August 9 – “Hospital hide and seek”

I spent the day in the car yesterday.  At least it seemed like it.  Tom, one of the men at Seaside had gall bladder surgery in Houston to start the day off.  When I asked him Sunday where the surgery would be, he said simply, "In Houston at Hermann."  Not being proficient in the updated scheme of Houston's hospital scene, didn't ask for further clarification.  So yesterday morning I left the house and headed for Methodist.  That's right.  I had very carefully looked up the location and best route Map Quest had to offer … to the wrong hospital.  Thankfully Chris called while I was on my way and asked why I was headed to Methodist when the note on my desk said the surgery was at Hermann.  Good call, Chris.  She slightly adjusted my route.  Actually she said it was just a few streets down from where I was headed anyway.   I'd never been to Hermann Hospital in Houston, so I very carefully watched for the proper turns and negotiated the new (to me) parking garage.  The bridge walks from the garage to the hospital were fairly easy, so I soon found myself facing a big map on the wall with a telephone next to it.  Choices, choices.  Do I try to find the outpatient area myself like a good male, or do I pick up the phone and ask?  Time was somewhat of the essence.  He was supposed to be there by 11:00 and it was … 11:00.  So much to my chagrin, I chose the phone.    I played the ignorance card when the operator came on the line.  That's never been a hard one for me.  I come by it so naturally.  I said I was looking for a patient and I had no idea where to go.  All I knew was that he was in Herman Hospital and was going to have gall bladder surgery.  She was very nice.  She took note of the name and typed it into her computer.  And very sweetly she told me, "Yes, sir.  That patient is in Hermann Hospital.  Memorial City Hermann Hospital."    Wait.  There's another Hermann Hospital?  Oh, no.  Why didn't I pay closer attention to those Lance Berkman commercials during Astros games?  Memorial City is out west of town.  And worse yet, off Interstate 10, the nastiest traffic corridor in the area.  There was no way I could get all the way out there before he went into surgery.    After a quick call to Chris for more directions I started on phase two of my trek.  It actually didn't take all that long to get there.  And when I turned onto Gessner I realized that I had indeed been there before.  I think it was for my cataract surgery.  I knew just where to park, and when I entered the hospital I was right in the surgery waiting room.  That didn't solve my immediate problem, though.  I asked about Tom at the desk, and they had no information to give unless I had the patient's hospital ID number.  I confessed that I didn't have it, but asked if she could direct me to wherever the waiting are for his surgery was.  I would just look for his wife.  She assured me I was in the right place, so I figured Cathy was back with him at the time.   It all worked out fine.  I grabbed a sandwich in the cafeteria, and when I came back Cathy was there.  We talked until the doctor came out and said everything went well.  So I prayed with her and headed on to my next appointment – another hospital visit – wondering what surprises awaited me there.   Proverbs 22:1 says, "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."   Father, thanks for the good report on Tom.  Help him heal quickly.  Amen.