Tough Birds

Yesterday was frought with nervous energy. Everytime someone came to me with a request I almost melted into the wall, terrified of what they would say. Before the day had even started, our reading coordinator came to me and asked me to document every time I worked one on one with a child. They had found a loophole that gave the school an extra $150,000. We have to document like crazy, but it paid for six assistants salaries. It saved my job. I told her I would keep records until my fingers fell off if I could keep my job!

Later that afternoon, mom kept getting phone calls. They put off Granddaddy's surgery several times. They were going to have to work him in somewhere and he kept getting pushed further and further back. It worked out though because we were able to get there before he left for surgery and neither of us had to leave work early.

As I finished up getting kids on the bus and making sure everyone was safely on their way home, the reading coordinator came to me saying, "I'm sooo sorry that I have to tell you this with such short notice but..." Holy crap my heart leapt into my throat! "Can you be at a meeting Monday morning at the Central Office? You will be there from 8-3 training for us. Is that ok?" I almost kissed her! I just knew she was going to tell me that I couldn't come back! I assured her I would make the meeting.

Five minutes later, the principal herself hunted me down. "Mrs. Arian? I got a call from "the other elementary school" and they are having a meeting for parents on the 28th. They asked me if you could sign for them. Would you please go and do this for me?" While I silently kicked myself for not removing my name from the sign language interpretation contract already, I happily nodded yes and got a huge sigh of relief from my new boss. She assured me she would remind me and that she truly appreciated my willingness to help! Yay!

After dodging all of these bullets, I rushed back to Mom's room ready to head out. She was looking for these little scraps of paper. The frustration was almost too much! I hunted and dug for several minutes, dancing around at the thought that they could take Granddaddy back any second and I wouldn't be able to at least give him a hug. Finally she gave up and we headed off. Once there we went up to the 6th floor. My uncle was hanging around outside the elevators and Mom just had to stop and chit chat. There were some friends from church in the room with him he said. I didn't really care. I wanted to see him.

Finally, we walked in to his room. Room 665! Cut that close huh? Just as we walked in, the nurses rushed through to take him to surgery. I was heartbroken. Mom pushed everyone out of the room, but I slipped into a corner. I waved at him over the crowd of nurses, monitors, bags, and such. They were taking out his teeth and hearing aids, and getting him ready. He finally saw me and smiled real big as he waved back. I felt better knowing he just knew I was there, so I slipped out into the hallway. They wheeled him out and he waved and said "Bye, Bye" to each one of us. I tried so hard to hold it together. As I walked in there was my grandmother sobbing and saying "If it's time it's time I guess. We can't stop it now." I fought so hard to keep from falling apart. I had to be strong. I managed with only a couple of tears (I can't bear to cry in front of people). We set up camp in his room and waited.

The doctor came in and told us he was doing fine but that they would keep him in ICU just to make sure things stayed ok that night. Mom pushed everyone out including my grandmother. That frustrated me. My grandmother should have been there. She went on home though.

Mom called me late last night and said they got to see him for about an hour and a half last night. They said he was up talking and laughing. They still won't let him eat or drink, but he was in good spirits. When he first came to, the nurses said he kept asking them if they were real and where he was. I truly think he didn't expect to make it through the surgery. When Mom and my aunt went in to see him he told them, "I guess I should listen to you all more. You always did say I was a tough old bird and a farm isn't a farm without its rooster right?" That's my granddad!

They are worried about pneumonia right now because he will be laying down so much. He should be able to leave the hospital on Monday. He will be moved to a nursing home for physical therapy until he can get up and go to the bathroom alone and then they will let him come back home. The doctor told us realistically to plan for about three or four months. He has a rod that goes from his hip almost down to his knee. He's gonna be ok though.

Something interesting I learned though. Everything always happens on the 13th for him. He was enlisted in the army on the 13th, discharged on the 13th. His aneurysm ruptured on the 13th and he fell on the 13th. There were several other things like that, but I couldn't remember them all. He's decided he just doesn't like that number!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers! I am so thankful that we have slipped under the wire just a bit longer with him! I'm going to go call my mom and see how he is today.