Thankful
This Thanksgiving was a memorable one, but not in the way we had planned. Though thankful for the bonding time, I’d rather not make it our new family tradition.
My sister, Sandi, called me Wednesday night from the emergency room and said they were going to admit her. On Thanksgiving morning, the best surgeon in the country removed four gallstones that were blocking her bile duct. Immediate relief! We were so grateful.
However, when she woke her surgeon hit her with something she didn’t see coming. She would need to stay the night so he could remove her gallbladder on Friday. The speech therapist, for the first time in her life, was speechless. She asked if he was kidding. He wasn’t. We honestly didn’t know that once a gallbladder started producing stones, it would continue to do so.
Sandi received better care than she might have at a five-star hotel. The nurses and assistants treated Sandi like she was their only patient. They were kind and informative. You never would have known that they were forgoing time with their families to spend Thanksgiving with us.
On Friday, her surgeon and his robot friend removed her gallbladder. (Laparoscopy is incredible.) When I thanked him for taking care of my sister, he acted like it was no big deal. It was a big deal to us, though. We were relieved, grateful.
On Saturday, her surgeon said she could go home. Yay! We thanked him and everyone who took care of her for their expertise and their kindness. What a great team!
Now as we reflect on Thanksgiving and look forward to Christmas, may we remember to be thankful even if our holidays don’t go as we planned.
*Photo by Deborah Hudson, Pixabay
Thanks for being a part of this journey!
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Joy M. Walker
December 4, 2025 @ 6:52 pm
Thankful that Sandy got such good care in the hospital. In December 2020 I had emergency major surgery and was in the hospital for almost 2 weeks. Yes it was over Christmas. The nurses were so caring and because no family could visit it was in the middle of Covid they were extra caring. When I was in ICU after surgery, they were just so kind, after a few days, I got to go back into a regular room and there too so kind. I remember one night a nurse came in in the middle of the night and just sat and chatted with me. I’ve heard so many horror stories, but I’ve always had wonderful care in all the hospitals I’ve been in. Praise the Lord that Sandi is healing at home
December 4, 2025 @ 8:22 pm
Oh, Mary Anne! Two weeks by yourself at Christmas??? That had to be awful emotionally as well as physically. You must have really been sick. So glad you had a good experience. This was Sandi’s first overnighter. It will be a tough act to follow if she ever has to spend a night again.
PTL is right. So many things could have gone wrong or made her situation worse. She is doing remarkably well.
December 4, 2025 @ 8:21 pm
So glad Sandi is on the mend!! Happy Thanksgiving to all of you❤️
December 7, 2025 @ 11:27 pm
Thanks, Nancy.
December 5, 2025 @ 8:32 am
I loved your line that the speech therapist was speechless. Made me laugh. I’m sure glad Sandi is alright. Definitely a thankful moment.
December 7, 2025 @ 11:30 pm
Thanks, Kathy. Yes. Absolutely thankful for good people and such a positive outcome. She came through the ordeal remarkably well.
December 11, 2025 @ 7:39 pm
The hospital during a holiday is never fun! I have been a hospitalist for over 25 years and have worked more holidays than I can count. I find people are usually at their best and go out of their way to make the experience less awful. I’ve always been grateful for all of my colleagues who work holidays without complaining.
Ann
December 15, 2025 @ 11:07 pm
Thanks, Ann, for your part in making it as pleasant as could be for holiday patients and their families. I have to say the folks at the hospital in Chattanooga were outstanding. It wasn’t as bad as I had thought.