So, I haven't blogged for a few days.
I have a good reason for this.
I have been spending much of my time at St. John's with grandpa as he recovers from a much unplanned for major surgery.
Gramp has been having some discomfort in his chest and some numbness in his toes and shortness of breath the past several weeks.
A trip on Wednesday to the doctor's office and some tests revealed that he has several major blockages in his heart and blockages in his carotid arteries.
The doctor here in town acted quickly, transferring him to the St. John's CVICU where he was preped for open heart surgery, which he underwent yesterday.
What we were told would be a triple bypass turned into quintuple bypass.
Today, gramp is in pain, no doubt about it; but he is also talking and sitting up and even joking.
No wonder he's my hero.
Tomorrow he may "step down" from an ICU unit to a regular room on the cardiac floor.
If all goes well, he'll be home in 5 to 7 days.
I do not know yet how to express my feelings about the past several days.
I can tell you that at this point, I am thankful that God brought him through the surgery.
I am praying that God would heal his carotid arteries.
When we were in the hospital waiting for grandpa to get through surgery on Thursday, mom pointed out that exactly one and a half years ago to the day, we were in the same waiting room, losing dad.
I'm not sure what else to say about that.
What I can say is God is good.
We cry, we grieve, we feel, we cling to the arms of the Father.
But we know that God is good, that ultimately, we win, no matter what, and that everything will be okay if we trust and believe.
I am worn out emotionally and physically, but I am clinging for dear life to the arms of the Father, and He is holding me fast.
I know He is holding grandpa, too. As hard as it is to imagine, He loves gramp even more than I do, and He is with him when I can not be.
I thank Him for that. I rest in knowing that He is in control.
And again I find myself saying, He gives and takes away, blessed be His name.
