The Waiting Room

This morning, Santiago, Santi, and I sat in the waiting room of the Shands Spine Clinic. Too rushed to have had breakfast, but armed with two granola bars, we sat to hear Santi's name called. How often had we been here before? Too many times to count....Santi knows the "toy" corner by heart and didn't care to play today. Huge athletic men stride by....saying hello requires me to bend my neck all the way back. Those big guys (athletes from the University of Florida) always have a smile for Santi and pat his head as we leave the elevator.

Time to update our records for the new year...yes, all the information is still the same. "The doctor will call you soon." I brought my knitting and Santiago brought his Bible and study books. Santi sits and waits.

Finally....time for x-rays. The kind technician remembers us and says he's missed Santi....."What's up, my man?" The man who once built a brace for Santi strolls by and waves....what's up?

Weight and height check....taller and heavier! What a victory.....48 pounds!

We are led to another waiting room and arrange ourselves again. Santiago reads aloud to me while I knit. Finally, Dr. Woo comes in and he has good news. The bulge we were concerned about is nothing serious....just the body's defense against chafing from the hardware bending out of alignment on Santi's spine. The bulge is a pocket of fluid and is harmless. Whew! Sigh of relief from all. Traction may go on as before, which will now happen in February. Oh my! We thought it would be January.

On to yet another waiting room to update more records. The poor girl at her computer has not had breakfast. I leave a granola bar on her desk and she runs after us to thank us! We can love with granola bars......while we wait.

We are in the Lord's waiting room. We wait and He works. We stay busy and productive while God fulfills His plan. This waiting is preparing us for greater things and so we learn to embrace the waiting and rejoice in it. God doesn't have problems....He has plans.

"But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."
(Romans 8:25)

Prayer Requests:

• Santi needs to gain at least 10 pounds in the next three months. Ten extra pounds of fat would facilitate a better surgery outcome. We would like to avoid the placement of a feeding tube.
• Santi's spinal cord is stretched over curves that may cause a decrease in blood flow through the cord. Since his growth is slow just now, the blood flow is adequate to the stretching, but we need to watch Santi for any decrease in energy, activity or strength. Santi remains active and energetic which is a good indication of the strength of the spinal cord.
• Pray that our surgery date for traction would be set immediately.

Thank you so much for your continued prayer as we wait......
~Ana~