10/29/2024
Answered Prayers
It was Sunday night. Mason was scheduled to be transferred to Mercy to begin rehab the following day. I was uneasy and unsure. I wasn’t convinced he was ready or that this was the right place for him. My stress was at an all time high. At the peak of my fear and anxiety, I turned it over to God. Lying in bed I prayed, “God I’m trusting in You. If Mercy Hospital is where Mason is supposed to be then send him. If not, prevent the transfer.” Just like that, I let go. I fell asleep in peace thinking whatever happens tomorrow is just meant to be.
The next morning I arrived at Presby Hospital at my usual 6:30 time. I took my usual seat and began my usual routine of praying over Mason. My phone started ringing. On the other end was Stacy’s mother and she was shaken up. She told me that Stacy had taken a turn for the worst. She didn’t know how much time she had left.
I was frantic. I had no idea what to do. How could I leave Mason when he is being transferred to a new hospital? If I don’t go home, I may never get to say goodbye to Stacy. I called Dr. Nail. She was and still is my lifeline. She came hustling into his room. I explained the situation. I begged her, “Can we please delay the transfer?” She said she wasn’t sure, but she would go and see what she could do. I just sat there waiting, being ripped apart. I don’t know how long 15 minutes, probably closer to 30, and my phone alerted that I received a text. It was from Dr. Nail and read, “Go home. We got him.”
For the first time other than going home after he had fallen asleep, I was leaving Mason’s side. I told the charge nurse, “Please take care of him. Just don’t let him feel like he’s alone.” She assured me that he wouldn’t. In the elevator it hit me. This crazy rush of guilt. I thought, “Please God, not like this.”
We contacted Hospice Care and they came out right away. By late afternoon Stacy was comfortable and as good as she could be. I left to go back to the hospital to see Mason for a few hours and then I would come back to see her again that night.
As I was walking out the door I got a call from the hospital social worker. Immediate panic set in. I answered to a very excited ReaAnn. She said they have all been taking turns sitting with Mason. Rehab doctors from Mercy came in to see him. They had him responding to commands by squeezing their hands. To this point he has not been able to respond to a command. I was fired up. I couldn’t believe it. She gave me all the details and I remember thinking, “If these doctors can get him to respond to a command within five minutes then Mercy is where he needs to be.” I was now excited and confident for the transfer.
The delay also brought to light another unforeseen circumstance. Mason was going to be transferred without his cranial flap reinserted and without a shunt. The week of the delay the doctors noticed a large increase in csf fluid in his brain. This indicated that Mason would definitely need a shunt and this meant that the cranial flap would need to be reinserted. We would remain at Presby a little longer.
This extended stay led to another blessing from the answered prayer. Stacy passed while we were still at Presby. When I entered the ICU following her passing, I was greeted with hugs and tears. I was surrounded by family. Like they have done since day one, the entire hospital opened their arms to me. I walked through the first floor lounge like I did every morning and one of the ladies at the information booth hugged me and cried as she gave her condolences. The nurses and doctors were always there for me and God knew I would need them now more than ever.
The final reason I believe God answered this prayer the way He did is simple. He knew Stacy couldn’t be there to love and support Mason in her physical condition. So He put her in a better position to be with him. I have asked Mason if he has seen his Mom and knows that she is still with him. He always nods yes and gives me a thumbs up.
From this day I have learned a valuable lesson on how God answers prayers. They rarely ever appear to be answered the way I want them to be. This lesson would repeat itself many more times over the next several months. The way He has directly answered many of my prayers seems like a fictional story. He has answered EVERY time. Sometimes immediately, sometimes later, always better than I imagined, rarely as I expected.
