That Phone Call (and 365)

This will be a different Project 365 post, and a lot more personal.  I hope you can hang with me through the explaination, it's been a long week.  It was Spring Break here for the kids and some friends invited us out to a place they had for a week in BC (province west of us).  We were excited to spend a few days with them.  On Tuesday we took the kids skiing to a hill near the time-share that would be easier for my kids (they're just learning to ski).  My friend and I brought them lunch at the hill and I was at the bottom of the hill taking a few pictures of our youngest skiing (he was doing so great!), when my husband skis ahead of him calling out to me, "Christine, answer your phone!  Christine, it's your brother and you have to talk to him!".  I put down the camera and picked up my cell phone which I hadn't even heard ringing.  It's the phone call you never really want to have.  My Dad was in the hospital in ICU, pneumonia in both lungs, blood sugar sky high (he's diabetic), and a very weak heart (he's had a quad by-pass) and it looked like another heart attack, they weren't sure if he was going to make it through the night.

Many of you have probably had that kind of phone call.  Life just sort of stops right there, and accelerates all at the same time.  Within the hour we were off the ski-hill, packed up and in the van for the 7 hour drive home, wondering if we'd see my Dad alive again.  Our kids were really shaken, I felt like it was surreal.   You wonder if there's anything you left undone, or unsaid, how my mom is, and what the next hours will hold.  You spend a lot of time talking with God about the realities of this life, and pray for Him to meet all of you there, and I have to say that He did, though I was shaken I had a sense of peace as well.  Later I found out that my mom was also admitted to the hospital with pneumonia as well but treated and released.

We arrived back at the hospital by 8:30 that night, my mom was so weak, my brother took her home and my husband and I stayed at the ICU while the kids went to friends'.  He was in isolation so you had to gown up and mask up etc. (Influenza B).  A ventilator in, heavy sedation and looked very weak.

In the days that have followed God has brought a lot of healing to him.  He is no longer at "death's door" as they had called him before.  His blood sugars are normal, they took him off the ventilator yesterday, and though he had a massive heart attack due to the pneumonia, they are saying there isn't more damage then there already was to his heart.  He has about 25 % heart function, but has lived like that for a year or more.  In the next few days he'll probably get moved to an internal medicine floor out of ICU.  My mom is improving, but the reality of the stress and emotion is hitting her.  And it's a bummer but my husband and I have also developed this cough, and today is the first day I'm not at the hospital.  Dad will be there for another week at least as they re-access his heart and what protocol he needs to be on now, and help him get rid of the pneumonia.

So, a lot going on behind the scenes here.  I had cards pre-posted so that's why you "saw" me at all this past week, but may not "see" me again for a week or so.

I actually do have some pictures to show you...but they have no rhyme or reason and are all from the trip before my  Dad went into the hospital.

This is my 90 year old uncle at his Birthday party, my mom's second oldest brother.  (he doesn't look 90 does he?)  We went to the party right before we left on our mini vacation.  This uncle reminds me most of my Grandpa, and though this isn't the cheeriest picture of him ... :)  he's such a good man.  I call him a Rennaisance Man, he's been a successful crop farmer, dairy farmer, cabinet maker and craftsman, painter, local government leader, has raised pheasants, was a horticulturalist growing trees and grapevines, husband, father, grandpa and great-grandpa.  You name it he's done it with a faithful, loving and joyful heart.  

These shots were taken as we were heading to BC, if you click on this photo above you'll see that it's a herd of elk along the highway resting, and eating.  

My FAVOURITE mountain range, they're called the Three Sisters, near Canmore, AB.  We spend a lot of time there.  Sorry, it's taken from the van :)  Lots of snow still in the mountains.  

Fun at the resort.  There were 7 kids between our 2 families.  They love being together.  

The day of skiing, lunch at the hill, it was in incredibly beautiful warm sunny day.  

Some of the gang at lunch, it was really bright, they're all squinty :)

The bunny hill at the ski-hill.  It's a great hill though as my kids could do most of the runs.  

Our youngest and his buddy.  They've been good friends since birth and she's a go-getter!

Our youngest is on the left skiing and that's my husband in the center in the green/blue coat telling me to pick up my phone.  

And that was all the pictures for the week!  I'm out of words now gang.  Just wanted to let my cyber world/friends out there know what's going around here.  Appreciate your prayers for continued healing and restoration!  

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That Phone Call (and 365)