I am currently sitting in a very cold hotel room in Las Vegas, NV with my family...I mean it's Vegas right!? Awesome, taking a little vacation...NOT!
I was at work on Monday afternoon when all of a sudden I got a call and text from my mom asking me to call her. My first instinct was that I was in some kind of trouble (which is the usual case) but when I called her back I knew something wasn't right. She sounded so scared on the phone and she started off by saying "I have to tell you something Justiene and you have to stay calm" I immediately knew something was wrong with a family member, and that family member happened to be my Grandpa.
It was such a blur from that point (right after she told me) I just remember wanting to break down crying in the corner of the office, I don't even recall being able to tell manager that I had to leave but somehow my coworker (more like an amazing friend) guided me to his office to tell him. I got to my car and just burst out crying but then a calm washed over me because I knew that I needed to call my roommate and ask her to pack a bag for me so that my aunt and uncle and I could pick it up on our way to Las Vegas where my family happened to be vacationing when my grandpa started having trouble breathing and was rushed to the hospital.
It was the longest drive to Las Vegas EVER! There wasn't any traffic but the freeway may as well been at a dead stop because 4 hours felt more like 12 hours.
When I arrived I could not get out of that car fast enough and up to the ICU to see my grandpa. When I got to see him though, I had never wanted to cry harder in my whole life. I could only stay in the room for a very short time because it was past visiting hours, but also because I could not take seeing him so weak and vulnerable. I'm used to seeing my rough and tumble Grandpa, a guy that doesn't mind getting dirt on his hands and a guy that will do anything for you.
Tomorrow will be a week that I have been in Vegas, and it's been a week since my Grandpa was rushed to the hospital. He will have the surgery tomorrow and I am just so grateful for the staff at the hospital and all of the support from family and friends. Everyone has truly been amazing!
Keep Praying!!!! We need all the prayers we can get!
Love,
Justiene
P.S. I will update on how the surgery went! 