Serendipity in Houston

As many of you may already know, my father had major surgery last Tuesday to repair an aneurysm of his descending aorta. I'm both delighted and grateful to report the surgery was a success and his road to recovery will soon lead us back to his home in San Antonio.

Although the circumstances have prevented me from posting this past week, that doesn't mean I haven't been looking and capturing images. What follows are photos I took as usual, but which I've posted from my computer rather than directly from my cell phone.

Unfortunately this is only a brief glance into the events of the past week. So many more images and thoughts come to mind... the families of other patients who filled the waiting room - as anxious and hopeful as I was - all of us sharing our stories and updating each other on our loved ones' progress... the doctors and nurses and all the staff and volunteers who have all shown such amazing kindness and patience in explaining what was going on, what could be expected, and in listening to - and answering - concerns and questions... the staff of the hotel who are also obviously used to having patients and loved ones staying there and so are equally helpful and generous with their time and support and encouragement... and finally the guests of the hotel that I've met - both the sick and the recovering and their loved ones - sharing our histories and results and comic laments in vans and at the poolside, over coffee and in elevators, the sincerity of our well wishes and sympathy no less deeply felt for our paths crossing so briefly.

There are times and places where each meeting leaves an impression that is a little deeper than normal. Although the stories, names and faces may fade from memory, the experience shared - even for a moment - shifts our perception and reshapes us in ways we may never fully understand.