Update

Wednesday was one week that my father had his surgery. On Tuesday we were really concerned because he looked worse than he did the day before and it seemed that one thing would start to look good and then another thing would go wrong.
The visiting hours in a critical ISU unit are only 30 minutes 4 times a day and during this time you are trying to talk to Doctors, Nurses..anyone who can give you some information.
Wednesday was Halloween and we told my father that we would be taking the kids trick or treating and that we would be back for the last visiting hour. They say that they can hear you even if they are not able to talk.

We came back at 8pm the last visiting time of the day and when we walked in the room my father turned his head to look towards us, his eyes were open.
As my brother Mike and I walked towards his bed I started to cry...I really just about fell on the floor with emotion. Trying to stay calm and listen to the advice of friends we walked over and talked to him about the trick or treating, told him what day it was and that it was a beautiful sunny day..needless to say we told him everything that did not have to do with the condition he was in.

My fathers first words were to ask about all of his kids and grand kids..where they were.
He asked where Annabella was first and I said..well..she is in the waiting room in her Halloween costume!! I asked the nurse if I could bring Annabella in (kids this age are not allowed in)
but she was as happy as we were about my father that she said yes.
I went to get Annabella and told her that her Poppy might not look the same way she saw him last time and about all the tubes. She assured me that this was ok and that she was here to help her poppy's heart get better. She also said she needed to tell him that he needs to get up because all the vegetables in his garden would not last long without him taking care of them.
I carried Annabella in to see her poppy and she took his hand and he took hers and she told him about the vegetables!!
I thought Annabella would be scared but she was not, she was so happy to see her poppy.
I could not hold back my tears as the words I love you were moved around the room, starting with Annabella telling my father that she loved him and he telling her she loved him.

My father came from the generation where the word love was the hardest word to say to someone you love..it was just supposed to be known to you that you were loved but not verbally told. I know many of you have also grown up with this.
Come on..let's all admit that the words I love you are so, so powerful and so healing!!!

My father is still very critical and will stay in the ICU for some time but he has made the turn around the corner, he has run a hard race until this point, he is fighting hard to come back to us.

The last thing I told my father before he went into surgery was that he needed to be tough, he needed to do what he has taught me to do. His words to me were: don't you worry gal I will.

Ok..so I sit here and cry as I type this blog. You know me, I am a very emotional person.

The POWER OF PRAYER and the POWER OF LOVE...These 2 things are so key in our life and so key in the healing of us all.
Reach out and tell those you love that you love them..don't just assume they know you love them..tell them I LOVE YOU...

Watching what my father and so many in this critical care unit has taught me a great deal.
Families that were torn apart have been re-united due to a tragedy, people are coming together in the name of love!!!

We all have our races to run on and off the road or trails, one moment, one step, one mile at a time.

Thank you all from my family to yours for your prayers and love

Lisa