God is Good!

It was a week ago today that I received a phone call from my sister Karin that my mom had developed blood clots.   They landed in her lungs after having undergone cancer surgery six days before.  She was in critical condition and if her oxygen levels didn't come up by ten o'clock that night, they would have to intubate her.

God is good.

I had been fine up until I received that call on Saturday.

God is good.

My mom told me prior to the surgery that she didn't think it was necessary for me to come down for the surgery.  My two sisters were close by as well as two sisters-in-law who love my mom as if she were their own mother.  They would be there for the after surgery care. 

God is good.

My son and daughter-in-law had flown into LA, from Viet Nam, three days after my mom's surgery but prior to the blood clots.  It also happened to be my mom's birthday.  She said meeting her new granddaughter-in-law was the greatest birthday present ever.

God is good.

My son was calling me daily after they arrived.  He could hear the concern in my voice after I learned about the blood clots.  I told him I was "so down there" on Sunday if Gramma had to go on the breathing machine.

God is good.

My son took action before the ten o'clock deadline of that night.  He and his cousins all pitched in and bought me a ticket to fly down.

God is good.

My mom's oxygen levels had risen to the point where she only needed an oxygen mask, no intubating.

God is good! 

I had to be up at 4 am on Sunday to leave for the airport.  I had gone to bed at midnight and didn't fall asleep right away, so I didn't get much sleep.

God is good!

My son and daughter-in-law picked me up at the airport.  It was so good to see their smiling faces and wrap my arms around them.  I hadn't seen Ben since last October, or Mai, a year before that.

God is good!

On the way to the hospital my son announced they were expecting a little boy!  Another grandson!

God is good!

After arriving at the hospital Karin warned me that my mom didn't look good.  Her face was ashen and her breathing labored.  She could only say a word or two at a time.

God is good!

The Lord graciously strengthened me just before I entered the room.

God is good!

My eyes met my mom's beautiful, big, brown eyes.  I could see the concern in them.  I gave her a great big hug.

God is good! 

Ten of my mom's grandchildren, my sister Karin, and I were gathered around her bedside that Easter Sunday, rejoicing in life and our risen Savior.

God is good!

For the next five days my sister Karin and I took the day shift at the hospital.  My sister-in-law Sherry and my sister Betty Ann took the evening shift.  Each day my mom grew a little stronger.

God is good!

On Monday while sitting by the window in her room, I started to feel dizzy.  Karin was standing by the door.  Then the dizziness gave way to a rocking motion.  Earthquake!

God is good!

The rocking grew harder and the room began to jolt.  I quickly moved to my mom's bedside, laid a hand on her shoulder, her brown eyes growing as big as saucers.  (I was at the ready to deflect any ceiling tiles that would come crashing down on our heads!)  During the big earthquakes I've experienced, I talk to the Lord.  I said, "Lord, we are trusting in you."  This one went on for quite a long time.  Karin said, "This is a big one, far away."  Sure enough, it turned out to be a 7.2 along the Mexico/California border.  (How cool would it be to experience the earthquake that is going to occur at the Lord's return!)

God is good!

Well, my story is getting rather long so I better wind it up.  By Friday, my mom was off all IVs, oxygen, and was able to get up and walk a bit.  They released her to go home.  We were told the clots will take months to be gone so she will get winded very easily.  She and I are now at my sister Karin's, where Karin will care for her until she is stronger and can move back home.  Ben, Mai, and I plan on leaving Monday for Gig Harbor.  Had my mom not made it through last Saturday night, God would still be good.  Had the ceiling tiles come crashing down on our heads or the floor collapsed and I ended up in the basement or in a hospital bed myself, God would still be good.  God is good, all of the time, when our emotions are all over the place, when we struggle with fear or when our  hearts are filled with great rejoicing.

By the way, this is my mom's favorite thing to say, and she said it often, prior to surgery and after surgery when she was in so much pain...

"God is good!"