Routine Surgery Isn't

A week ago my Father went into the Washington Hospital Center for "routine surgery". In my mind, there is no such thing as "routine surgery"; anything can happen. The morning of Daddy's surgery he was in good spirits, but he couldn't help but think of an acquaintance, about his age, who had gone into the hospital a few years before for routine prostate surgery and died on the operating table. I couldn't help thinking about my husband's boss' father who died unexpectedly on the operating table last year.

Daddy had a tumor on one of his kidneys. The doctors caught it very early so the prognosis for complete removal was good. Shortly after arriving at the hospital and signing in they took Daddy to the back to be prepared for the surgery. About a half hour later, and a half hour before the surgery was scheduled, we were allowed to go back and be with him until they were ready to wheel him into the OR. During that time we chatted and it was then that Daddy said he was thinking about his friend, Dick. So to remind ourselves that God was there with us and in control we prayed together. Shortly after that it was time for Mom and I to leave. It was 1:00 pm and the surgery was scheduled to take 4 hours. We went to the cafeteria and had lunch, walked out to the car to get water out of the cooler, and then settled down in the Surgery Waiting Room.

Mom worked on her Bible Study while I read a book my twins will have to read for literature this coming school year. We chatted some and were comfortable enough. We kept ourselves busy so that we wouldn't worry. The time went by quickly and waiting wasn't so bad. Then, at about 4:45 pm, an OR nurse came out with a message from the surgeon. The surgery was going well, but they ran into some complications and it would take longer than expected. Then she was gone.

Daddy was having the tumor removed laparoscopically. Did they have to cut in the standard way? How serious were the complications? Those last hours of waiting could have been really hard on my Mom and I, but the Lord, Jehovah Jireh, provides! At 5:00 pm the Assistant Pastor from our church walked off the elevator into the waiting room with his wife. This wonderful couple were a welcome encouragement and distraction. We explained where things stood and our Pastor led us all in prayer for my Dad, the surgeon, and all involved with the surgery. Then we sat and talked for the next two hours.

At 7:00 pm the doctor walked in with good news. The surgery was a success! I think we all gave out big sighs of relief and sent up prayers of thanks and praise to God from our hearts. The doctor explained to us that there is fat around the kidneys that protects them. This is normal. What wasn't normal in Daddy's situation was the fact that the fat had adhered to the kidney. Before the surgeon could remove the portion of kidney with the tumor in it, he had to separate the fat and kidney. Not only that, but the tumor went deeper than was expected. The surgeon said that at one point he was afraid he was going to have to give up doing it laparoscopically and cut in classic, but we are thankful that he persevered and was able to finish it the way he began! They removed about 1/3 of his kidney with the tumor.

After the doctor left us we prayed together again. What a relief that the surgery portion was over and done! I could call my brother, who was the point person with all the email addresses of family and family friends, and he could spread the good news that all was well. Our Pastor called one of the other Pastors at church so he could send out an email of praise for the church prayer chain. Now it was time for Daddy to begin to heal.

And heal he has! The surgeon had originally said that Daddy could probably go home Wednesday, but because he was a little slow in his ability to stand and walk again, he didn't go home until Thursday. Mom had initially been concerned about leaving Daddy alone at the hospital. She had planned to stay with him in his room Monday night. However, Daddy had a male roommate so they wouldn't let her stay in the room. There wasn't a comfortable chair anyway. She was able to stay at the hotel that Washington Hospital Center has, and that allowed her to see him late that evening and first thing in the morning.

The original plan had been for my brother to spend the night with Daddy on Tuesday night. Those plans changed too. What ended up happening was my brother, his wife, and I went to the hospital together late Tuesday afternoon. After Mom saw what great care Daddy was getting from the nurses at Washington Hospital Center, Mom decided that it would be okay to leave him alone that night. We had a short visit with him and then I took Mom home in her car and my brother and his wife went home in theirs. Daddy's nurse was going to try to get him sitting up and walking at 8:00 pm that evening, but it turned out he had some shortness of breath so he ended up on oxygen for a little bit instead.

Wednesday I had to take Mom to NIH for an eye check. That could be another Blog entry in itself. Let's just say some bigwig must have been visiting there because Security took forever to get through! My brother went and spent several hours with Daddy on Wednesday afternoon. Daddy was able to sit up that morning and my brother walked him up and down the hall a bit, but Daddy wasn't ready to go home quite yet. Wednesday was also Mom's birthday. It would have been nice for her to have gotten the birthday gift of Daddy coming home that day, but I think it was enough for her that he was improving. She and I went out to lunch together after her NIH visit. She was pretty tired by the time I took her home.

Thursday my brother picked up my Mom and they went and spent time with my Dad until he was released. He has continued to improve every day since then.

Saturday Night, My Dad with two of my girls. He looks really good!

Today, a week after his surgery, my brother took him and my Mom for a follow-up visit with the surgeon. The surgeon was VERY happy with his progress. And we got a surprise. My Mom and Dad had been planning a trip to New Hampshire with my family in the near future, but were resigned to the fact that the surgeon was going to say no to Daddy being able to go. He seemed very pessimistic about the prospect before the surgery, but today he told my Dad he COULD go! (with a list of instructions for any possible problems ) It is certainly an answer to prayer that we didn't expect! Not only that, but the other more important good news we received was that although the tumor was cancerous there is no cancer left in his kidney! There is no need for any type of follow-up treatment.

My Dad's surgery wasn't routine. The fact that fat had adhered to the kidney had complicated things. Despite the complications, with the work of a skilled surgeon and LOTS of prayer, Daddy made it through. We continue to praise and thank God for His provision, mercy and grace.

My Baby went to Camp!

I missed my baby.

My baby is 9 years old. She really isn't a baby anymore, but she's still my baby. She wanted to go to camp this year so we signed her up to go to the same camp that her older siblings had gone to in their late elementary years.

The week before camp she, my husband and I went to Ohio to relax and visit with Joe's sister and brother-in-law. On the way home from Ohio we dropped her off at camp. She was so excited and nervous. I didn't say anything but I was a bit nervous too. She was going younger than any of the other kids had gone. And did I mention that she is my baby?

First meeting her counselors and cabin mates.

The camp was supposed to post pictures of each day's events, but Sunday's and Monday's pictures didn't get up until Tuesday night. The pictures showed Erin getting her Sunday snack at canteen. She looked so small and alone! Then there weren't any more pictures until Thursday. She looked much happier.

But a strange thing was happening. I had a knot in my stomach on Tuesday. I was missing my baby. It's not that I didn't miss my other kids when they were gone. I did, but I suppose I had the younger ones keeping me busy so I couldn't think about them as much.

When we picked up our little one she was so HAPPY to see us! She couldn't stop waving at us from the dining room where all the campers were seated.

Time to go home. After Friday night presentation.

Turns out she had a rough week. She said she cried every night. Her counselors took us aside and told us she was wonderful, but she that she had a tough time. I was comforted by the fact that her counselors seemed like sweet caring young ladies.

On the way home, after hearing about many of the fun things she did during the day, we asked her if she wanted to go again next year. She quickly replied, "No!"

"Why?" asked her Daddy, "You seemed to have such a good time."

She very solemnly answered, "I don't want to go again until I know I won't cry every night."

Mommy's heart was breaking. I felt so bad for my little one. My husband was surprised, but I wasn't. She's an outgoing child, but she's attached to her family. This is my child that still likes to cuddle with me in the morning before we get up. And this was the first time she was away from Mommy and Daddy for so long, not in her home and not able to talk to us every few days.

I won't rule out camp for next year, but I won't force her either. I think if her cousin or another friend went to camp with her she could have a good time and maybe wouldn't feel so lonely at night. That's a decision that does not have to be made now!