One tough lady

As I sit here breaking another sweat from my day of on again, off again feeling like crap that started from a cold to inflammation in my lungs, I started scanning my old blog on Wyomingsports.org.

I came across a blog that I wrote on Nov. 12, 2009, a couple of days after my wife Teresa's car accident that set up a chain of bad luck and health problems for her. Since then, Teresa has spent probably all but 3-4 months in various hospitals, rehab centers and nursing homes in Wyoming and Colorado.

She is currently in a long-term acute facility in Denver with the hope of someday coming home.

As I mentioned, a cold has moved into my lungs and I'm down for a couple of days while an antibiotic and steroid tries to do its job.

When I got home from work Friday night, I mentioned on the phone that I was a little out of breath and my ribs hurt. The caregiver that Teresa is, she demanded that I go to Urgent Care in Laramie on Saturday to have it checked out. Normally, I would have just ignored things and gone to work the next day and likely been miserable.

But I listen to my wife ... most of the time. I did then and I'm glad I did. She knew something was not right and even from her hospital bed in Denver, she knew what to do.

Here's a little repeat of that blog from 2009. I think it tells a lot about my wife, the strongest person I know.

From Rich's Disjointed Ramblings (Wyomingsports.org) on Nov. 12, 2009

It's been an eventful time in the Anderson household in the last couple of weeks, but not a time we want to go through again anytime soon.

It has especially been a tough last couple of weeks for my better half, Teresa. Last week she went through a pretty serious surgery. On Tuesday, she was involved a very serious automobile accident.


She had to be taken by ambulance to the Medical Center of the Rockies trauma ward in Loveland, Colo.

For those who know my wife, you know what she has been going through health-wise the last few years. Teresa is a fighter and battles each and every day with pain I can't even begin to describe, nor would anybody truly understand.


A long-time nurse herself, Teresa has spent much of her adult life trying to make others feel better. She's also spent a lot of time in the hospital this year as a patient at Ivinson Memorial, Poudre Valley Hospital and now at the Medical Center of the Rockies. Nurses share a common bond, which has been the case in each of these facilities.


The emergency room nurses who helped with the transition at MCR Tuesday night did a great job of making sure Teresa was as comfortable as possible. They also visited with her, with the talk centering around Teresa and her work at the Cathedral Home for Children, what she has had to deal with with her chronic illness and her recent surgery and accident.


Wednesday afternoon, one of those nurses came up to her ICU room to see how she was doing. They had a nice, brief conversation as the hustle and bustle of the hospital didn't allow them a lengthy talk.


The MCR nurse ended the visit by squeezing Teresa's hand and telling her: "I can't tell you enough how much I admire you."


Teresa was a bit stunned, as was I. We both began to tear up a bit.


As I was driving back to Laramie later that day, I began to think about that conversation. My initial thought went back to that nurse, whose name I don't even know, nor do I think Teresa remembers. I admit, it struck me initially as a little odd that a basic stranger would say what she said.


Then I realized something that I already knew. It was not odd at all; my wife has a way of leaving those impressions on people.


How can you not admire Teresa? Even though her body is physically breaking down, I only wish I was half as strong as she is.


She is truly my better half.

Back to present, nothing has changed. I believe that more and more every day