What could it be?

11:13 p.m. Today's project was to recruit at least one new member to my Mary Kay sales team. I have been recruiting all October because of a reduction in the price of the new consultant kit, but it was on Friday morning that the Lord told me He was in this for me. And by the 10:oo p.m. deadline, I had not only sold $173 worth of product, but had added 2 new team members. I kept in mind the wise advice of my Sales Director Laurie as I sat in the driveway of my facial appointment,  "Call people you hadn't considered before. The Lord has them there for you." Amazingly, two people I didn't think would go for the opportunity, did! Now I am a Team Leader with higher commissions from Mary Kay. And my most active team member, Chelsey, added two to her own team today!! Thank you, Lord!

The day had started at 6:00. My first activity at 7:20, after our devotions and breakfast, was to book a facial for later in the week. Then Steve and I went to the Care More health facility across from Fairmount Park for his appointment to have his very tough and solid toenails clipped.  That service is offered at no expense to their Medicare patients. While the nurse handled that, she pointed out that he has fungus under the big toenails. (I had thought he'd bruised the darker one by dropping something on it or during a fall--shows my medical ignorance). The nurse recommended Vicks Vapo-rub to kill the fungus, so we stopped at Ralphs to get a small jar.

The caregiver arrived at 9, while Steve was removing his shoes to apply the ointment and I was loading the Jeep for my facial appointment. So Brenda went ahead and helped him with the ointment. Prayerfully as the fungus is killed, his walking might improve. He hasn't been in any pain, however, just stumbling and walking very slowly and leaning to the left. I am finding that I need wisdom to help him, wisdom

both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:2b-3)

I had a very successful facial, put gas in the car, and checked out picture frames at Michael's for my older daughter's wedding portrait. After delivering KP Yohannon's compelling book No Longer a Slumdog to my daughter Heather, I determined to buy a salted caramel frappucino at the local Starbucks, sit down and make phone calls in the 20 minutes I had before relieving the caregiver...and ended up with two recruits ready to complete their agreements!I returned home at 1:oo p.m. to hear a very bad report from Steve's caregiver. He had fallen a couple of times on their walk with our dog, and was so in need of help walking that she had to link her arm in his and control Jada. Yesterday his walking was really bad at church, too. Yet, Steve reported no dizziness or headaches. He just loses his balance and is disoriented.

After waking him up from one of his constant naps, we left to deliver some product and then get his blood drawn and a urine sample as his neurologist had ordered a few weeks before. I just want to ensure that nothing other than Alzheimer's is causing this sudden decline. I had cancelled a hair appointment, so my afternoon was freed up.

Unlike the last time we'd stopped at the lab, there was no one there, so he had his blood drawn speedily by a very pro-active lab tech. She didn't even bother to have us fill out the slip--she just looked him up in the Riverside Medical Clinic computer system. As for retrieving the urine sample when there are two separate bathrooms and a patient who has no idea what to do, let's skip those details and just be glad one of us wasn't arrested for being in the wrong bathroom! It's only the Lord who gives me the guts and quick wits to manage these outrageous situations.  I totally identify with David's praise in Psalm 144:1, a favorite verse of mine:

Blessed be the LORD my Rock, who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight.

On Tuesday we'll see the neurologist when she has the results.

After a laborious walk back to our car, I got Steve seated and belted in, and had Jan at the church office page Pastor Brent, leader of our home fellowship. I needed to tell him that we wouldn't be helping out at the Cake Walk at the Harvest Festival, because Steve just can't walk or stand normally. Brent prayed with me, which was very much welcomed and needed. Steve and I went home for the afternoon, and were cheered by Heather coming over to place a makeup order. We had hamburgers for dinner, and other than my working sporadically on selling,, shipping, and recruiting, spent the evening greeting trick-or-treaters and watching the Cartoon Network. We also got the good news confirmed from his text earlier in the afternoon, that our son Kriss and his wife are having a boy! Now my daughters and I are planning a baby shower here for next February!

In the midst of Steve's tragic decline, there springs up hope for us and for our family! As Psalm 16:5-6 says,

O LORD, You are the portion of
   my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.