updates

Wow!  It has been a very busy month, actually 2 months.  We had to approve emergency surgery for Mom on Aug 18.  It was one of those things where we had to decide almost immediately, but were able to delay the doctors long enough to have contact with a few family members.  Bottom line is that for these past 4 years the cardiologists have deemed Mom as inoperable and said she would not survive any surgery.  Simply put, her heart and physical condition were in such poor condition that she would die with surgery.  So, now we were left with a choice of letting her die without the surgery in a very painful and slow death, or to make the choice that if she did die she would be without pain on the operating talbe.  Of course there was always the thought that maybe God had said it was not yet her time.  Soooo - we opted for the surgery and discussed this with the surgeon.  We told him that, in spite of all his knowledge and experience that it was not he who would determine the outcome.  The doctor was informed by us (yes, I know that they don't always like to hear this) that during this surgery he was simply a tool in God's hands and it was up to the Almighty Surgeon to determine the outcome.  We told him we were ready for it to go either way and since this was a Saturday there was no opportunity to consult with the cardiologist.  Well . . . after giving us a rather strange look, the surgeon actually thanked us for those comments.  He said "I like that and would rather feel that I am an instrument in God's hands and depend upon His will than ever on my own strength."  From then on we knew it would be OK. Well, Mom has survived, but become ornirier than ever.  She has refused physical therapy, and to even get out of her bed much.  The drain from the incision was left to gravity and since she stays in bed, it was not draining well.  But, by God's grace, even that is clearing up. Now, I have to make that trip to New York State that was supposed to happen last year.  I will be in the Oswego & Rochester areas and then to Pennsylvania to finally visit with my daughter.  I will be leaving Friday AM and traveling alone.  I will return some time around Oct 12, just in time for a round of doctor appointments for all of us and, the inevitible flu shots. To all of my friends out there, Stay well & God bless.