Questions and Answers

Saturday morning, 3 a.m.

Common Household Husband, in the emergency room, asking me:

“How high is my blood pressure?”

My answer, looking at the vital signs monitor:  “It’s too high for me to tell you how high it is.”

I’m still not saying.

* * * * *

Saturday morning, 5 a.m.

Husband, asking the Emergency Room doctor: “I’m feeling better now.  Can I go home?”

ER doctor’s answer:  “I have a premonition about you.  I am strongly recommending that you stay at least overnight for observation.”

(I love that doctor.  She was absolutely right.)

* * * * *

Sunday afternoon

Youngest Daughter, asking her Dad: “If they pump you full of nitroglycerin and then you fall on the ground, will you explode?”

Her Dad’s answer:  “I don’t think so.”

* * * * *

Monday morning

Husband, while waiting for heart catheterization procedure, asking me:  “Did you get the salt pellets for the water softener yet?”

My answer: “No, not yet.”  (It was hardly the most important thing on my list.)

His reply:  “It has to be done.  There are no salt pellets left in there!”  (This was followed by detailed instructions on how to do this task.  I went and did it.)

* * * * *

Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

Me, asking God: 

Well, I don’t know how to describe my prayers, other than to say I was continually grateful about a whole slew of things, and I was also bold to ask God for a favorable outcome, and I also felt God was with us no matter the outcome, and I don’t know how I remained calm but I did.  It must have been because there were whole armies of people praying for us.

* * * * *

Monday afternoon

Dr. Afghanistan, asking me while showing me a photo: “Do you see this?  That’s where the blockage was.  So we put the stents in here, to open up the artery.”

My slack-jawed answer:  “Thank you for saving my husband’s life!”

Dr. Afghanistan’s reply:  “It was nothing.”

I turned away because I was not able to get out the words:  “It is everything.”

(Side note:  both of the cardiologists, Dr. Afghanistan and Dr. Poland, had names of cities in these countries. Dr. Afghanistan seemed to be only about 18 years old; Dr Poland provided some maturity for the medical team.)

* * * * *

My husband, as the nurses wheel him out of the O.R.: “When can I get some lunch?”

He hadn’t had anything to eat for about 20 hours.

* * * * *

That’s my recap of our miracle.

The situation is that the Common Household Husband had a mild heart attack on Friday.  The miracle is that by Tuesday he was home, tired but recovering nicely.  By the mercy of God he did not need bypass surgery.  God’s answer today to my bold prayer is Yes.   Thanks be to God.