Home again, home again, jiggity jig!

Today was a full day for us all.

It started out with me waking up from another night of sleeping with Dad in the hospital.  As the nights have added up, I have been sleeping more.   The elder 2 kids are having their exams so I have been scooting over home just after 6 AM to see them before they are of to their school bus.

 

Mum has been with Dad most of the days.  It is wonderful to see how they look after each other - over all these years - and in fresh beautiful ways.   Our times in the valley can be times of great shared joy too.

Normally when I come into Dad's hospital room when Mum is on watch, I find her holding a Bible in her hand, reading Dad a Psalm or a passage from Isaiah.

This morning Dr. Stephen said that Dad could go home.  When, we were not sure, but we knew it was coming when one of the staff came by with a patient satisfaction survey to fill out.

I told Mum and Dad to call when I should come by.

As noon I returend home since a number of patients had come to Jeevan Sahara to see Sheba.   It was good that I did.

Asha and Enoch came back from school - hot and sweaty from the noon-day bus-ride since they only take the exam of the day and return back.  I had amazing news for them - Neeru Aunty was coming!

We then got ready for lunch and were all in the kitchen.  I told Yohan to take the plates to lay the table - and he stretched out his hands to get them.  But Yohan was stretching them out in the another direction.  I tried to give him the plates again and he stretched out his hands in another place.  Enoch and Asha were getting a bit annoyed at the game.  Then we realised it wasn't a game.  He was shaking.  I picked him up and took him to his bed in the front room.  Yohan was having a focal seizure.

We have been giving Yohan anti-epileptic drugs each day along with his other meds.  We were wondering whether it was really necessary.  Today we found out it was.  

The seizure did not last very long - and Asha and Enoch were amazing during it - assisting me as I held his hand and head.  Praying, talking to Yohan and comforting him.

After a few minutes Yohan calmed down.  Then cried and called out to 'Mama.'  Then slept.

We had barely started eating, while Yohan rested, when my phone rang.  It was Dad saying that they were ready to be picked up! 

Mum had decked him out for the journey - for the first time in over 2 weeks without the hospital blue gown: 

 

And of course there were lots of good-byes.

One of the Bethany nurses has already put a photo of her and Dad on her FB account with the caption that he is one of her favourite patients.  

We are so very grateful for the loving care that Dad received from the whole Bethany Hospital team - from top to bottom and left to right - all were a blessing - and I think most went away from meeting Mum and Dad blessed as well.

Dr. Stephen jokingly asked his nurses this morning whether they would agree to let 'Uncle Ray go home today' "Nooo" they all replied with big smiles.

But leave Dad did.

I was ready with our Papaya and picked up Mum and Dad right from the casualty entrance to ferry them home.

And looking out our window as we left Bethany Hospital, Mum clicked one of the security folks mirroring the smile on all our faces:

And so we are home sweet home again.

The prayers of so many have borne fruit - and Dad is here tonight.

And we are also blessed to have Neeru with us too.  She arrived at just past 6 PM and will be here till Sunday to love and serve Dad.  We are so very blessed to have her expression of love - and for Stefan to release her while caring for the kids in Delhi.

In addition, we earlier had the joy of Dr. Prasanna Jebaraj - the retired head of Psychiatry from CMC Vellore paying us a visit at JSK this afternoon and meeting with some of our dear friends with long-term mental healing challenges.   She remembers Dad from her student days in CMC Vellore when he had come as a speaker and wanted to meet him - but Dad was taking a nap when she dropped in at home in the early evening.

Having Dad sit at the dining table with all of us for supper is such a joy.  His intake is still very modest, but just to have him sitting and talking is a wonder.  Dad says that he feels he has been given another life.  We know that God has spoken to him very deeply in these days and look forward to hearing about it in the coming days.

Our job now is to get Dad slowly back into fitness again.  His body systems are starting up again - and we would love to get him home to Mussoorie - but will need to wait at least a month or so for that.

In the mean time, we are enjoying each moment of today.  

It's been a full day - and as all eight of us will gather in a few minutes for our evening devotions, we will be thanking God very specially for the miracle of having Dad back home - and helping us even in challenging situations.