Miracles in unexpected places

Influenza, school canceled, and the surgery

November/December 2023

Bob came home on Wednesday and announced that his class was closed until Tuesday.

“Huh?? Closed?! No school?!” Til Tuesday? My brain was reeling.

“Yeah.”

It turned out, two out of the five students in his class had influenza so the school told the rest of the class to stay home and return on Tuesday! Well, if that was going to be the common response to students having the flu, I wondered how much school was going to get cancelled over winter??!!

And without thinking, me, the parent who is almost anti-homework for primary school students, blurted out, “Well, I hope you’ve got homework to do!”

“Nah. Not much anyway. Teacher said to take it easy and not study too hard. And my classmates told me to take it easy too,” came the casual reply.

My brain was reeling again. So unusual! A Japanese teacher telling their students to not “study hard”, but “take it easy”???!!! Miracles do happen!

By Thursday afternoon, Bob had a fever.

Credit: Canva. (Bob’s fever was a bit higher than 37!)

Shujin and I had booked a weekend away, the first time we’d be going away, just the two of us, since coming to Japan. We’d arranged for the kids and Okasan to stay with Okasan’s sister. But now we knew the inevitable had happened. We phoned and cancelled the plans. No weekend getaway for us 😭😭😭

On Friday, Shujin started the process of seeking a refund on our accommodation. We were grateful to hear that yes, they would give a voucher—but they needed to see a doctor’s certificate.

I felt so bad. Bob was soooo miserable, and here we were piling him into the car to take him to the doctor so we could have a doctor’s certificate. It wasn’t even to benefit him!

Bob didn’t feel like going out to see anyone! But we explained why and Shujin told him he probably wouldn’t even need to get out of the car, that the doctor comes to the car. So we ate lunch and drove down in hopes to be one of the first in line (you don’t make appointments, simply turn up) only to find out that the clinic was closed from 12noon-3pm!! (Are they French or something??!! Who has three hour lunch breaks??!!)

What a misery!! So we drove back home, Bob didn’t even leave the car, but stayed put and had a nap (remember, it’s autumn/winter, not summer, just for those concerned about leaving a child in a hot car!).

We went back in time for the 3pm opening and got the required doctor’s certificate. (No, the doctor didn’t come to the car! Disappointing!)

When Bob is sick, he wants company. When anyone in Shujin’s family is sick, they stay in bed, away from all company. When I was growing up, if we were sick, we would lie on a sofa in the living room, close to mum. This was possibly not just for close proximity—our house wasn’t a mansion—but also for the practical reason of being located where the floors were hard—easier to clean in case of spills!

So here we had, two completely opposite family cultures clashing in the battlefield. I felt the need to respect my mother in-law (it’s her house) but I also needed to provide good care for my son. Okasan wasn’t happy. She didn’t like sick Bob in the living room. Somehow he kept coming in, having the need for company and somebody to whinge to!

Sure enough, whether it was physiological or not, by late afternoon, Okasan felt like she was coming down with something. She hibernated to her room and pulled out one of her many “health treatments” and treated herself.

What relief! I wished she’d hid in there earlier! Now I had peace and didn’t have to put up with her dramatics every time Bob moved and (apparently) spread germs!

That night I did a hot and cold treatment on Bob’s chest. He didn’t like the changing temperatures, but thankfully endured it. He went to bed straight after and easily fell asleep. That is a miracle!

On Saturday morning, Bob was bouncing off the walls and back to his old self. He now had a little cough, but no fever. Appetite was back, he was not miserable anymore, but full of energy! The doctor had written on the certificate that he needed to stay home for a week, til Thursday! I didn’t see why he wouldn’t be well enough to return on Wednesday with the rest of his class, but Shujin had already informed the school...

So then I wondered, do I need to take him back to the doctor for him to tell us Bob is well, so then he could go to school sooner??!!

On Sunday, Missy woke up with a fever.

She slept nearly the whole day, and still slept all night! I also did hot/cold treatment on her in the morning and then also before she went to bed. The next morning her colour, energy and appetite all returned.

So by Monday morning, we had two children who had both gotten sick, but were swiftly recovering. Okasan who (thought?) she was getting sick but was well. And Shujin who was staying home because our house-built-for-two was now considered the “House of Influenza” and nobody at his work wanted him bringing the germs there!

We purposefully chose not to take Missy to the doctor, otherwise she'd have to stay home for a week! And she was already swiftly recovering. Shujin phoned the school to let them know how well Bob was recovering and because he was so energetic, could he return to school on Wednesday with the rest of his classmates?

No. The doctor’s certificate said he had to stay home for a week, so he couldn’t return to school until Thursday. Sigh. !!!!!

Missy recovered remarkably well, but we kept her home, just in case. But on Wednesday, Missy returned to school. Bob got an extra day at home!

Finally, on Thursday, I could send Bob off to school.

On Friday, Shujin and Masato both stayed home sick.

I was the last one standing. And perhaps Okasan too, I still wasn’t sure. The mums came away unscathed, at least for this round!

Meanwhile, Downunder in Australia…

The hospital had initially given us the impression it would just be a few days of waiting. After those days came and went, we could do nothing but pray and wait. Dad was sitting (well, kinda!) in hospital, waiting for the availability to have life-saving surgery before a heart-attack got him.

While mum was anxious and a little on-edge, dad was all smiles. He remained soooo positive, feeling so happy he got to hospital BEFORE having a heart attack. (A total miracle—he'd been suffering for a few weeks with shortness of breath and low blood pressure!!!) He continued to radiate his big smile and entertain his visitors that came to see him in hospital. He also continued to ditch the hospital gown and wear his own comfortable clothes so many people didn’t even realise he was a patient! He was looking so good in fact, that the Care Flight paramedic saw him and assumed he was dressed to go home!

“No, I’m waiting for you to take me to Sydney!”

It would be a few more days before they finally came to collect him. But the day did eventually arrive and dad flew down to Sydney a few days prior to his scheduled operation. Because of the delays, the operation now ended up being scheduled on his 70th birthday. Dad didn’t see it as bad timing, he saw it as exciting. He couldn’t have been happier. Getting a new heart—a new life—was the best birthday present ever!

The day came. We prayed over dad. Over the surgeon. Over the medical team. Over mum. We prayed for life, and then waited.

Finally, the text came from my sister, dad was out of theatre, surgery was successful and he was recovering well. Gratitude and relief filled me.

The next day, my sister sent me a text again.

“So, dad tells us he ended up having a quadruple bypass.”

I read the message and felt as though someone had just sucked all the air out of my lungs. I froze, taking in the reality and realising the severity of his situation. My chest tightened. My face started feeling tight. I went into the bathroom for privacy, in shock and disbelief. A quadruple bypass?? I didn’t even know that was a thing! (I know, I’m so naive! I’m hopeless with medical stuff!)

Dad ended up having a quadruple bypass?! I don’t know how he stayed alive! I mean, of course it was God. It was a total miracle, he should surely of had a heart attack, if not before reaching hospital, then even the last few weeks of waiting for surgery!

God directed my mind back to a week or so ago.

Gracious.

Yes, truly God was gracious.

---