Well folks, Mrs. Flipper and I were gone for a few days up to my 80 year old witness mom's lower back surgery. She pulled through it o.k. but it took her about 60 to 72 hours to get out from under the anasthesia. The doctors said because she takes about 14 different prescription medications, the drugs they gave her to put her under were probably interacting with her prescription drugs, not allowing her to wake up like a person should in a timely fashion. So after we got back home, this morning I called the nurse and she said my mom is nodding her head finally and saying yes or no to things. So hopefully later today she will say some more words. But it was scary for us as a family because my mom had a history of tia's which are mini-strokes, so the doctors were watching her like hawks, and did cat scans on her brain after the operation. Fortunately she did not have any mini-strokes. So what a relief! So far so good! Looks like she'll make it.
The other part of my title "Witness Relatives Involved" was a legitimate concern as some of you know because even though my witness dad and mom have been supportive and loving to Mrs. Flipper and me, my older brother, an ex-bethel elder had not in the past year. So him and his wife were there at the operation and Mrs. Flipper and I were wondering how he and dubby wife would act towards us at the hospital. Well, surprise of surprise! when we got to the waiting room, my older brother and wife got up out of their chairs and hugged us ! They had never met Mrs. Flipper since we were married a year ago, and they were so nice jumping up to hug both of us, I barely had time to introduce my wife, like hug, hug, oh! by the way this is Mrs. Flipper my wife! That fast! Mrs. Flipper and I just rolled with it, and were cordial back and through the whole few days, both of us me and my wife and my brother and his wife sat keeping vigil at my mom's bed with my 82 year old dad. My brother, his wife and my dad and sister were friendly, cordial, would crack jokes through the 3 days and acted like normal humans with no witness prejudices. This was so strange to me to see my brother, a self righteous elder a year ago who would not even come to my wife and my wedding, and previously had stated," Until you return to Jehovah, you are not welcome in our home!" now, suddenly act like he was our greatest ally and friend, with absolutely no mention of the witnesses, past grievances, their view of us or anything ! Kind of freaked me out how they seemed genuinely caring, but a year ago they could care less! Psycho or what!?
So, the million dollar question to all my friends on the board here, ( and I do respect all of you and your opinions), I'm trying to analyze this and was this weekend just an abberation? I mean were my brother and his wife just being nice and humane because of the seriousness of the family medical crisis? Or was it genuine? Do you think they were being cordial and nice to impress my " worldly " wife, and try to give a " good" witness so she would have a more favorable view of the witnesses ? And then drop the act and be more themselves in their shunning witness mode once mom is better, and everything gets back to " normal" ? I would really appreciate any insight you folks have, if anybody has gone through this with witness relatives in a crisis. Please feel free to share, need your help to analyze and dissect this. I guess I can't understand this behavior because, I don't put on different faces for people. With me , what you see is what you get. I'm generally the same person, no matter who I deal with, I can adapt to anybody but won't be a facadish or fake person. So what do you all think? Give me your best assessments of the situation, I value all your takes and friendships on this board. All of you are great and valuable! Peace out to all, Mr. Flipper