Surgery News

Today was emotionally draining.

Our recent email from China said she was in Shanghai and would be having surgery next week. Alright, breathe easy - surgery soon for our sweet girl.

Then I got an email this morning from our guy telling me that her condition is worse than they previously thought and she would be having surgery tonight. At work so I was in the triage room in the ER. Heart beating fast, I shot off an email to some good friends and family for prayers. Not an hour later, I got an email from him letting me know that whoops! surgery is back to this week as planned. Here is the actual email:

Well,I got different messages. I was told the surgery would be next week,then tomorrow,then next week again. I will verify and let you know. The good news is heart issue is not complicated at all,VSD,PFO,PDA and mild PH. She will be fine. No worries.

Really? Oh, ok - I won't worry then. She just has FOUR different heart conditions, one of which could lead to congestive heart failure. Even though I'm a nurse (and an ER nurse - we are notorious for not caring. At all), and I know that those heart issues are relatively common and surgery should be no problem, it's still worrisome thank you very much. 

Times like this I wish there was a sarcasm font. 

Then I got another email hours later saying yes, he confirmed the surgery will be next week.This was on my mind all day while talking to people about their chest pain and putting IVs in and that sort of thing. 

Worry. Worry. Worry. Praying. Praying. Praying.

We decided to do a rice fast during dinner for the next week or so. We just eat rice. And pray for Tali. So it's not really a fast as we are eating something. But it calls us to focus on her. We started on Thursday. Friday we had rice for lunch as we were going out to eat for my birthday (fine! Noah's too...). Jack prayed for Talitha and said "Please God help her to have her surgery soon - we've eaten nothing but rice for two days."

How tragic, the lives my kids lead.

It's sticky Asian rice, Calrose to be specific. The top of the bag has the words 'Extra Fancy' on it. For some reason, it makes me feel better. Not sure why but I'm rolling with it.

So basically we don't really know what's going on over in Shanghai tonight. What day is the surgery? How long will it be? What's the recovery projected for her? Is she smiling? Is someone holding her? Will she be sung to sleep tonight? 

Sometimes it feels like we're playing the telephone game with China. It goes through so many people and by the time it gets to us, the message is all garbled and weird. Maybe we'll get there and I'll talk about the heart problem and they'll say "Heart problem? No, I said start. My car wouldn't start and it was a problem."

Something like that. 

Today I was held up by my friends and family, all of whom were praying for her all day. We are blessed. 

The word blessed gets overused to the point where it loses its meaning. 

Among its meanings is my favorite: enjoying happiness, to bestow good of any kind upon.

We enjoy happiness because of you. You bestow good upon us. 

We are grateful for those who surround us with good things. She is being washed in the prayers of the faithful.