Surgical Work-up Completed!

Well, it was a very interesting day. 

As I sit at home now, I'm feeling the fatigue of the emotion and the many hurdles that we overcame and I can say that we FELT in a TANGIBLE way the power of those praying for us.  We made it to the hospital by 8am and we waited for our friend who came to help translate for us.  This was actually a bit of an after-thought, having her come...wow, did I need her!  The medical intake questionnaire convinced me that I know NOTHING in the Chinese language!  :)

Our first experience of the day was to try to get to the 15th floor, the orthopedic ward, where we were to pick up our "papers."  We've been to this hospital many times now for therapy and the four elevators are legendary.  So, we readied ourselves being at the front of the line gang, positioning the wheelchair to assure that we would make the next trip up.  Just as 8:25 arrived, so did the elevator, and a MASSIVE press of people that FLOODED the hospital lobby...like a Justin Bieber concert!  (Or so I imagine, as I have no interest in JB, but I know that he's concerts are known for throngs of insane fans.)  The tide of souls began to press us up against the wall.  I was attempting to protect The Charmer as no one could see him in front of me, but I was literally bending forward, struggling to keep my balance and not  collapse on The Charmer's head!  I had to thrust my elbows backwards and resorted to chastising the horde at the top of my lungs!  As we crushed into the metal box to be hauled to the upper reaches of the building...I had another life form fused to my back!  Then, said life form began to chant prayers in a local dialect; loudly, almost aggressively.  It is quite hard to describe the experience, but suffice it to say that we're often around people of many religious persuasions...and have heard lots of chanting...but this really made me feel...invaded.  I think that is the most accurate word for the experience.  So, I likewise began to utter meditations...declaring who He is...

Some time later, we were waiting in a narrow hallway among fifty or sixty people for the x-ray techs to call The Charmer's name.  A high-school boy that we'd met last week while he was in the therapy room at the same time as our appointment, was also waiting for an x-ray.  He asked if I remembered him, and we chatted a bit.  Then he began to tell dozens of people within earshot about our family.  This family...adopted seven children...has twelve children total...they have lived here for six years...  I moved down the hallway, and sat next to a pair of Buddhist nuns.  They were next to a Muslim family, who was next to another few people from a minority group I didn't recognize.  It was quite a mixture of diversity!  Everyone was pleasant and smiling at The Charmer as we all awaited the call to be exposed to radiation!

Just before we were called in, an older woman came to us and asked us whom we believe in.   She said she thought it must be that we were Christians after hearing the high-school boy's oration about the make-up of our family.  When we told her it was true, her face lit up with such light...it was deeply encouraging to me personally...her face, and her eyes, hard again to describe the sense I had while in her presence...uplifted?

Before I fade...I'll post some photos of The Charmer on his first day of the medical part of his journey...

 Drawing blood - wow, did he get angry though the nurses were lovely and gave him a candy when they were done!

The waiting hall for x-rays...

Waiting in the "room of doctors"

Will try to give more updates here after surgery...access to internet will be entirely limited at the hospital...but I will do what I can to sneak away and get some time to post ...

We thank you for your prayers for these days ahead...

We are confident that we will see His goodness!