What happens when what you expected doesn’t quite happen in that manner? On April 15th, My Dad went in for what we expected to be an ambulatory stent procedure. We dropped him off at the hospital, expecting to pick him up in several hours. Instead, we were called with the news that they couldn’t complete the surgery as planned, and he would be transported to another hospital for an emergency bypass scheduled for April 22nd. Now, this was amidst COVID-19, so there were no visitations. By the Grace of God, my dad made it through his surgery. His recovery was and still is a long process, but he’s healing well.
Here we are three months later and faced with the same scenario but on his opposite leg. As I sit here typing this on July 22nd (exactly 3 months to the first surgery - talk about the unexpected), my dad is in recovery. I believe he will soon be on the road to full healing and improved quality of life overall.
The unexpected is inevitable. But, there are still blessings amid the storm:
1. Preparation - The unexpected can prepare us for the next. Haven went through the unexpected in April. My dad was in a better posture of acceptance and understanding when informed he’d need a bypass on the right leg.
2. Perseverance - The unexpected can produce a new level of strength and stamina we never realized we had. While in the hospital for 2 weeks alone, my dad was forced to handle things that my mom would typically take care of on his behalf. Additionally, he persevered and progressed very well, physically, especially since he was eager to be discharged and return home.
3. Faith - The unexpected forces us to lean more on God so He can show up and show out in our situation as only He can. My dad’s faith has strengthened through these trials, and he's even become more patient. I continue to pray for his intimate encounters with God as he navigates through these battles.
4. Gratitude - No matter the weight of the circumstance, we still have so much to be grateful for - even the little things. I found myself finding gratitude in something as small as facetime. Facetime kept me visually connected with my dad while he was hospitalized.
5. Perspective - As I’m bringing this to a close, on July 26th, my dad is still hospitalized and has since had other things come to surface that will extend his stay a little longer. He underwent a test today and when the results came back, I heard my mom and daughter say, “at least it wasn’t…” Though it was something, we still found gratitude in what it wasn’t or could’ve been. Perspective helps shift our mindset to realize that things could always be worse.
Ladies, I pray that as life throws you circumstances that you weren’t prepared to receive, you too can find the blessings through the storm. In this world, we will have crisis, but through God, there will also be blessings.
“These Things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” - John 16:33
Love you...Be blessed!
