A long day for Barbara

Dear Family and Friends,

Many of you know Barb and Gerry Lammerding. We have traveled extensively with them and worked with Barbara years ago in Sac Central SDA Church when I was just starting as a youth pastor. This morning Barb and Gerry arrived at the Kaiser Hospital in Central Sacramento for her surgery. They arrived early, about 6 am and then waited as they were processed. I arrived at 8 to sit with Gerry in the surgery waiting room and her surgery was supposed to begin at 8. We later learned it did not get started until 10. We waited all day, until 4:30 without one word from the operating room. I've been in probably 30 different waiting rooms over the last 12 years and always was kept informed by someone from the actual operating room how things were going but not today. After the promised 5 and 1/2 hours had passed we began to grow more anxious and a bit angry. We were given a little device that will flash but not told what the flashing meant. At about 4:30 it flashed but there was no one to tell us what that meant. Eventually we found out that means the surgery was over and she was being moved to recovery. At about 5 we were finally allowed to see Barbie for a few minutes. She was talking but was very connected to various monitors and IVs. She was squeezing her hands and moving her arms as they told her to do and trying to cough to clear her lungs. A surgeon spoke to us and said that everything had been a success but everything also took longer than expected. He said the tumor was larger than anticipated and was very stuck to her spinal column but they managed to remove it safely. They do not think it is cancer but that will be a for sure in two weeks based on lab results. So the outcome appears to be very good but Barbie has a pretty serious recovery to work with now and physical therapy for the next month. Gerry is doing fine and regaled the entire waiting room with his stories and thoughts. The volunteer who manned the desk for most of the day was outstanding and kind. This hospital needs to give serious thought to communicating in a professional manner. The whole waiting room was filled with very anxious loved ones with no communication taking place at all. Its the one sour note to a otherwise positive day.
I had a bit of traffic coming home and discovered my tank was nearing empty with over 500 miles driven. Where to find diesel? I chanced it on Florin Road and found the best price I've seen all day, $2.59.
Now I'm home and feel worn out. I was delighted to discover as I read my emails that several management companies sent emails indicating their willingness to add me to their approved list. Loree has been hard at work chasing these companies and results are starting to come in.
Thank you Lord for guiding the gifted medical team today.
Love to all and please pray for our friend Clare Johnson who has his own medical challenges right now. He is the wonderful tenor in the Adoration Singers.

love

tim