Just another Friday, or not.

2:00pm Friday

I am laying on a bed my body half on it, my legs hanging off. In front of me I look out from a sixth floor window out at the houses around and out to the praire past the city limits. To my left I see three of those hellium Get Well ballons and I think to myself,  well that was a waste of money. Thinking that if I had been the receiver of them I would have perferred something more personal..less tacky. (sorry if you disagree, or have ever bought me one..I would have apperciated the thought forsure, and I am sure that the fellow to whom the ballons belong to apperciates them). I am in General hospital, no not the show, the one in Regina. I am waiting for my dad to come out of surgery, laying in what will be his bed for the next week. Its been 9 hours since I woke up,  6.5 since arriving at the hospital, 6 since I last saw my dad and 5.5 since he probably started surgery. So I wait. I wait for word that he is out and in recovery.

People have been wondering how I am doing with all of this the last month. Stressing for me thinking I am scared, nervous, on edge. Apparetnly when your dad has cancer you are supposed to feel that way (I didn't get that memo). Well truth is I am good. Yes I understand that he is having major surgery, yes I am wondering how he is, but I am not scared. I am hopeful. Why am I not an emotional wreck, pacing the floors wondering how he is doing? Worried why its taking so long? Well I can tell you. Through Christ I am able to stay strong, confident that things will be good, patient, and not fearful. I, along with a lot of other people, have been praying for my dad and this day for weeks now. I have felt completly washed over with peace with whatever the end results will be. The Lord is my strength. He keeps me calm. I know things will carry on and I am trusting in him and his plan. Its out of my hands. The moment you hear the word cancer you know its out of your hands. Its here so now what do we do. Lets not wallow in anyones pity. Whats that going to do for anyone? Nothing..except for maybe making them even more depressed then maybe they already are. No thank you, I will choose to lean on my Savouir and choose joy in the darkness. So I wait thinking only positive things and do the only thing I know I can do. Pray.


3:10pm
Dad was supposed to be out of surgery around 1:30-2pm. Its 4pm. Worried thoughts enter my mind, then leave as I don't allow them to stay. I tell myself that it is taking longer then planned because they were able to remove all the cancer and that is taking longer because they want to be sure its all out. So I do the only thing I can. I pray that out. Lord would everything be okay, may they just be removing all the cancer, and may he only have a temporary colostomy. I wait.


4:00pm
He is out of surgery in recovery. This is all the information we get. Praise the Lord.


4:20 ish
The surgeon calls. He is doing well, dad not the surgeon. One of the main reasons they took longer.... the surgon decided to take out extra around where the cancer was to make sure he got it all. All of the cancer has been removed. Praise the Lord, answer to prayer #1! He also was able to seal everything back up properly, Dad won't have to have a permanent colostomy, Praise the Lord, answer to prayer #2. Don't tell me that God doesn't listen!


7:00pm
We wait, now in a differnt room, dads been upgraded! He now gets his own private room! I see his bed being rolled in through the door. He is groggy, what does anyone expect hes just come out of surgery (6 hours or so of it!). His humor is still here...welcome back Dad.

10:00pm
Its been a long day. I couldn't have gotten through it without the prayers from many many people and without the strength God gave me. A family friend was with me all day, keeping me company, many thanks to her and all she has been doing for dad and me. I am happy to say I will be going to sleep now. I am excited to go home tomorrow, and see Marshall and Malcolm again. Two nights away from the little one...I miss him!