To Grandmother's House We Go

My Mother and me

Thank you all SO much for all of your prayers for my Mother's surgery, and for Faith and I as we travelled to GA and back.  My Mother is doing as well as can be expected following the surgery she had.  I spoke with her today at lunch and she was in a good deal more pain than she had been, but was still in good spirits. She had been out of the bed most of the day, sitting in a chair, and before the day was out, she was supposed to get up and walk!  Needless to say, she was NOT looking forward to that!  

Her biggest complaint is that she just cannot get any rest because the nurses are constantly waking her up to check her vitals, give her more medicine, etc.  Her husband stayed with her last night at the hospital, but she said that she was sending him home tonight because he snored all night last night and kept her awake!

Faith had posted a picture of my grandmother's house on her blog and she had mentioned that I would be sharing a story about that house at a later time. The house in the picture was where my grandparents lived for 62 years.  I have so many wonderful memories of both of them and of countless hours spent in that house.

Well, about 4 years ago my best friend, Becky, called me one day at work and said, "Emilie, I just walked in a house here in Columbus and I feel like I have been in this house before.  Do you remember what the address of your grandmother's house was?" I said, "Of course, it was 1408 XXXX  Street."  She said, "You're not going to believe this.  My son is getting ready to buy THAT house!".  To make a long story short, HE DID!  Can you believe that out of ALL the houses in Columbus, GA my best friend's son bought MY  MaMa and PaPa's house!  

This is a picture of the house today.

Is it not the most adorable little house you have ever seen!  PaPa was very particular about his grass and the house still has a wonderful stand of grass.  Looks like a golf course, doesn't it?  I wish I could just pick this little house up and move it to NC!

 Becky and me

Becky and I  went to high school together and then both of us also went to Dental Hygiene School.  We have been friends since 1971 when we met the first day of Band Camp when I needed a ride home.   She is an amazing mother to her 2 wonderful sons and the best friend anyone could ever have! I love you, Beck Beck!

Surgery Update

My Mother' surgery went very well yesterday and I appreciate all of your prayers so much. She was in surgery for about 3 hours --the doctor was able to move her stomach back down where it should be and close the hole in the esophagus. When he went to move the spleen down, it was attached to the stomach and it began to bleed profusely and he had to remove her spleen. He said that many people survive fine without a spleen, but it does lower your resistance to infection. She had to be given vaccines for "everything" to help her be able to fight off infections.

I left her around 10:30 last night and she had just been moved to a private room and was still feeling pretty well. She was not having very much pain at that time because prior to the surgery they had given her an epidural to help with about 80% of the pain following surgery. She was also well-equiped with her "lifeline", as the nurse called it --the button for the morphine drip.

My Mother had the most wonderful doctor. He came into her room right before taking her to surgery and prayed the sweetest prayer, calling on the name of Jesus to guide his hands and his mind. After he finished I told him how refreshing that was to hear him pray for her and how rare that is anymore to find a doctor willing to do that and he said, "Well, I can't do anything unless HE helps me!" WOW! I wanted to shout!

Faith and I are headed back to NC after lunch today and will be home later this evening.

Thank you all again for your prayers thus far and please continue to pray for my Mother as I am sure she will have some difficult days ahead of her.