Surgery Prep

We arrived at St. Luke's at 5:30 this morning. The team prepped and took him to surgery around 7:30. The team again explained his surgery and the preparations to his body for surgery. We will anticipate a number of IVs and tubes, monitors, and machines post surgery. He was given an epidural to help manage the pain for the next several days. We are told it will be important for him to exercise his lungs from the base-deep breathing.

Again, it is difficult to put into words the feeling one has seeing someone who is loved so deeply suffer. I know we all just so desperately want to make this better, easier for him. We want to shield him from the pain of all of this and feel with him as we comfort him. To watch him lie on the table as he was prepped was heart wrenching. He said very little. His angst was clear. We took turns holding his hands, assuring him that he will be okay, and that everyone we know is praying for him, rooting for him. Still, we saw the water welling up in his eyes and watched him swallow the lumps in his throat. He is so strong, so protective, even now.

Anyone who knows us Pattis knows how hairy we all are. :)One moment of levity was when the male nurse had to shave our dad's chest (and back, of course). That electric razor ran out of juice before the nurse could finish! He needed a backup to complete the job. We told the nurse he'd likely need a garbage bag to contain all the hair from dad and that we should've taken him to the spa the day before to make that job a little easier. We all had a much needed laugh from that. Our dad even remarked he would now be beach ready.:)

Now we wait and hope and pray. He is in excellent hands. We know our loved ones and God are with him.