The Storm Has Passed

Okay...so funny story. Before I came to St. Louis and we did the whole surgery thing, I knew that I was planning on blogging every day BUT I honestly thought that I would be searching for blogging material. I thought that I would likely have a somewhat interesting trip but I had no idea that I would have "this" interesting of a trip. I have decided that I will take boring any day over the last couple of days.

Yesterday morning I remained pretty incoherent and bleary eyed until noon or so. I think that state of mind is what made the morning so surreal. Once again the point that this whole surgery was a God thing and that we are so blessed to have so many friends far and wide was driven home.

After my eyes focused after a mere pittance of sleep I looked at my phone to find a message from Thiry's sister in law Angie. It simply said that she was sending someone to visit me and asked me if I needed anything. All I could think of was a Diet Mt. Dew. For those of you who read my other blogs....you know that the Diet Dew and I have carried on a torrid relationship for years. Unfortunately....most hospital vending machines do not carry this particular nectar of the Gods. It could likely have something to do with its ill effects on the body.....but I digress. The moment I put the phone down there were nurses and docs running in and out doing rounds and honestly my mind drifted elsewhere and the text was forgotten.

A little while later when it was just David and I....in walks a lovely lady holding......a Diet Mt. Dew. Immediately I knew this was the angel that Angie had sent me. She was a wonderful lady named Sondra whose husband was going through a battle with Sarcoma and she had met Angie on line through a Wives of Sarcoma site. (Angie's husband Dane also has Sarcoma). Angie herself had never "met" Sondra but apparently they talked often enough that when Angie put out the call for someone in the St. Louis area to come visit me....Sondra was willing to answer. The tears almost came right then and there. Sondra and I talked and in the few short minutes she was here....she told me of the time she had spent waiting in hospital rooms alone and she offered me her home to rest in, shower in or to bring David to if they dismissed us and we did not readily have a ride back to Kansas. I was astounded at the generosity she was showing a complete stranger. She even brought me a Snickers bar. I was totally overwhelmed.

As she was leaving another couple came to the room looking for David and I. This was a Pastor named Ned Hummer and his wife Peggy. Again....these were angels sent from friends too far away to be there physically but not wanting David and I to be alone. Thank you dear Marni!!! They stayed for awhile and we discussed what my hope for David's outcome was to be and we prayed. Yes...someone has already pointed out that I am Catholic and they asked if it was strange or even wrong to pray with an Assemblies of God pastor. I think the question would have been...does an Assemblies of God pastor find it wrong to pray with a Catholic? I had to laugh at the question. Yes....I know I am Catholic....but I see prayers as non-denominational. They are universal and I would take any and all offered....so of course we prayed. It was a beautiful prayer and very kind and once again...I was offered any help I needed to get through David's stay. It was wonderful.

During Sondra's visit and before the Hummers....a dear friend whom I have known more years that I am willing to admit showed up with his daughter. They had traveled all the way from Wisconsin just to make sure that whatever the outcome...I was not alone. Steve will never know how much that act of kindness and generosity meant to me. He was able to meet Sondra and the Hummers and I think he too was impressed at the angels appearing right before our eyes.

After the Hummers left I was feeling almost overwhelmed. To be so far away from everything I know and to have so many people there for me....it was definitely something I was not used to. Then I looked up and another man was standing at the door asking if I was Lisa. Again...an angel sent from a friend. This time it was Thiry's husbands cousin. He too was a pastor....his church the Troy United Methodist Church, and he too was there to offer whatever David and I needed. Thiry, Kelly and their family had sent him to us and again I was beyond words. He also prayed with us and offered any help we might need. Who knew I had so many friends with angel affiliations?

As I said...the whole morning was surreal, especially on the heels of such a horrid day the day before. After they left...I couldn't help but think of how life works or better yet...how God does. I remember as David lay so sick asking God what lesson I was suppose to be learning. What purpose did all of this have? Maybe this was it. Maybe for whatever reason all of our lives were suppose to touch and inter-mingle and without him becoming septic and us having to go to Children's...this might never have happened. We had to go through what we had to go through to get to where we needed to be. Amazing!

The rest of the day resulted in David being transferred to an orthopedic floor and Steve and I catching up and reminiscing. It was fun and also a great distraction. I truly needed a distraction! I watched as Davids vitals stayed for the most part...consistently good and he was able to sleep comfortably and quietly. The staff at Children's were amazing and not unlike Shriners...David was again given excellent care. We had truly lucked out.

As evening broke in, Steve and his daughter headed off to find lodging and I thought I might settle in and try for a good nights sleep. Silly me! What was I thinking? Z called me to tell me that the storms that were anticipated to hit Kansas were no longer a possibility but now a fact. He had gone to my brothers in Wichita as that seemed to be the safest place and I felt that all would be fine. Then I began listening to the weather and found that The Weather Channel had spotters in Wichita and they were planning on taking cover. Huh??? I tuned into the local radio station via internet and listened as the weather spotters were having difficulty keeping track of the tornado as it was rain wrapped. They were following it's path by the transformers they were seeing blown. Then as always happens in my life....the storm that was headed directly for my home town...turned and headed towards another town (Andover) which was also right where Z was at. REALLY???? So much for planning ahead. I listened and prayed until well after 2:30 a.m. when I was sure that everyone was safe and sound and the storms were over. It was a long day!

I couldn't believe the journey that I had been on in the last 24 hours and how blessed I truly was. I had people far and wide praying for David. I had both old angels and new ones to count among friends and David was getting the best care possible and he had apparently turned the corner. My kids were safe and the storm both literally and figuratively had passed. I was overwhelmed and very grateful and now.....I am ready to continue on to the next leg of this journey!