A Message from Bob

Just realized we haven’t blogged for a while. By way of an update, on July 27 we traveled to Virginia for an appointment at Inova Hospital in Fairfax where our daughter (Brandy) works as a Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist. As I needed a heart cath, she arranged for a wonderful team to perform the procedure, which resulted in a recommendation for a multiple bypass ASAP.

The arrangements were made, necessary testing done, and I was scheduled for surgery on August 4. We returned to Pittsburgh on July 29 (the 3rd anniversary of our son’s death while traveling to Pittsburgh for another family wedding). On August 1 I was delighted to walk my baby girl (Amber) down the aisle. On August 2, while back in church at Concord, we received a text message that our other daughter (Jill) had delivered Ella Grace. We (read that: my family) noticed my symptoms were worsening so we headed to the emergency room at Allegheny General Hospital. Because of the pre-testing done in Virginia, they were able to schedule me for a bypass on the 5th.

This probably sounds like a very hectic time, but it has been one of the more serene and tranquil episodes of my life.

Before the testing, not breathing was just an inconvenient pause after which I told myself “OK, you can breathe again, go back to work.” About from the time that I was aware there was a medical problem that needing fixing, I knew that I had the power of Christ inside me to heal whatever was wrong. The really cool thing is I came to know that this was something He wanted me to experience. It may be so I can help someone down the road, it may be just for me, it may have been just for the people that I have met and prayed with and for thoughout the experience. The “why” was not important, but I have gone through this experience about as removed as I suppose the patient can be, with no worries or even the slightest apprehension. It has been like watching a play.

I was blessed with hindsight to see His orchestration in my life to bring me here. For a year I resisted His call to write a book about losing my son, and when I got started it was easy to use the garden, etc., as an excuse to stop writing. He has my attention again.