This has been a good week and a sad week. First the good news...........on Thursday, we met with the doctor who was going to do Dad's operation. He told us what was going to happen in the operation and asked us if we had any questions. Dr. Kua is such a nice person and was very happy to listen to any of our concerns. When he didn't mention doing the operation with a robot, I asked him about it and he said that he only used the robot with someone who has prostate cancer. So, I asked him why he thought that our doctor had sent Dad to him to do the operation when it could have been done in HB. Dr. Kua said that maybe our doctor thought that he (Dr. Kua) was the best at doing this type of operation. He didn't say it in a boastful way at all, though. I will have to ask our doctor if that was the case. Since Dr. Kua works at a private hospital, we had to pay (and pay well) for the operation. It's kind of different for us having to pay for medical procedures - not that we don't pay through our taxes in Canada, but when you have to pull out your credit card to pay for it here, it feels different. But, as you girls say, "it is what it is" - and so we pay.
We are staying right across the road from the hospital. One of the nice things about having to travel to get an operation done here is that the government will help to pay for your travel and accommodation costs. The Rotary organization operates a lodge across from the hospital and that is where we are staying. The government covered the total cost of the first night we stayed here as Dad and I both stayed there the first night. Then, while Dad has been staying in the hospital, the government covers half of the cost. It's been wonderful to just be able to walk across the road in the evenings when it's been time for me to leave the hospital.
Dad's operation was on Friday. We went to the hospital at 9:30am so that Dad could be admitted and do all the necessary paperwork. Then, it was a matter of 'hurry up and wait'. I asked the girl in the pre-op area why we had to be there so early when the operation was scheduled for 1pm - she told me that it was in case the doctor was ready sooner than expected. I had to leave when Dad went into another area to prepare for the operation, so I went back to the lodge to wait. Dr. Kua had told us that the operation would be an hour and that he would call me when it was done to let me know how things had gone. I was a bit anxious during the time, but did a lot of praying which calmed me. When I hadn't heard from Dr. Kua by 2:30pm, though, I started to get quite anxious (and of course that means that I got weepy as well). I went over to the hospital to see if I could find out what was happening and while I was there, I received the call from Dr. Kua telling me that everything had gone great! Phew! :-) It turned out that the operation had started late and that was why I didn't get the call until later than expected.
The nurses have been wonderful in this hospital and Dad has been taken really good care of. The food has been really good, too - nice surprise for hospital food! I have been eating at the hospital, too - they have a nice restaurant here with very reasonable prices - I've been eating a lot of curry since I don't get it at home since Dad doesn't like it. Dr. Kua has been by every day and he is very pleased with Dad's progress. Dad has been getting up and walking up and down the corridors for a few minutes each day. Dr. Kua and the nurses have all told us that it will take time for Dad to build up his strength again. Dad and I are both looking forward to heading home tomorrow.
The sad news is that we got the news today that our friend, Geoff Cartner, died today. Our hearts are broken - Robyn and Geoff are our best friends in Hervey Bay and we do so many things together and had so many future plans to do things together (like travel around Australia). The sadness is overwhelming right now. My friend, Denise, phoned me from Hervey Bay to tell me the news. Robyn and Geoff's son, Mark, had called her to get the Bishop's phone number and Denise thought that we should know the news, too. While I was talking with Denise, Robyn herself phoned through and so I talked with her. We are all in shock - this was totally unexpected. Geoff was in the hospital in Brisbane for two weeks following major heart surgery. There was one little blip, but then things seemed to be going well. He was discharged today and their daughter, Michaela, drove Geoff to her place (about 45 minutes from the hospital) while Robyn drove in her car to the grocery store to pick up some food for the next few days. Shortly after Geoff and Michaela arrived home (within 10 minutes, actually), Geoff said he felt sick and immediately threw up and then laid down on the bed and went into cardiac arrest. Michaela, who is a doctor) called 000 (like 911) and started doing CPR. The paramedics took over when they got there, but Geoff couldn't be revived.
I have been crying on and off all evening - it's so strange - I have just been breaking out in tears. I wanted to call Nana to talk with her about it (especially since she has been in the same situation that Robyn is in right now), but I wanted to wait until it wasn't too early over there. When Nana answered the phone, I told her that Dad and I were both okay and that all you girls and the grandchildren were okay. And then I burst into tears while telling her our sad news. Thankfully, she knows me so well that she was able to commiserate with me and talk with me as I cried and knew just what to say. I told her that I didn't know what to say to Robyn and she told me that I didn't have to say anything, that I could just let Robyn talk - she also told me that it was okay to cry with Robyn. Nana also told me that Robyn might not want to cry in front of her children - that she might think she needed to be strong for them - so, she might need to cry in front of me and that that was okay. It was very comforting to talk with Nana about this - I am glad she was there for me. I know it's going to be a difficult time for a while - we are so close with our dear friends. I am grateful for the gospel which teaches that we will see Geoff again. I am also thankful for my Heavenly Father who I know will comfort us and Robyn and her family as we all go through this difficult time.
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