Love Thy Neighbor By Zola Verena Knox

Written for Readers Digest

When my husband decided to retire in the spring of 1966, we were living in New
Orleans, Louisiana. We both felt we wished to return to our native Kansas to enjoy
our retirement years.

After some time spent in looking at available homes, we purchased one in Osage
City, Kansas. It is near Topeka which had once been our home for thirty one years
and where our children were born and raised.
Many, many times since, we have wondered at the Divine guidance which led us to
this small town of about three thousand population.
We took possession of our home October 1st and began busily redecorating it with
much enthusiasm. George loved working with his hands and enjoyed woodworking
as well as mechanical repairs. Immediately our neighbors made us welcome. The
Presbyterian minister and his wife called two or three times, also.
Upon opening an account at the bank, we were invited to church and told of various
activities in which we could participate. When we shopped for food, we asked about
giving our personal check. The owner of the market said, " Oh yes, we knew you
were coming to town." The post office was holding our mail without being asked.
The former occupant of our house had been unable to vacate as soon as they had
hoped, obligingly made room for all our things until October 1.
October 26 George was invited by a neighbor he had not previously met, to
accompany him along with two other friends, to a cattle sale in a nearby town.
By late afternoon I was becoming uneasy as I had expected them home earlier.
About 6 pm George was assisted into the house by his friends. He had become ill
and they had taken him to a clinic where he was examined. Nothing very serious
was found.
George ate no dinner and at bedtime, found he could not climb the stairs. Our
doctor examined him again the next day but could find no reason for the pain
George complained of in his back. He remained in bed four days, showing no
improvement, and by then was almost totally paralyzed.
He was taken to Topeka immediately where a team of neurosurgeons found an
epidural abscess of the spine. The paralysis extended from the second vertebrae.
George lost most of his right arm and hand. Surgery was performed but he was
fated to be paralyzed the remainder of his life.

During those weeks in the hospital, our new neighbors of only 26 days, cared for our
home, our pet cat, our house plants, sent cards and drove the 35 miles to visit us,
even though George was in isolation due to a staph infection and they could not
enter the room.
As time passed, their concern continued. As soon as my car was seen in the drive
way, the phone would start ringing, all asking about George. Invitations to spend the
night were extended so I would not be home alone. Each and all asked to help in
any way possible.
I would come home to find an electrical outlet installed where needed and
unfinished jobs, which George had started, completed. One evening early in
George's illness, our son Jim, and family, drove from Kansas City, picked me up in
Topeka and went to Osage City to panel the den. At 10 pm our lights were on! A
close neighbor and his wife were just sweeping up after having spent the day
paneling the room. They were embarrassed, as they had hoped to surprise us.
Thanksgiving day, I drove from Topeka to prepare dinner for our daughter Marjorie
and her family who were arriving from Oklahoma. The same people were busy
putting down an oak block floor in the den. Any attempt to repay them has always
been quickly rejected.
On January 17, 1967, we flew George by charter flight to a rehab center in another
state, where we were until May. He was unable to make any improvement, so we
flew back to Kansas City where Jim met us. He and his wife drove us home on a
Saturday afternoon.
Tears of happiness flowed from George's eyes at again being in his beloved home,
one in which he had spent such a short time. Our Presbyterian minister was there in
a matter of minutes due to a quick call by our Methodist neighbors across the street.
-

Again a neighbor hastily obtained a hospital bed from the American Legion and
assisted Jim in setting it up. I mentioned to Harold Jensen our minister, that due to it
being Saturday afternoon we probably would be unable to obtain telephone service
before Monday. This could be very crucial to us. "Want to bet?" Said Harold. He left.
In a few minutes, our telephone service man was at the door. Reverend and Mrs.
Jensen continued to be a great source of comfort and strength to both George and
I, as they had been from the beginning of his illness.

In the summer of 1967, Jim was able to purchase a small lift, or elevator for us as this
was the one thing George constantly hoped for in order to attempt working with his tools
again, even using his left hand. This we installed and George could roll his wheelchair
onto the platform and lye himself down to his basement workshop.
The installation included breaking out a set of solid concrete steps to make an elevator
shaft. A neighbor obtained an air hammer from the city and he and Jim spent five hours
on a hot day cutting out the steps. The noise was deafening, not to mention that we had
a nursing home next door. Those wonderful patients and their supervisors uttered not
one word of complaint for which I will be always grateful. As a matter of fact, they
eagerly watched for any progress they might see in my husband.
One morning, as we were having breakfast, the husband of the nurse helping me care
for George, appeared at the door with his pickup truck. He said, "my wife told me to get
over here and haul that debris out of your basement." It consisted of chunks of concrete
weighing at least one hundred pounds each. Out it went with our two beaming
grandsons (Frank and Dan) atop the load enroute to the dump.
All summer, another neighbor who enjoyed his large garden, kept us in fresh
vegetables. I often arose to find a bag of vegetables had been lovingly left at our back
door.
Two quite elderly ladies next door often came with freshly baked foods for George's
dinner. There was scarcely a passing day that someone didn't drop by to chat and have
coffee at our kitchen table. Their constant concern and vigilance sustained me
throughout the entire period of George's illness, but most of all the last year when he
became partially mindless and caring for him became a heartbreaking and painful task.
There were myriad kindnesses throughout the almost thirty-two months of George's
ordeal. He returned home to stay, after many trips back and forth from the hospital in
Topeka on November 5, 1968. We had, again, two wonderful friends who alternated
helping me care for George. Not for money but for love. They were always there when
needed and often dropped in to offer extra assistance. During George's last days, our
doctor came by many times unexpectedly. He was unable to make any improvement, so
we flew back to Kansas City where Jim met us. He and his wife drove us home on a
Saturday afternoon.
George died July 11, 1969. We were grateful that he could be at peace even though
feeling the pain of his loss. The house immediately was filled with friends. We were
overwhelmed with gifts of food and love.

Our church, which George had never been able to enter and of which we were
members in name only, brought us such a huge table of food the day of the funeral, we
were able to feed 60 or70 friends and relatives who came to be with us for the day.
The day of the funeral was hot and humid. Our one air conditioner broke down but a
quick call at 9 am to the dealer brought two service men, a new motor had to be located
and installed. By noon, the machine was working like new.
I have made many trips to visit our children since, and a dear friend cares for my house,
yard, mail, etc. When I am at home, these enduring ones' vigilance and concern
continues. Even though we have been separated from our children by many miles, we
have been a closely knit family. It is understandable that we were enveloped by their
love but now we understand the Divine Guidance that ushered us to this small
community. We sincerely pray we may be given the strength and ability to pass on to
others the help that had been given to us. Clearly Osage City, Kansas wishes to be
involved and truly has been exemplified, "love thy neighbor."