And the Lungs have it...

Ryan will NOT let me post a picture here of him in his cute hospital gown (and it really is a cute one) - and even though he's punctured and wrapped and finally breathing somewhat up to par, he's missed here at home tonight.  Long story short... 1st lung - a week before he was to leave the MTC for Mexico, really hard surgery, really tough on him physically.  For two years we waited for the 2nd lung to go.  He was blessed by some amazing angel because he survived those two years.  But on Monday, the 21st... it went - and so did we to the Emergency Room.  A chest tube inserted - suction - x-rays, repeat.  Late that night we headed home with him and his new chest contraption, and loads of pain meds.  Next day - survived a few hours up and then down again.   X-rays showing a 75% increase of improvement - scheduled a time for the tubes to be removed on Thursday the 24th.  The chest tube was then re-wrapped by a  nurse that covered a major valve wrong....and that's not a good thing...  by Thursday x-ray reveals... not good enough information and back into the hospital immediately.  Frustrated and angry and in pain - he sat there in that hospital bed.  There were no words.  His thoughts were of his brand new job, his mid semester college classes, and the thoughts of the 2 year previous nightmare returning.  Del traveled this week - so it was Ryan and I sitting there in silence, and in quiet prayer.  I text my Bishop - and within minutes a ward wide text went out for prayers and fasting.  I love my Bishop, I love my ward.  Long night of restlessness on all of our parts - but a sweet sense of the love and comfort around us because of the the faith and prayers of people, even total strangers some of them.  I arrived in his room today - no movement, no noise, just complete silence next to the bubbling of his pump.  He was furious, staring straight ahead... there was no comforting him.  He had been waiting for x-ray results and no one ever came.  He ate a few nurses alive for lunch - one of which - did everything she could to get the doctor to talk to him.  He finally called him and calmed him down.  The results indicated better lung capacity, and hope - that hope part was huge.  The surgery was put on hold, but staying in the hospital was a must.  Mandy, Ry, and Ashley came for the afternoon - brought love and laughter, and also... hope.  It's late tonight - should be sleeping, but there are a few thoughts I can't let escape  my mind.  So I'll write them here...

*  When you have children like I enjoy every day, every heartache is healed with love and laughter.

*  When you get a ward like we have - they can heal anything with their prayers and faith.

*  When you look at your child in a hospital bed and you don't have the words to comfort them, you realize that you don't have to say anything, just being there is something.

*  When you enter your home in the dark of the night, and it's empty, you follow the spirit to the room where it's the strongest and you curl up and cry yourself to sleep.  When you wake up - you realize it's that child's room your in.

*  When you think "wow - this is really tough on my kid", then they wheel in someone across the hall in the ER and they didn't make it... you count your blessings.

*  When you get up in the morning and you give up all you need to do in that day because the most important thing you can do is be with that child... you realize that there wasn't anything more important than doing that.

*  When you see the pain in their eyes, and the frustration, and the stubbornness... you realize that they are just a chip off of your very own block - and you have to smile.

*  When you kneel down at night and thank the big man in the sky for all of your blessings, you include this particular event in those blessings.

Because....

There is increased love, faith, prayers, trust, knowledge, and growth.  So for tonight - with a heavy heart - yet another body part probably going soon.... I'll just breath in and out, and in and out, and remind myself of the miracles performed by the human body that houses God's soul inside.

Thank you to my children, who bring my world together in every way - with laughter and love.  You are treasures to me always.  To Ryan... you are a very ornery trouper... but God isn't finished with you yet so keep on believing in him, he's never left your side.