Page 1 of Craig’s diary 8/7/11 to 31/8/11 https://hef.org.nz/about-us/craig-smiths-health-2/11309-2/
Page 2
Thursday, 1 September 2011 Got through morning routines with some difficulty. A couple men came out to help me from bed to wheelchair. Genevieve did a bit more filming – book reviews this time. The carrot juice gives me bad hiccoughs so that wrecked filming. And little Eva cries really loudly when she starts up.
A physiotherapist came out and left a hoist to get me in and out of bed. Barbara is also following up other options that people suggest. Dr in the USA emails asking for detailed blood info which will take Barbara a while to organise. Jed doing a lot of work around here – so is Maree Sandbrook. An army of helpers is needed for routine chores, for feeding everyone, for washing, for keeping track of which Drs have come and what they’re advised. You need to keep all the professional people on side. When physio and occupational therapy come – they’ll be loaded with printed matter and equipment to leave. You need to keep track of it all, how it works, where it is to be returned. And you need phone numbers of all these dear people. So you also need some kind of calling plan to cope with all the toll calls. Jed tries a lot to keep the fire burning hot but the wood seems to be a bit too wet. And when people leave the door or windows open, the heat disappears really quickly.
Friday, 2 September 2011 Headache and pain in back. Jed stood me up so I could sit in wheelchair. Nepias came to visit. Raewyn Shand came from Port Ligar with box load of sheep and blue cod! Genevieve did some more films today – so fun! Jeff rang again – so nice! Barbara said she had a roast chicken for me – so I’m looking forward to a feed of Cod or lamb or chicken or beef – something should be good! Hiccoughs are non-stop and driving me crazy.
Saturday, 3 September 2011 One week until the wedding! Hairdressers came to do a trial run. A wellness bed arrived with Bart van der Wee. It will be constructed tomorrow, I’m told. Another experimental approach. This is again people offering to do things for us! So incredible. John Smith arrived from Christchurch – the Disciplemaker – John dropped everything for 3 years back in 1974 to train me in Christian Discipleship – Having a daily Quiet Time with the Lord. Reading systemtically through the Scripture. How to memorise Scripture, meditate upon it and especially to apply it to my personal life. These are essential, invaluable skills that I have relied on ever since. John and I had a blast doing these and other things together – such as skiing at Mt Hutt and surf casting at Birdlings Flat. Those were great days.
Sunday, 4 September 2011 Lovely and sunny. Felt great so up and out to church in no time! Great sermon on Daniel chapter 5 – a horrifying story of Balshazzar coming face to face with God and realising all his folly is now falling in upon him. The chapter and the hymns all reminded me of the comfort the Lord gave me as a teen when picking grapes in the hot sun (105 deg F). At those times thoughts from Scripture that the Lord would right all wrongs, save the oppressed and relieve burdens would flit through my mind. – It was so hot and oppressive picking grapes,. Dust on my glasses gave me a constant headache and sometimes I’d reach for a bunch of grapes to find it was a wasp nest and next thing I was covered with stings. But I knew the Lord would bring this kind of suffering to an end. I was not a believer then; neither was our family believers. I was simply encouraged that this Jesus many of my friends talked about would one day come to save us from such things. He eventually showed me He would deliver me from this and much more! What a Day that was!
Richard and Alanson constructed the Wellness bed then rang Dr Salil in India to get specific instruction on how I should use it. Apparently it encourages the formation of oxygen molecules in the body which promotes health – I could feel a difference straight away! We shall see. Takes a few hours to start working they say.
Monday, 5 September 2011 On the wellness bed for a couple hours more (four hours today) after being there all night. Can’t say I feel any different but we sure are thankful to the many people who made this bed available to us! How thoughtful and generous!
Barbara shovels Budwigs and apple pieces and Brazil nuts and walnuts down my throat three times a day plus dozens of tablets and capsules. (actually it is only once a day for the Budwigs – other meals are organic salads and either lightly steamed or baked organic veges and either a very small amount of fish, chicken, mutton or beef). Today she took pity and toasted some flaxseed bread put almond butter on it- rather nice – more like normal food.
Alanson is always here to man-handle me from bed to wheelchair and to car. We had to go to a blood lab to have hormone levels checked. Met our heroine Elizabeth Palmer who the Lord miraculously healed of cancer 15 or so years ago. She just got back from Kathmandu and the Philippines and Oz. Very encouraging.
Great sunny day. I got a bit toasty lying in the conservatory. Loved it! If I ever dreamed about retiring, I’d get a wee hacienda on a mesa in Utah or New Mexico where I’d have a view into Monument Valley and just soak up the desert sun all day! And surround myself with the Hispanic and Indian artefacts. I love the little adobe figurines my Mom always had around the place – angels, priests, the virgin, etc. All good childhood memories with comforting spiritual overtones.
The Physio came around and I asked for a strategy for getting Charmagne down the aisle. Somehow that got us onto a discussion between creation and evolution. She agreed that we were now onto important topics! She took off to get an occupational therapist to help me get onto walking down the aisle. May take some strategy plus equipment. We’ll see.
Evening Standard came to do a story on Jed as he had gone to see the local MP about getting a bill through Parliament to allow him to get a drivers license early so he could do the truck run and support the family during my illness. Sandbrooks came for a visit so did Akkermans with a load of firewood! I struck gold tonight: spaghetti for tea! With meat sauce. (Actually the family ate this while I had a green salad followed by delicious Cod, thanks Shands, and steamed veges: Kumera, pumpkin, carrot and broccoli)
Tuesday 6 September 2011 Did some filming. Ilse and children came to serenade with a Psalm, plus “Take me out to the Ball Game!” Absolutely delightful. A nurse came and put in a catherter. Should keep things tidy right through wedding and reception. John Briggs arrived and reviewed me on Romans 1-5 then read 1 Peter 4 – 5: very encouraging. Jed made the Manawatu Standard and also Stuff news website. These generated many comments and further phone calls from other media! Campbell Live is coming soon and Radio Rhema rang for an interview.
Wednesday 7 September 2011 Today we went to a specialist wheelchair place to see about standing up at the end of walking Magnie down the aisle. Looks like they’ll be able to come up with a great option.
Pete and children returned from Australia! I spent 6 hours on the wellness bed. They say I need to drink heaps as it dehydrates me. I cannot feel any specific change due to bed.
Thursday 8 September 2011 Zach, Megan, Cheyennh, Dusti and Jackson flew in from USA! So good to hold Jackson, the next Smith generation! And Dusti told us and showed us scars from her big operation. She is totally recovered. The wheelchair people brought the machine around and we got to try it out. Stand up. Sit down – walk forward slowly etc. Really smooth machine! Daniel Eggink came round to visit.
It is hard with 6 grandchildren around to know which one to speak with or which parent to spend time with. Kaitlyn and Grace want to be with them all the time! Kaitlyn specializes in carrying Eva around when Eva is grizzly.
Friday 9 September 2011 Tried to read up on this wellness bed, but can’t make any sense of it. Jeff rang. We rang Jeff Botkin- fun to speak with him. Still trying to talk someone into bringing me a cheeseburger.
Doctor in USA says I can break diet for tomorrow. Geoff Downes arriving with Josh and Sam. Practice tonight.
Six little grandchildren run across my field of vision at any time! What a joy. And John Briggs is here from Christchurch to help out with the truck run. Suzanna Rowentree has also arrived from Australia to help with the children and other practicalities – so helpful. Such a blessing. The girls tend to gather in the kitchen and sing hymns! We all wandered down to All Saints for the practice at the appropriate time. Even had the fancy wheelchair in place for me. All went well – we seemed to understand who needed to be where and when. Ran through a couple of times then dispersed.
Saturday 10 September 2011 The day has arrived! Still have to drink carrot juice and fibre cleanse, scrape tongue and Hemp oil pulling. But soon the aspects changed – Charmagne came into view as radient as could be. Then we heard the clip-clop of horse hooves in in Matamau St! Roy and Genevieve had been conspiring and here arrived a horse-drawn carriage from Martinbrough to take us to All Saints! When 10:00am rolled around we knew just what to do. Gracie took off down the aisle at just the right speed to the bagpipes, Genevieve followed Grace praying all the way, and Char & I managed the powered wheelchair ok, seemed to meet up with Geoff at the right spot and presented the Bible. The preacher asked who gives the Bride and I piped up and said a few words, should have said more.
– (Had a text last night from Mrs Downes to say they’d arrived at honeymoon location ok.)
Sunday 11 September 2011 Another beautiful sunny day. Piled into vehicles and off to church. Nothing as restorative as the Christian fellowship, singing, sermons, prayer and liturgy. The Briggs came over for lunch, to help clean up the wedding leftovers. We failed but had a great time all the same!
Monday 12 September 2011 Got a bunch of photos with the grandchildren and a bit of a birthday party – 4th, for Cheyenh. Had a family meeting to compose a document to formalise arrangements as to who’s in charge should I die. Big Al is stepping into the slot and taking responsibility for house and Barbara!
Tuesday 13 September 2011 Started saying goodbyes to de Deugds and Smiths – hard to do. Barbara bathed the 3 youngest babies in the kitchen sink as per Smith tradition. Sat down to trade recepies with coconut oil. No sign of Josh & Charmagne! Maybe tomorrow!
Zach went and got Alison Holst’s Apricot Museli – his favorite! I have less carrot juice today – maybe I’ll get to have some nutrigrains.
I got to bless Cheyenh, Dusti and Jackson on film before they all flew out.
Wednesday 14 September 2011 Al promoted. He was promoted without us there. Cpl Smith now endeavouring to straighten out little siblings.
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Craig has gone to Glory
11:35pm 30 September 2011 https://hef.org.nz/2011/gone-to-glory/