Dana's Valley by Janette Oke & Laurel Oke Logan

Author:Janette Oke & Laurel Oke Logan
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: ebook, Religious, book, Fiction
ISBN: 9781441270245
Publisher: Baker Books
Published: 2011-10-01T16:48:37.360000+00:00

The first week of Dana’s bout with the cold virus turned into two. She was now sleeping in the empty guest room, and she hardly left the room. I was able to sleep through most of the nighttime activity, but Mom must have slept very little. Just as it looked as if Dana was recovering from her cold symptoms, Mom made a gruesome discovery. One day, after Dana had complained of pain, Mom found that Dana had developed an infection deep under the skin of her upper right arm. It had set in quickly and was now swollen and painful. Mom tried to treat it and then wrap it protectively so that it would cause as little pain as possible, but it pressed against the bed as Dana lay on her back and throbbed when she tried to raise her arm.

Dana did not describe to me what she was going through. She may have confided in Mom, but she certainly shared her struggle with no one else. I was sure if I were in Dana’s place, I would have verbalized more—probably complained more—but then there had always been a marked difference between the two of us.

Sometimes it actually made me angry that she was being a martyr and suffering in silence. Then I was dis~gusted that I’d allowed myself such selfish thoughts when I considered all that she was going through. I felt like an emotional Ping-Pong ball, my feelings shooting off in one direction and then ricocheting to the exact opposite, seeming to become even more chaotic with every turn.

I had almost convinced myself it would be easier to bear if Dana could just seem real again—if she could allow herself to cry or scream and fight. At least I’d feel like she was still a person. Then I heard her groan while Mom was redoing the bandages on her arm, and I had to flee from the room, even stepping outdoors to escape the thought of her pain. It was almost too much to bear.

Finally, the cold and the infection seemed to have receded, and Dad called Dr. Harrigan back to set a new date for the treatment. Dana had weakened, but she claimed to be anxious to proceed. Mom, on the other hand, looked haggard and tired as she struggled to keep up with everything.

She seemed only too willing to let Dad make the arrangements with the doctor. She no longer hovered at his elbow, straining to hear every word that was said. Maybe she was just afraid that something would happen to upset the plans again. Every day of delayed treatment made Dana’s situation more precarious.

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