My Monday

CCB is home now. He's doing great. Thank you for all your well wishes. He read them all.


This last few days has really been stressful for me. I realized that I don't do well with the whole helpless thing. Everything was out of my control. I watched my husband in agony but was unable to do anything to help him. The few things I could control I took very seriously. I made sure he was at the surgeons office as fast as I could get him there. If that appendix burst it would be where there were people who could help him. In our marriage I've always been the patient with CCB at my side. It's easier being the patient. I don't like sitting at bedside.

We encountered some really rude women at the surgeons office. Sitting behind their frosted, sliding glass window. Like it offered them protection from all the icky patients seated in their waiting room. They were abrupt and rude. I understand that this is their job day in and day out but we don't come through their doors everyday. We deserved a little compassion.

On the other hand. I met some extraordinary people too. I wish I had their names but it seems they will have to remain anonymous. Let me explain. CCB's surgery was scheduled late in day. The waiting room for surgery patients had already closed for the day. They had me wait in the Critical Care Waiting Room. I walked in and there were big groups of people everywhere. I managed to find a place off in the far corner and took the load off. A little later an older black woman came and sat next to me. She brought her grandson with her and there wasn't enough places for him to sit. I offered to move so that they could all sit together. She declined she said that he wouldn't sit still anyway so there was no use moving my stuff. After a while her family had wandered off and we got to chatting. Her son had been in a car accident. He was on a ventilator and had been since Sunday morning. His passengers family was seated a little way away and she had serious liver damage. This woman was so upbeat. She was a pillar of strength. I can tell you that she was a woman of faith and it radiated from her. Somehow I felt better just sitting by her.

THEN there was the other man. There was a family seated in a grouping in front of me. I didn't pay much attention to them I stared at the t.v. screen and watched "Dancing with the Stars". I wasn't really paying attention to what was happening on the screen it was more of a place where I could safely stare without offending anyone in the room. Then someone snapped me out of my daze by changing the channel! I was irritated. Not because I was interested in the show but because he just changed the channel like it was in his own living room. What about all the people around him. What if they didn't want the channel changed. I thought he was a butt. That is until that very same man came over to me and knelt down. He asked if I needed some water or a soda. I told him I was fine that coffee had been holding me over. He asked if I was doing ok. I guess it was obvious to him that I was out of place the only white girl in the middle of a black families seats. I told him I would be fine that I was just waiting for my husband to wake up. He asked what the problem had been and I told him it was a surprise appendectomy. His face lightened and he said,"Girl! He's gonna be fine! Our boy has been in a coma for two weeks. He's been in surgery for his face and head since 2:30 this afternoon! " It was now 8:30pm. I had to fight off the tears. This man I had thought was a butt took time from his own set of serious circumstances to check on me.. ME. I was moved. I saw this man when I was on my way home. His "boy" was still in surgery and it was now after 10. I told him I'd say a prayer for him and his eyes watered up as he thanked me. I really hope his boy is ok now.

I knew my husbands procedure was rather routine but I was scared none the less. I am so glad though that they put me in the waiting room they did. Being around these people really made me see grace under pressure. I will never forget them.