Just days before their anniversary, my father got very sick with unbearable abdominal pains. After one horrible night, they went to the urgent care in the morning and the doctor immediately admitted my dad into the hospital. After first diagnosing him with an obstructed intestine, which was a scarier diagnosis to think about, they changed their minds two days later and determined that he instead had a bad gall bladder and that it would need to be removed immediately. This was great news because a gall bladder removal just seems so much easier than an obstructed intestine!
My sweet mom was so distressed throughout all of this. I didn’t know who to worry about more, Mom or Dad? Mom couldn’t sleep at night without Dad there…she would finally drift off to sleep just as the sun would begin to rise. The two of them are together almost all of the time. They truly are each other’s best friends and they just don’t do well when they ever have to be apart from one another!
So, at almost 79 years of age, my father underwent the first surgery of his life! That is actually a pretty good record if you ask me!!! The surgery went well and afterwards when they brought my dad back up to his room to my waiting mom, the nurses were very happy to meet her! They told her they were so excited to meet Mrs. Simmons because they had been hearing about what an absolutely incredible and wonderful woman she was! I guess as my dad was coming out of the anesthesia, he became extremely talkative (which is really funny for him because he is not a big talker) and he just couldn’t stop raving about his wife! He told the nurses and anyone that would listen that he was married to the most wonderful, smart, beautiful, sexy, and incredible lady in the world!! AND (don't forget)….that she is the best cook and he just absolutely loves her pot roast!!!!! Okay….how cute is THAT?!!!
When my mom told me about that, I got choked up because that is what marriage really should be all about. It should be about love that is that strong. And it needs to be known, too, that it was not as if my parents had a life that was easy and not filled with trials or tribulations. It was rather the opposite. They lived through life shattering events…things I pray I will never have to face. I know there were times it would have seemed easier to walk away from each other. There were probably times they may have questioned their lives and how they could go on anymore. But, their commitment to each other and to God prevailed above all else and here they are 56 years later, loving each other more than ever before. I only pray that God will bless my husband and me with a marriage like my parents… and that in 56 years my Bryan will be that much in love with me!!
Thank you, Mom and Dad, for teaching me what true love is all about!
