It's Been a Year

A year ago today my family went to the hospital to wait while my step-father had back surgery. Sitting in the waiting room, we never imagined that things would go from a simple back surgery to a life-threatening situation that would result in 57 days in the hospital. Surgery with Wayne is always risky because he has a blood disorder, but we never imagined that things would become critical in such a short time.

After the surgery Wayne developed an infection that almost took his life. Had it not been for a whole lot of prayers, great doctors and nurses, and the miracle bed he might not be here today. We spent the days sitting in the waiting room waiting for the times that we could go and visit for 15 minutes. We have a big family, so we each took turns visiting him and trading off for the next group. Wayne was on a respirator and for part of the time was in a "miracle bed" that he was totally enclosed in (you can see his feet poking out in the picture below).

It was a very tough time for our family and it's during tough times that you find out what you're made of and who your real friends are. They are they ones that will stick with you and sit at the hospital all day when they have so many other things to be doing. Or, they're the ones that you can call at any hour of the day or night just because you need someone to talk to. I have to say that my mom was amazing through the whole situation, and even when times got tough she had an incredible strength. She moved into the hospital for the duration, and thankfully the hospital had an inn connected to it so she had a place to rest and shower. The room did get a little small when she, Leah, and I would all stay, but we made it work!

Every few days we would meet with the doctor praying that he could tell us there had been any improvement. It was a long road, but finally Wayne was able to leave the hospital, go to rehab, and then home. We just kept telling the doctors that our goal for him was to be able to go home and get back on the tractor and do what he loves to do. I can't believe it's been a year. Sometimes it seems like only yesterday. Thankfully Wayne is home, and although he still has to use oxygen at times, he's able to be out on the tractor and bale hay or do whatever else he wants to do. So thankful that God provided us with a miracle, because all the credit really does belong to Him.

The "miracle bed"