to her surgeon and doctor about him.

“I have contacts with physicians in my kind of work.” she said. She was a physical therapist.

“He said he would think about it and let me know, do you have any insurance?” Catherine asked.

John said “Yes I have very good insurance.”

“How about sick days?”  She asked.

“I have three weeks coming to me. Don’t forget I have to think about this. I have to go now. I’ve got some paper work I need to do tonight.” He explained.

“Call me when you have an answer” Catherine said.

Two days later he called her and she wanted to know how he was. He said he was still undecided.

“Would you feel better if you talked to someone else, like maybe your father or mother?” Catherine asked.

John thought about it and said he was willing to go to his parents’ farm and talk to them and get their opinion. Catherine decided to tell him with a peaceful mind that she had talked to the surgeon and doctor. They said they would be more than happy to look at his leg. Catherine asked if she could go along. He said no next time we went, she could.
 By G&G   2011-12,