November

My mum and I have considered forgetting that this November happened. It was a rough month. Dad went into the hospital on November 4th with some concerning symptoms. After tests and other tests, he had surgery later that week. The following week, before they let him go home, they did an angiogram to see if there were any issues with his heart. They discovered clogged arteries and the need for bypass surgery.

Because their local hospital couldn't do the surgery, Dad had to be flown to Toronto (Mum went with him). Thanks to the generosity of my church and some of the members, I was able to fly out to see him and to help Mum through this time. Hotels were hard to find and very expensive (there was a popular singer in town both weekends). I called upon my friends and church family and we were able to get a place in the dorm of a seminary close to the hospital. 

Surgery was November 19th and everything went well. I spent the day updating the family and making sure Mum was okay and finding us food. In fact, that was pretty much my job for the week. By the end of my week in Toronto, I knew our section of the hospital fairly well, could find several coffee shops in the area, and had found two grocery stores so we didn't need to eat at the hospital food court all the time. I also found a dollar store and a drug store so I could run some errands for both parents.

I went home on November 25th. Mum and Dad were flown back home on November 27th, where Dad went back to the local hospital for follow up and such. He was discharged on November 29th. Of the entire month, there were 4 days when Dad was not in the hospital.

Once I was home, I crashed and slept a lot for the rest of the week (with some responsibilities in there and some catching up). I went into December feeling two weeks behind and needing to make up work meetings and a history class. I also haven't started decorating for Christmas.

It was a rough month, but I found that there were so many things to be thankful for:

1. That Dad had gone into the hospital with other symptoms and they discovered the heart problems; otherwise, it may have been discovered in a much worse way.
2. That my parents live in Ontario which meant that the surgery was done at Toronto General, the third best hospital in the world.
3. For excellent medical staff before, during, and after surgery.
4. For the friends who helped me look for, and were able to find, accommodations for Mum and me that weren't expensive.
5. For the people who ensured that I could fly down and be with my family (not only did the church help, but people from the church offered to help).
6. For the people who helped with other travel expenses so I could take care of Mum in Toronto without it breaking either of our budgets.
7. For so many people, even friends of friends and their churches, who prayed for us.
8. That my parents were sent home air ambulance rather than commercial, which was talked about.
9. For my job, both the flexibility and the higher ups who told me to take all the time I needed and we would work things out if I couldn't get my meeting finished in time (and "in time" was two weeks after they were supposed to be done).
10. That Dad is home and doing well.

With all that to be thankful for, perhaps I won't try to forget November after all.