Dieter Zander Update

Sometimes really good things do happen.  Here are a few from our last
six weeks.

At the first hospital, when Dieter’s family was here, we received a
visit from one of the hospital’s chaplains.  A friend of ours who
works in the hospital had asked the chaplain to check on us.  This
chaplain is German, and she was able to speak in German with Dieter’s
parents, helping them to express in the easiest possible way all that
was on their hearts.

At the second hospital, Dieter’s physical therapist was the first
person who helped Dieter walk.  A few weeks later, a friend of ours
reminded us that, years ago, we were seated at her wedding reception
next to this same physical therapist and his wife.  Neither the
therapist nor we had remembered, but since our paths crossed again,
he is available to advise us on the best exercises for Dieter.

At the third hospital, one of the physical therapists recognized
Dieter’s name when he was admitted, and thought, “Maybe that is the
same Dieter who was my pastor back in the early 1990s at New Song.”
She re-introduced herself to us, and she was in charge of Dieter’s
physical therapy for his two-and-a-half weeks in that hospital.

Now we are home and receiving home visits from the occupational
therapist.  It turns out she is a pianist, too.  She was able to show
Dieter piano exercises that are good for his hand.  I am so grateful
for someone who “speaks piano language” with Dieter, which I cannot do.

Thank you for sharing with us in the good times and the hard times,
which, I think, tend to come all mixed together, not sequentially.  Val