Wifey had her colonoscopy today, one of the perks of getting to this age. These are the things we have to make time for as we get older, even if we would rather not have to think about them. By God’s grace, everything went well, and I am thankful for that.
The day started early. I woke up at 5:00 to get ready for the hour-long drive to Mount Graham Regional Medical Center. I had not gotten enough sleep, but I guess the anxiety helped keep me awake. Whenever someone in my family has an invasive procedure, it is hard not to worry. You want everything to go smoothly, but you also know there is only so much you can do. At some point, you have to leave everything in our Lord’s hands, even while those anxious thoughts are still there.
We arrived at the hospital just in time because we had to stop for gas first. I had forgotten the tank was running low. As if there was not enough on my mind already, there was the price at the pump: $4.75 a gallon, double what it had been before the war started months ago. But we had no choice. We could not fly to our destination, and worrying about the price was not going to fill the tank. Thankfully, I had some rewards that took 40 cents off each gallon. It did not change how expensive gas has become, but it made that stop a little cheaper.
During the drive, I could sense that my wife was anxious too. I know her, and when she starts listening to Christian music at a time like that, I can tell she has a lot going through her mind. I could not blame her. This was her first colonoscopy, and facing a procedure you have never had before gives you plenty to think about. I was worried as her husband, but she was the one who had to go through it.
When they took her into the operating room, I stayed out in the lobby and waited. That is the part where there is nothing more to do but trust, wait, and hope for good news. In less than an hour, the staff called to tell me everything was fine and she was already in the recovery room. After all the worry leading up to it, I was relieved to hear it had gone well—and surprised by how quickly it was over.
Afterward, we got breakfast at Culver’s. She had not eaten for three days and had only been having fluids, so she was hungry. I understood why she was ready to eat, but I reminded her to take it slowly. She chose soup, and I got something to eat too. It was good to have the procedure behind us and be thinking about breakfast instead of worrying about what was ahead.