Stickers and Wires and Old Folk

I had my appt today with the cardiologist in Apple Valley. Its no big deal (at least not to my knowledge), but just precautionary because during pregnancy my ticker does odd things. Anyway, we did the echocardiogram (ultrasound of heart) and the tech pointed out a slight bowing of the valve which might cause the palpitations I get. I won't know anything else until the doc takes a look at it. Then I was fitted for my holter monitor. Mattea came back in the room with me for this one so she wouldn't flip out. This kid can't leave my sight, I swear. The tech was putting the electrodes on me and Mattea started wimpering, obviously nervous that I was being hurt...or perhaps she didn't care about that at all and was just scared the same thing was going to be done to her. I told her "look! Mommy gets to wear stickers!" She just looked at me like "Do you think I'm stupid?" and then I realized stickers, to her, don't have wires coming out of them and they don't hook up to a box that goes in your pocket. I think I thoroughly confused her.

While in the waiting room in between the echo and the holter fitting, I saw through the small check-in window a man checking out behind the door to the hallway. He looked like he was stressed. I smiled at him a little and went back to helping Mattea make animal sounds. The next time I looked up he was holding his hand over his mouth and crying. I just wanted to go give him a hug. It made me realize that people are given grave diagnoses in that office. People really do walk out the door knowing they might've just been diagnosed with a life-ending condition, or that surgery is needed, or that nothing can be done. My heart broke for him. At the same time, I was filled with a reassurance that I am ok, that I am blessed, and that the trials I go through with my health are but tiny in comparison to what people like this man have to endure. I'm thankful, in a way, for the problems I've had thus far and that they've been tolerable, to an extent, and that I've been in the hands of some of the best doctors in the country in their field of specialty. This is definitely one of the reasons the Lord sent us here to this desolate and isolated area of California. To be close to these professionals who could not only care for me and my children, but my husband as well. I still look forward to leaving here, but it certainly makes it easier to bear with realizations like these.