My father-in-law has been very ill - has a bad heart valve. I am really close to my in-laws as they have pretty much adopted me as their daughter. I lost my dad a few years ago and my father-in-law is like my father to me. My brothers are JW's and don't talk to me - and my mother (also a JW) has only limited contact with me - so my husband's family is all I have.
He went in for open heart surgery this morning to have a heart valve replaced - this was supposedly the first of two and possibly three open heart surgeries he would have to have. Not only has he made it so far with flying colors - but the surgeon said they were able to repair EVERYTHING in this one surgery and he won't have to have any more. He was off the ventilator within 2 hours. He had a four hour surgery staring at 7:30am this morning and was up, sitting in a chair, and talking to us at 3:00pm today. I am SOO SOO SOOO GREATFUL!.
They will keep him for a few days as he's not out of the danger zone yet - but the Dr. says he's bouncing back so fast that they probably won't even keep him the normal 7 days - he may get to come home in 4.
After loosing my own father to a heart attack, then my brother to a murder both in the last few years - this is just such a great relief. It looks like I will have my adopted dad/father-in-law around for a long time to come.
Just had to share my great news - we are all so relieved here tonight!
I am so happy for you and your in-laws. They're a true blessing, a calm for your storm. It is such a waste of emotional human energy to concern oneself with the horrid practices of shunning.
Thank you all for your kind words. I found it somewhat comforting - in a way only you all would understand - to know that there would be no JW's around this time.
When my father was in for open heart surgery he was an elder and I was DF'd - although my father never shunned me and I took care of him and my mother. So I was there at the hospital for the whole week, surrounded by JW's, some of who would be courteous enough to say hello - but most of whom would leave the room with my mom so they could comfort her without being in the "presence of a wicked one" so to speak. I was so sad, so scared, and so isolated. It was a relief when my husband was there because at least I had someone around who was just there to be supportive and didn't give a $hit about what my beliefs were.
When my brother was murdered his congregation was much nicer, but they still made it a point to let me know that they were being supportive only because I was his sister and was there to take care of his things and arrange to have his body sent home (gee thanks ). Although - I have to say that his best friend (an elder) was truly a good christian - he never once treated me like an outsider and told me before I left that he thought I was a good person and respected me and that I could call on him any time.
This time around my husband's family and our friends were all together to support each other - it didn't matter who was christian, who was athiest, who believed what - we were just there for each other and for my father-in-law. Although it was very scary and a lot of tears have been shed over the past week - it was comforting to feel like I was one of the family and not an "outsider".
