THE HUG I RECEIVED.  I have an understanding that all people no matter what level or position in life has heartaches.  It is the particular life in each person that looks upon something in their life that they may have the "whoa is me" outlook.  With that said, then also I know that my situation could be worse; but more than likely be less that another's, if I were to just apply myself to their mind-think instead of mine.

On March 28, 2007 I took my wife to the VA ER and throughout the day of their mind-think, it was just another usual day. But, in my mind-think I only recognized salvation and rescue well into  2:00am the next morning right after emergency surgery.  I was told that she sometime in the past week or longer had developed constipation and she had actually in her attempts to pass it out she blew a hole in her colon 3" to 4" big.  Throughout the week as she continually strained because of the constipation she was filling her body cavity with pooh.  The surgeon stated to me that they first started were dipping out the pooh with their hands cupped together, then turning to suction pumps and irrigating it with water until they could only hope all bacteria was out.  They also had to milk her colon of that constipated material and flush the colon until it was clean.

Only then were they able to cut away at least three areas that had developed gangrene and attach her colon to her stomach wall for an colostomy bag.

The surgery alone was just over 6 1/2 hrs, the surgeon that did the the job had put in a full day with more surgeries before he got to her.

She the went to recovery and then on to ICU on a ventilator, they had to give her three units of blood to fight the bacteria there.  She was in ICU over three weeks until she was ready for another operation, this one was to close a gaping hole that was left due to the removal of other skin that the gangrene had destroyed.

The only way to close it was to sew in a new type graft material that had human blood cells that would promote new growth of skin.  It had been introduced to repair the skin damage of severe burn victims.  The surgeon said this one sheet of material measuring approximately 7" by 13"  would cost the government over $10,600.  My wife laughingly said "they must think I am worth something."

This is when I got the hug of a life time!  This Surgeon suddenly stood tall, as if at attention and said, "You served your country, and now your country is to serve you." (By the way my wife and I served in the USAF in the mid to late 1970's.

What I really want all to understand is this man was born in India and educated in the USA.  What he said and the way he said it gave me back something within that I had some how lost way back when through the disrespect that I had felt over 20 yrs. ago.

I want to also say thanks America for taking care of my wife and I when we really needed your help.

And to all men and women that are serving our country, we send you a verbal and spiritual hug.

It's true that what you give you get returned three-fold - I would say that you and your wife deserved the payback ... just a shame you both had to go through the ordeal to get the return.

I am sending you one of my HUGE hugs each - thanks for sharing your experience with us.

Brightest Blessings

Sarah

Thank you! I will pass it on to others.

Goodness and Mercy be upon you.

Amazing,
Hugs to you both~!!  

wow.... Hugs to you both. What a touching story. I am sitting with tears in my eyes.

Blessings to you both,
Angel