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Friday, September 17, 2010

Dorie Here-My Amazing day With Gwyn

    I want to share my day with Gwyn on Wednesday. It amazing!  First thing:  As long as I've know Gwyn, one of her desires is to have personal, real, heartfelt connections with people. During this entire day. and I expect her entire stay, she was making personal connections with each of the staff as they were interacting with her. She would ask their name, questions about their life, and just get to know them. Whenever she would introduce them to me, she would say their name and share interesting information about them, helping us to connect in a real way.  It helped me to see them not as a title or function, but as a real person having a life.  It seemed to make it more comfortable- easier to relax for them as well as for Gwyn and I- and for them to do what was needed better. I know when I see them again, I will remember their name and feel comfortable with them.
    This whole day was filled with medical proceedures - some minor, some major, with periods of waiting in between. One proceedure was an angiogram. The doctor examined the results and reported to Gwyn. He was amazed at how high the pressure was in her heart and could see why she had such shortness of breath. He also found no need to do a bypass because all her arteries were fine.  He said she just needed the aortic valve replacement.
      Later in the day an IV line needed to be inserted and blood drawn. The nurse came in with a student nurse who would do this proceedure.  When the student nurse showed sign of having nervous problem, Gwyn began to coach her a bit, instructing her to take a deep breath, allow herself to relax and to trust herself.  She did it.  Right as the blood was being drawn, the nurse said they may have to do it again to get all the blood needed. I asked "how much do you need" and began quietly sending Reiki to get just the right amount. At that same moment Gwyn said quietly, aside, to me to "send Reiki." And suddenly there was just the amount of blood needed.  The nurse and student nurse knew 'something' had happened, but didn't really know what to do with this. They really couldn't acknowledge what had just happened, so they both just ignored it and went unconsciousness about it.
     I've found that it takes around ten exposures (depending on the person) when experiencing or learning something 'new' like that to be able to learn or 'own' it as real. Perhaps this exposure will help them another time to be able to  be aware that something else is going on around them.
     I found that I was definitely able to exercise my 'Reiki muscles' pretty much the whole day. I know it smoothed the way, and made some  very disagreable experiences easier for Gwyn.
     Yesterday Marcia and I went in early to help Gwyn prepare for the surgery. An anesthesiologidst tech came in to put in an arterial line (Gwyn has lines all over!) . He said that it could take 1 1/2 to 2 hours to place, because it was a hard one.  There was a student nurse present, and a tech who was going into nursing, who both wanted to watch, so the nurse walked us all through the process, patiently sharing his past experience.  I did Reiki again, quietly, and wasn't surprised when it was all done in about 3 minutes! Pretty amazing. 
     Gwyn was picked up at 11:55am and taken down to surgery. Marcia  and I went to the waiting area and within a few minutes we could feel Reiki was being drawn strongly, before it finally settle (about 20 minutes).  Marcia left shortly afterward to take of Lacey and to do a batch of canning (Gwyn left us a Loooong list of things she wanted us to do if we could). I stayed in the waiting room for a while and then went and got myself some lunch. 
      Back in the waiting room a call came in for 'a member of Gwyn's Family', so I took it. As an update, the caller said that Gwyn's heart was now stopped.  I suddenly felt my own heart stop,!  I thought,  'this wasn't supposed to happen!'.  But as I continued to listen I realized that this was a good thing, and they were letting me know that she was on a heart and lung machine now, and that it was keeping her going so they could work on her heart. As I hung up I could hear Gwyn say  "Breathe Dorie, Breathe".  As I sat down I took several slow deep breaths while Reikiing my own heart. I don't think it took years off of my life, but for a moment it felt like it. WHEW!
Later a call came through saying she was off of the machine, fuctioning fine but that it would be another cou;le of hours before they would be through.
     While I was waiting I was in the presence of family members of other patients who were having a much harder time than Gwyn. One patient had gone into surgery at 7:30am (4 before Gwyn) and the family was told it would be yet another 3 hours.  Another patient  (a young 20's female) had been in the women's center for a simple biopsy of a mass in her chest. During her proceedure the pericardium and her pulmonary artery both had been nicked accidentally. She was rushed into emergency surgery. Since they were having to open her up anyway they chose to also remove the mass on her chest.  The situation was being called "'A biopsy gone wrong".  I wonder how many times we look at situations happening and label them as 'bad', or 'this shouldn't be happening' when maybe there is a higher good being served.  I don't know, but maybe there is no need to resist or be upset about it, really. I sent Reiki to both situations and all the people involved.  I'm sure it helped.
      Even though this whole this intense and certaimly no fun for Gwyn, I am very grateful that Gwyn gets to have her heart repaired.  I know it will give her a new lease on life. She has a work to do.and she is needed.
      I am grateful that I can have this life walk with Gwyn. I am grateful for the awareness of the Higher Source in my life. I know He tenderly has each of us in the holding of His hands.
Out of surgery, Gwyn was moved to the ICU.  She was hooked to the wall behind her with many, many tubes.  She couldn't speak, so she just squeezed hands with both Marcia and I.  Her son Kevin came and visited her for a few minutes, before she got too tired.
          Thanks for your prayers, Reiki and support. We couldn't do without it!

                             Dorie

     

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