Thanksgiving 2009

At this time in 2009 HC Baker and I were home from a month-long stay at the Mayo Clinic.  In past years HC always prepared a huge Thanksgiving dinner for our family.  Our family often included 100+ people we had never seen before.  That was HC Baker.  This year was going to be different.  I spoke with my sisters and we all decided we would eat out!  It took some getting used to but we all finally got comfortable with the idea.  None of us would have to clean our home, go to the grocery store and exhaust ourselves getting ready for guests.

As always, HC and I decided we would go to the Thanksgiving service at church in the morning.  We definitely had much to be thankful for.  I came home from work one evening and HC said guess what?  I hate these kinds of games so I said just tell me.  He said HE was going to be the speaker for the Thanksgiving service.  Dear Tim Galyon had called and said the staff decided HC Baker had the most to be thankful for and would he share his story during the service.  Of course he said yes.  So we began the discussions of what he would say.  He had a very different recollection of the journey than I did and I am so glad.

HC's recovery was going to be a very long journey.  We were both absolutely thrilled to be home but we also knew the road ahead was very long.  HC's strength was the big issue.  He didn't have any.  And for a guy who never stopped moving and doing, that was a problem.  He was frustrated and working hard to conceal it.  So this speaking engagement was a wonderful distraction for him.

Never one to write down what he would say, he would put all the ideas into his head and come out talking.  The only thing he asked me to do for him was to keep time.  Tim gave him 20-25 minutes.  Most people would think this was enough but I knew HC Baker and trust me, he could talk for days.  (One of the things we had in common!)

Well, we made it through.  I had to signal him 3 different times to "shut-up" (I knew it!) before he finally came to a close.  I know I had a hard time listening to his telling of the events.  Quite honestly, I'm not sure how either one of us survived a few of those days.  The one thing HC always said...No matter what happens, it is well with my soul.  It was a good Thanksgiving morning and all of us indeed had much to be thankful for.