Terribly Poetic

Well it’s day 3 of our family’s adventure and it felt very strange (and wonderful!) to get a little break from the hospital today!  We were able to sleep in a little, relax in the morning and do a little shopping (got some great deals on some clothes for Libby for next year!).  Today also gave us a little bit of a chance to look around the Ronald McDonald house a little.  I guess I never thought about it before, but it has been such a blessing to have a wonderful place, with all the things we need, and we don’t have to worry about the price!  A hotel like this (without all the amenities) would be at least $100 (conservative) a night and when your looking at two weeks, that would be a lot of money!!!

Staying around here today also gave us the chance to see a lot of other families.  I can’t explain how I feel, knowing that all these families have a little child that is sick.  You see families that are trying to have some form of normality in a very abnormal situation.  And you also can’t take anything for granted… there are many families that are just trying to make the best out of a very sad situation.  There is a little girl here, named Hannah, who seems to know everyone!  She is very friendly and chatty, and is a very typical 2 year old, including the tantrums   BUT, it breaks my heart to know that the reason she is fairly grumpy (although she rewards us with a smile now and then), is because she got one (of many) chemo shots today and it makes her nauseous, tired and sore.  She is such a beautiful little girl and such a joy to everyone here!  Please pray for Hannah and her family that she will be able to battle the cancer in her body!  We are continually reminded that it can always be worse and God is with us every step of the way.  We are not without hope, because we know the Healer, the Maker and the All Powerful!!

We were told today that Norah’s surgery is tomorrow at 8:20am (which is 9:20am Sask time).  We will be at the hospital at 7 in the morning, and then we won’t see her for about 5-6 hours.  The surgery itself is only about 2-3 hours, but in the beginning they need to take her to put her to sleep and then after the surgery the nurses will set her all up in the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit).  After that, we can go in and see her…. please cover that moment in prayer for us!  I can’t even imagine all the emotions that we’ll go through at that time!!

So tonight we are in pre surgery mode.  Norah has already had one bath with some special soap, and then we’ll give her another one right before bed, and then it’s bath #3 before we leave for the hospital tomorrow.  She is going to be one squeaky clean (and sterile) little girl before that surgery!

Prayer requests:

That the surgery would go well, that Norah would be safe and that they WOULDN’T have to open up her pulmonary artery.  (If they have to open that up, there is a much bigger chance of complications afterward).
For Daryl and I as we wait during the surgery, and when we see Norah for the first time after.
That Norah would heal quickly, would stay infection free and that she would recover properly.
-For little Hannah, that her body would be restored and the cancer would be taken away.

Thank you all for all your prayers!  We are so thankful for how you’ve all encouraged us and cared so much for our family!  I’m not sure how much of a post I’ll do tomorrow, but we will try our best to update everyone.

Blessings,
The Grunau’s