Thoughtfetti

A number of my friends have had eventful days, lately. This thoughtfetti is for them.
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My friend S's mum has had some trouble with her knees. She had a knee replaced. It got infected. They took out the artificial knee and treated the infection...MRSA. Put the knee back in. Infection came back. Took it out, treated for MRSA, put it in. Out, in, out, in, this woman who is the sole caregiver for her retarded daughter and granddaughter has spent more of the last few years in a wheelchair tethered to an IV antibiotic drip than out, unable to bear weight on one side. After the last surgery they told her if it came back, they would have to amputate. She has a table leg and the shade of stain she wants waiting in the wings. No kidding. She tough and funny that way. In the next month or so, she'll have to decide if she wants to try one more knee replacement surgery which, if it doesn't work, means amputation at the hip, or if she wants to amputate at the knee instead. She's trying to decide how to decorate the table leg. I hope I never have to make such a choice - but if I do...I hope I can have a fraction of her grace and humor about it.
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Another friend just started chemo for cancer on his tongue. The doctors don't like to perform surgery on tongues - tricky stuff, that. They are treating aggressively. Chemo causes nausea, among other things. He has to constantly eat or drink to keep his swallowing mechanism in good order - stop using it, you may lose it. His tongue could fail him. Also? He's a musician. We've recorded together. He's a singer with cancer on his tongue. Holy crap. I am praying it gets better without all the complications of chemo.
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Another friend's mum is in the hospital. The doctors don't know what's wrong with her. My friend has a leaking roof that she can't even get tarped until the rain quits...which the forecast says will be next week sometime...maybe. Meanwhile, her yard is flooding because the french drain can't keep up with this bounty of rain we're having, and the hospital's first floor flooded. She looked up at the heavens and said "Bring it on." Sometimes, that's all you can do.
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There are more friends with more troubles that I just don't feel comfortable discussing here. It seems when it rains, it pours. I don't like feeling powerless to help them - it is in my nature to nurture, to offer aid and comfort, to smooth things over and help make it right again. To feel unable to do these things...it is frustrating. All I can offer them is love, encouragement, and such prayers as I pray. It doesn't seem enough.