Trips to hospital, checking in on brother Albert leads Lovina to thank readers for prayers

Today is already the last day of April. Four months of 2024 have passed already. Where does time go? One week after another slips by.

Today, my husband Joe has an appointment with the doctor that did his surgery last week. Joe has been off work for a week due to getting a splinter in his hand as long as a toothpick while at work. He went to the hospital after it happened, and they couldn’t find it through the X-ray. Joe stayed home from work for a few days because his hand hurt so bad and kept swelling up. Joe doesn’t usually complain much if he gets a splinter, but this time he had a lot of pain.

He went back to the hospital on Thursday morning. I was thinking he would leave and come right back, but he was admitted to the hospital, and they prepared to do surgery. He had a bad infection in his hand from the splinter. I went to the hospital to be there when he had surgery and stayed overnight at the hospital with him. We came home on Friday in the late afternoon. The doctor wanted Joe to stay another night, as they were concerned about his blood pressure and sugar levels. They had a heart monitor on him while we were there. Joe didn’t want to stay another night. He thought he would feel better once he was back home. He needs to go see his family doctor about this though.

So, our day went different than planned. We had intentions of going to the wedding of Norman and Katie Ann.

Our children went for the wedding supper. Son Joseph and special friend Grace were evening servers at the wedding.

Friday, on our way home from the hospital, Joe and I stopped at my brother Albert’s to see how he was doing. He has lost so much weight since his cancer diagnosis. He seemed in good spirits, and we had a nice visit with Albert and Sarah Irene. Albert and Joe worked together at the Metal and Truss Shop, so they were used to seeing each other every day.

Albert had an appointment at the doctor yesterday. They were going to do more tests to see what should be done next. A hospice nurse comes out there every four days to take his vitals and change his colostomy bag.

Today, we will drop sister Verena off at Albert’s while we go to Joe’s appointment; then, we will go visit Albert after the appointment and pick Verena up.

Joe had the same doctor do his surgery as son Benjamin had to remove the 3 1/2-inch nail. Hopefully no one else in the family will need his services.

We appreciate all the prayers for Albert and thank you for your continued prayers. May God help Albert accept what the future holds for him. We know God’s ways are not always our ways. God makes no mistakes, but how we long for Albert to be cured. Let thy will be done!

Albert’s son-in-law Amos is improving. After a second opinion, his illness might not be cancer. We pray he will continue to heal.

On Wednesday, my daughters and I plan to go help at sister Emma’s house. Her son Benjamin and Crystal will host church services in two weeks. I want to make a casserole to take along for our lunch. Benjamin lives on the same property as Emma.

I made three rhubarb custard pies last night. Also, a chicken pot pie in a 9x13 pan, which I made for Albert; I will also take a pie. Hopefully it’ll help out a little. One of these rhubarb custard pies disappeared fast last night with supper as it was still warm.

It takes more effort to bake something right now, as my oven in the house gave up on me. I have an older stove in the pole barn that I can use, but you need to go check to see if something is done every time, and it takes a lot of running back and forth. With Joe losing out on work, I’m not sure if we can get a new one before the wedding. The cost of groceries has gone up a lot since our last wedding. Take one day at a time and let go and let God. May he bless all of you.

Rhubarb Custard Pie1 1/2 cups rhubarb (cut in small pieces)2 tablespoons flour2 eggs1 cup sugar3/4 cup cream or whole milk1 (9-inch) pie shell, unbakedPlace rhubarb in pie shell. Mix flour, eggs, sugar, and cream or whole milk well and pour over rhubarb. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her two cookbooks, The Essential Amish Cookbook and Amish Family Recipes, are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, P.O. Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Amish Kitchen: Lovina thanks readers for their prayers