Worried about the MIL

My mother in law is a wonderful person.  It took me a few years to realize this.  While Paul and I were dating, I think she kind of resisted the idea that we would one day be married, but since the marriage she has done everything she can to make me feel loved and welcome (for the most part... lol).

In 1988, when I was 8 months pregnant with Kendra, my MIL had a double by-pass surgery, plus a replacement of her mitral valve.  We were stationed in Germany at the time and poor as church mice.  I couldn't travel because of the pregnancy and Paul spent lots of time on the phone with his dad, checking up on his mom during that time.

In 2004, shortly after we arrived back in Germany... Paul's mom had her first heart attack.  She rebounded very quickly, but again... we were kind of at a place where we couldn't go home. 

Spring of 2005, she was experiencing shortness of breath and the doctors were searching for answers.  I was so afraid it would be lung cancer (she smoked for many years until the first bypass in 1988).  Paul's dad also had some health problems that were going to be addressed through surgery that June.  So.... I grabbed the kids and went home for the summer while Paul was in Afghanistan.  I wanted the kids to have time with the grandparents just in case things did not turn out well. My dad died before Mac was born and the only one of my kids that have any real memories of him is Kendra.  When I homeschooled all the kids, we visited Phoenix a lot.. but since they went into public school.. it's been harder to plan visits.

So anyway.. thankfully, MIL had emphysema and not cancer and FIL's health issues turned out to be benign.  We had a good summer visiting.

Now she is sick again.  She had surgery two Fridays ago for another bypass, and a replacement/repair of her mitral valve (presumably the one they worked on in 1988).  Her inital recovery seemed to go fine and there was hope that she'd be home last week Thursday.  I've just gotten word from my FIL that she is only now coming out of ICU and it may be a week before she's allowed to come home or at the very least be sent to a "rehab" center for furtherrecovery.  This makes me nervous. 

I tend to think the worst in situations like this (hence my re-arranging my summer to be home last year), so I'm worried.  Paul tries to be over optimistic and he thinks about the wrong things.. I offered to make arrangements for us to go home for Christmas this year.  It wasn't in our plans, but I'm seriously concerned.  He won't commit to going because he wanted to use his Xmas break to help finish putting the house together. 

I will say, that he is going to be in Phoenix for two weeks in January as part of the pre-course training.... so I can understand his desire to wait... but I feel as though part of this comes from denial.  Although, maybe he's right.. maybe I am just worrying too much. I guess we'll see.  In the meantime, I'm keeping MIL in my prayers.