We had left Luke with his Aunt Eileen, but we had left her without a vehicle. Now that Luke was getting sick, this was a problem. There is nurse practitioner clinic in Harrisville, but it’s closed on Friday. Once we were released from UMMC (which we hadn’t been) we had a 45 minute drive back to Harrisville, then a 25 minute drive BACK to the nearest medical clinic. I contacted Brenda Sebren in Harrisville to see if someone could take Luke and Eileen to the Baptist Medical Clinic in Richland. I anticipated that we could meet them there about the time they arrived. Ray Sebren (Brenda’s son) drove them to Richland, accompanied by Brenda’s grandson Gabe. This gave Luke his favorite thing, an audience (in Gabe) for his extensive knowledge of video games and professional wrestling.

Meanwhile, back at UMMC, I got someone to watch me drain the fluid from Lynette’s lungs. We did so successfully, but Lynette suddenly got short of breath and panicky. This was new. They gave her oxygen, while a nurse tried to be calming. Eventually she settled down and her oxygen saturation on room air was acceptable. The nurse advised us: “If this (the shortness of breath) happens again do NOT come to the UMMC Emergency Room.” The UMMC ED is the state’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and the default primary care provider for the Jackson area’s uninsured. Shortness of breath might not receive the rapid response needed. We took this advice to heart.

We did, in fact, meet Eileen and Luke at the Baptist Medical Clinic. I went in with him, while Lynette waited in the car with Eileen. This kept her both away from any germs in the clinic, plus kept her in the place where she could have the car air conditioner blowing on her.

Things settled down. Luke got both an antibiotic and decadron shot for an upper respiratory infection and we filled a prescription for other meds. We finally decided to have diner at Bravo, a restaurant where Lynette and I had last eaten for her 50th birthday in 2010. Our server got a picture of the four of us there. I treasure it as a picture of “Our last good night.”

Eileen left on that Saturday morning. Both Lynette and Luke seemed to have stabilized. Lynette felt well enough on Sunday, November 19 to drive herself to Rexford and preach the morning worship service. One of the Rexford members was scheduled for Coronary Artery Bypass surgery on Monday, November 20. He implored Lynette NOT to come in person, though she was most inclined to do. She reluctantly agreed to follow him by phone instead.