surgery update

There is a certain camaraderie amongst people assembled in a surgical waiting room. A shared anxiety. We all watch the flat screen monitor for updates of our loved ones. As it scrolls through various codes, we may determine whether our patient is in pre-op or surgery or recovery. Someone forgot to update Dad's code and as far as we knew he was in pre-op for 3 hours and surgery for one. The opposite was true.

Unsmiling doctors in blue scrubs came in and out of the waiting room, giving factual reports to waiting family and friends. Smiling recovery room nurses summoned families to follow them to the patient's rooms.

A quartet of young people periodically broke out in peals of laughter. One of the gals laughed so hard she snorted. I love it when someone laughs so uproariously that they snort. As long as that someone isn't me.

Mom and Dad's pastor joined us twice during our long wait. Suzi and Tim arrived about three o'clock. My choir director and his wife came in to see how things were going. Around 4:30 Roger, Cheryl and the kids arrived. There were 11 of us anxious for word of Dad's surgery.

Then the surgeon entered. He looked a little surprised/alarmed as we all surrounded him. But the report was good. Although they removed about three times as much of the colon as they had anticipated, Dad fared well during surgery. His diabetes and pacemaker behaved themselves. The surgeon predicted a three day hospital stay.

While Dad was in recovery, we went to Sonic and took over their picnic area. Fortified by greasy junk food, we rushed back to the hospital just in time to accompany Dad to his room.

Nurses who had minutes before been strangers to Dad, now called him 'sweetie' and 'honey' as they checked his vitals every 15 minutes.

Dad was pretty out of it, but woke up enough to acknowledge that the nine of us were there.

We are so grateful. Grateful for this wonderful man we call husband, father and grandpa (frampa in Emilee's case). Grateful for pastors and choir directors who stop by to add support.
Grateful for a wonderful family. Grateful for blog friends who pray and the emails, facebook comments, texts and phone calls of concern. Grateful for my husband who stayed behind to take care of KimmeeSue, giving Mom and Dad much peace of mind.

Grateful to God for His healing power.