Mom is out of surgery and in the ICU. Her surgeon feels the surgery went very well. He mentioned that the valve he wanted to replace was in even worse shape than he'd imagined, so it's a good thing she chose to get this surgery done when she did. Tonight she's breathing on her own, able to talk -- and in a whole lot of pain. Mom has a very high pain threshold, but it can be exceeded. Her nurse is working with the surgeon to do what they can to manage her pain so she can get some rest tonight.
All my sibs were in and out of the hospital today. As is typical when we get together, we all regressed to teenhood and were making many goofy (and, in the surgery waiting room, probably highly inappropriate) comments. When I left the hospital -- yes, I did leave the hospital; if I don't get some sleep I'll be no good to anyone in the morning -- Julie and my sister Michele were with Mom. Julie may spend the night in the ICU. If so, I'll go in the morning and spell her off.
Meanwhile, at the south end of Utah County, the Pole Creek Fire is still threatening to burn a number of houses in Spanish Fork Canyon, including my in-laws' place. They have been going through the house trying to take inventory of everything irreplaceable and have packed both their cars in case they need to evacuate. Please keep them in your prayers.
I drove to my mom's place tonight with the road partly illuminated by the light of the waxing quarter moon. It was a gorgeous sight. Artists, astronomers and the like tend to focus on full moons or on crescents, but any visible phase of the moon is striking and magical. And there's something comforting about looking up at the moon and realizing that many other people are doing exactly the same thing at the same time, especially when one is far from home. That sense of shared experience calms me and makes me feel hopeful, especially about the immediate future.
Good night!
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