but i did today

Almost 7 years ago, I lost a friend.

Sueann and her husband Kevin were youth pastors in a city about 3 hours away from us. Because Niel had family there at the time, we visited the Clarks fairly often. They were newlyweds; married less than a year. They were so sweet together. Sueann was quiet and reserved, gentle-spirited and genuine.

She started having some strange pains and shortness of breath, and they discovered she had a hernia. She was scheduled for an in-and-out procedure at the hospital to take care of it. Living in a city, their hospital is much better than ours. In fact, it was considered one of the foremost medical care facilities in the country. No need to worry...

Kevin was idling away the time in the waiting room. There was a frenzy of activity; nurses frantically ran by. And back again. Then doctors ran by. There was panicked shouting and confused chaos. They were looking for the defibrillator. Kevin wondered what was going on.

Minutes later, a doctor approached. "I'm sorry, sir, but there were complications. We lost your wife." Somehow, during the procedure, they pierced Sueann's aorta. They were unable to fix it. They weren't even able to find the defibrillator. She died on the table. During a simple out-patient procedure.

I haven't thought about Sueann in a long time. But I did today.