Hospital Daze

The hospital days were a bit of a blur.

Waking up to endless snowfalls and gorgeous winter scenes,

heading down to check in on Mom and Dad and driving home to rest, knowing Elsie would take the next shift.

Initially Mom was getting fully dressed, nylons and all, not appreciating the fact that she could be lounging in bed recuperating. 

She was wondering why we were not bringing her leather shoes in; she probably was trying to figure out how she could run away from the wretched place that was feeling like a prison to her.

She was not a happy camper.

There was some degree of confusion involved as she wasn't aware that the "virus coming up from the basement" was actually her own virus. 

She was also very concerned about Dad not catching the virus so she wanted Elsie to go and wrap her scarf around his head.

Meanwhile Dad was transferred to his own private room and was also in isolation as he had already succumbed to that alleged wretched "basement virus".

Mom managed to get a bit of exercise, even making it down for a visit with Dad so that she could see for herself that he was okay.

Tante Hilda was a faithful visitor and she obediently put on all the required garb to be able to safely spend time with her beloved sister. 

It always cracked me up to see Tante Hilda wearing her knitted hat in the pictures Elsie would forward to me.

In our family, being fully bundled and warm is the key to staying healthy.

Tante Hilda wasn't risking anything and we are SO VERY GRATEFUL that she didn't succumb to the dreaded influenza.

Elsie was also cooperative when it came to the required hospital garb.

Me... not so much.

I asked the nurses if it would be possible to get Mom and Dad into the same room since they were both infectious and it might calm Mom down to be with Dad. 

Mom referred to it as their "bridal suite".

Nice to see her sense of humour returning and much easier to visit them both in the same place.

We were trying to make sure they were ingesting a few vitamins and probiotics in between the many rounds of antibiotics and other medications.

Normally I would come home and throw myself onto my bed for a long rest before heading to the hospital again, but on Friday night I was invited out for supper and I took the opportunity to share a good meal and some fellowship with the Gagnon's and Zeitner's.

I was in charge of the dessert so an ice-cream cake was an easy and delicious treat.

Sue had made us the most delicious chicken and dumpling stew and it was so lovely just to sit down to a home-cooked meal with good friends. 

Barb had just had a very difficult and heart wrenching time saying a final fare-well to her own father and we all just needed to be together to process and love on each other. 

It's a blessing beyond measure to have good friends to journey with.

Through sickness and health... and everything in between.