The First Noel

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel... Born is the king of Israel!

When God looked at his roll of souls for his angels to gather today, the angels asked, "Do we take LeRoy Hedberg?" And the Lord said, "Nope, no L today." No L. Noel. Hallelujah for that!

I got one of those phone calls today we never hope to get, but know, with aging parents thats it's a constant possibility. The first call was that my dad was being taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital. Possible heart attack. The second call was that he was being airlifted down to Abbott-Northwestern, a heart hospital in the Twin Cities. By the time the third call came that he was in "critical" condition, I was home from work and packing to go!

Let me tell you, a lot can go through a person's mind in a 3+ hour drive, but I was relatively calm. I left hubby at home so he could be there for Carter and to take care of a ton of things on our schedule. I told him I felt too calm. Part of me thought it was because I knew in my heart the odds of an 84-year-old surviving this were slim. But the other part of me said he's too stubborn to die. He'll come out of this OK.

I did a lot praying on the drive over. I'd remember a funny memory and say, "I can see why you want him, God!" Then I'd remember something else on the stubborn side and say, "Are you sure You're ready for him, God?" I don't think He is. At least not for today.

By the time I got to the hospital, Dad had already had his risky procedure to place three stents in (95-100% blockage), was resting comfortably and ready to order meatloaf for supper. Unbelievable.

He said, "You didn't have to come all this way." I said, "I would never pass up a chance to come to Vikings country!" Dad knows that even on his death bed I will not cave and be a Packer fan like him. (No, the stubborn gene did not skip a generation!)

I was just so relieved he was doing well. And he credits Mom, who was still able to dial 9-1-1 on their rotary phone and get help. And we credit lots of prayers. All the siblings were there except my sister in Texas -- plus a half-dozen grandkids. If nothing else, our family makes one heck of a support network.

Dad is still in ICU, but that's good. They can keep an eye on him while Mom and I catch some sleep at the hotel next door. We're just hoping for a quiet night with no phone calls.

No L.