Patience in Waiting

 

When someone mentions not feeling well, having a pain in the right side, what immediately comes to mind? Appendicitis attack?

Our grandson Nate told Al that his legs felt wobbly and that his side hurt one Friday morning when Al showed up to take Nate and his brother Elliot to school. Before leaving, Al suggested that he text or call his mom, which he did. She gave him permission to stay home that day.

Later that afternoon, his dad took him to the pediatrician and then to emergency. Well, it was his appendix.  Nate was scheduled for surgery; however, it kept getting delayed. He finally had a laparoscopic appendectomy on Saturday morning, with three small incisions in his abdomen.

Nate’s parents, Chris and Shanda, were relieved when he was finally discharged Sunday afternoon. They were scheduled to fly to New York city Monday morning, something that had been planned for weeks ahead of time. Needless to say, the emergency appendectomy was a big surprise!

Shanda was beginning a clinical trial at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and would be staying in New York City for five weeks. Chris had planned on spending that first week with her. They had arranged for different families to host both boys while they were gone—friends with school-aged children who would be able to take Nate and Elliot to school, sports and other activities.

Plans changed though with Nate’s surgery. The doctor’s orders were for him to get plenty of rest and not have any strenuous activity for two weeks. This meant no tennis team or matches among other things. It was very disappointing for him.

 Instead of spending the first couple of nights with his friend Ben, he came to our house on Monday morning. Nate hoped to go back to school on Wednesday. However, we did not feel that he was strong enough to return to a full day at school and after checking with his parents, decided to have him stay home one more day. More disappointment!

Al and I explained that we only wanted the best for him. But it was hard, especially when he started feeling better. So, we thought Wednesday should be a trial day, getting up early and getting ready just like he would on a normal day—except we changed the time from 6:00 a.m.to 7:00 a.m. Too early for grandparents.  

Would he be able to stay up the whole day, with no lying down on the sofa?

By the evening, he was still feeling good and seemed to have more energy than previously. Nate was happy to hear that he could return to school on Thursday morning. Afterwards he’d be able to go home with a friend for two nights, until his dad picked him up on Saturday morning.

One little crinkle was that he wasn’t supposed to lift anything heavy. Now what to do about Nate’s backpack that was filled with books, a laptop computer, gym clothes, and various other items? The idea of having a rolling backpack didn’t go over very well.

With a look of resignation on his face, he and I sat down together at the computer at the beginning of the week and found a black one that was acceptable. At least I thought it would work just fine. The backpack was to be delivered on Wednesday afternoon. Perfect!

When it arrived, he emptied out his regular backpack and decided what to take in the rolling one, which was a bit smaller. Al and I wondered if he would use it at all, not wanting to look different from the other kids. We encouraged him to follow the doctor’s orders.

 There are a number of situations in life when we have to wait patiently for something, whether it’s recuperating from surgery, waiting for someone to call, a job to open up, a baby to be born, a prayer to be answered… Waiting is difficult!

Dear Lord, give us the wisdom to know your will and the patience to wait for your perfect timing. 

“…And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father…” In Jesus’ name, Amen. (Colossians 1:10-12a NIV)