Tag Archives: Waiting Room

Praizing the Lord…

…as our dear Pop would say. That’s not a typo. Dear had a successful surgery.

It was a very long day. We have to wait until 9am to be able to visit in the hospital…not a minute earlier. Katie and I got to Dear’s room at a little after 9am. He didn’t have any food or drink from midnight on so he was getting a bit dry in the mouth. We were expecting the surgical bed for his transfer to surgery at noon but it didn’t arrive until 1:15. So much in this setting is hurry up and wait. This timing worked out well because although Dan and Jamie left their home in Colville with plenty of time to make it to the hospital to see Dear before he was carted away to surgery there was a fatal crash on Hiway 395 with two Life Flight Helicopters landing on the highway to transport critical patients to the hospital we were at. Dan and Jamie had to detour off the highway which added several minutes to their journey. They made it before the transfer and we were all relieved.

In the Pre-Op room with all the preliminary things to do and a time where we got to meet the surgeon, the Anesthesiologist and the whole surgical team. The Surgeon and Anesthesiologist both took time to explain everything that would go on in surgery and we were confident with the care Dear would receive.

All set and ready to go. We prayed together before we headed to the surgical ward. Dear let the surgeon know that we and many others had prayed for him, too. He gave us a big smile.

Here’s my waiting room team. Jamie is such a gem who thinks of everything and brought some great snacks for us all. While waiting I was called 3 separate times. Once to tell me that Dear was asleep and they were ready to go with the surgery. Then they called to let us know that the surgery was successful and the surgeon was finishing with the final stitching. This was at 5:15 and it would be at least a half hour in recovery. The Surgeon then came to the Waiting Room and let us know in person that the surgery went well and showed us what he had removed from the Carotid Artery. At this point Dear would be transferred from Recovery to ICU and the visiting window was closing fast at 6pm. The recovery nurse gave us a call and asked us where we were and that we could meet her in the hall on her way to ICU so we could get a glimpse of Dear and give him his eye glasses. It was good to see him Post op before we had to leave the hospital. We will be back in the hospital on Wednesday at 9am sharp to see him in a non-loopy state.

We are so very grateful to all of you who have prayed and encouraged us during this first phase of Dear’s treatment and recovery. Prayer has been powerful. Your encouraging words are like balm to our hearts and minds. Thank you so much!

Time will tell if he gets to be released on Wednesday.

The Waiting…

We arrived to the hospital at 12:45 after leaving home at 4 a.m. and picking Josh and Laura at the Spokane Airport at 10:50 a.m. and driving the last miles to Northeastern Washington. Now we could relax and wait knowing we would not miss hearing the news fresh from the delivery room that Addy had arrived.

Jamie’s granny was in the waiting room already and had been there for a few hours very kindly texting us any progress while we were on the road.

We settled in and got excited everytime we heard that things were progressing.

This is what the day looked like from the hospital waiting room on the day Addy was born.

As the waiting went long we decided if we started a jigsaw puzzle her arrival would speed up.

It worked because Jamie’s mom came into the waiting room crying and said, “we have a baby girl”. We then heard the lullaby over the loud speakers that announced a baby, our Addy, was born. When we heard the lullaby we all cried again. Soon enough we got to see her daddy’s elation as he came into the waiting room to announce her arrival and that all was well! PTL!

We found out after Addy was born that her daddy had worked on a jigsaw puzzle during the times mommy could sleep while in labor. I need to share this with our pop who works on jigsaw puzzles everyday.

Everything is ready for Addy’s arrival home. Since the last time we saw Addy’s room the elephant and bubbles have been added.

We are thankful and have had some great times holding our new granddaughter and listening to her sweet sounds. Later when we get the okay to post photos of her and her parents holding her I’ll share more.

Thank you all for you prayers and kind thoughts and comments for us during this exciting and blessed event in the life of our family.

On the Go…

Soon we’ll be in Huntington Beach again gathering for my BIL’s services and funeral. As we age we face the reality that family gatherings contrast dramatically between joy and sorrow. The last time I was in Southern California my time was divided between the Critical Care hospital waiting room and a beautiful setting at a joyful baby shower for a much anticipated arrival come January, a new grand niece.

I will do a full post on the lovely baby shower in the future.

This time when we head to Southern California more of us will gather around my sister and her kids as we lay Nick to rest at the Riverside National Cemetery. We don’t grieve as those who have no hope. We have hope and confidence that God has prepared a place for Nick. We will hug old friends and the Russians among us will welcome each other with a kiss.

When I was spending time in the waiting room at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills my eyes were opened to other families in the waiting room and how similar different cultures are at these critical times. Our first night at Cedar’s there was a Hispanic extended family taking up every chair and some on the floor of the waiting area. At least 20 or more. They vacated some chairs so my sister and I could sit down, too. As some of them left to go home they went around to each of their friends and family and gave them a hug and a kiss on the cheek. They even turned to us and gave us a kind farewell. The longer we sat together the more connected we became. The matriarch of the family offered us some food. She also shushed any of the younger folk who’s chatter got to loud. When we left we said goodbye and God Bless you. Their eyes lit up and they smiled and said God bless you, too.

We were glad the waiting room had large windows that made the space feel lighter.

We all find ourselves in a variety of waiting rooms throughout our lives. What are you waiting for? What is your hope?

Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:22

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. Galatians 5:5

For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 1 Timothy 4:10