Cold Rainy Days

The drive home from St. Joseph’s Hospital in Murphysboro to Marion last night was slow and difficult. By the time we left at the end of the day, it was high traffic time, and the cold all-day rain was falling harder. With some road construction adding to the visibility problems, I was very grateful when all were home safely. Gerald had brought the van over to drive Katherine home, but he ended up driving David’s car home and David brought Kate in the van. Katherine had been there all day for non-invasive same day surgery to try and break up a kidney stone.

It has been a busy week with Sam’s symphonic band concert on Monday night, which I knew Katherine would go to no matter what even though she had to be in Murphysboro early Tuesday. David has had a group from out-of-the country at the plant this week, so they came with him to cheer Sam on. Sam was one of the 7th graders who got to play with the symphonic band, and he wore his first tuxedo. The school issues them to the band members for the year, and students were so handsome. The girls wore matching black dresses, the director was in tails, and the concert was a lovely visual and listening success. We all headed to our homes to get as much sleep as possible before Tuesday’s early rising.

Despite general anesthesia, Katherine came out of the recovery room in what I thought was remarkable lucid and cheerful condition. But by the time we were ready to leave, she was in such pain that our leave taking was delayed by the strong pain pill she was given and she was out of it. So we found ourselves in the middle of those going home from work. Of course, Kate lives with pain with her severe multiple sclerosis, and the procedure of the sound waves just added to the misery she lives with.

I arrived back at their house just as Sam was dropped off by Josh’s family—the neighbors on the street behind their house. I had driven slowly and scared in that rain, but I still came a few minutes before Katherine and David because he had taken her by the Dairy Queen drive-in at her request. Except for hospital jello, she had not eaten since the night before.

As soon as Sam grabbed his basketball uniform for his church league practice, we were off for me to drop him at the junior high basketball game where the jazz band was to play at half time. Well, we were almost off that soon. In the hurry and excitement, somehow I dropped my cell phone and it flew under my car bouncing down the slanted parking area on the edge on the street and their lawn. I was on my hands and knees on the damp road and could not even see the phone. Sam quickly got the flashlight from the trunk and, on his hands and knees, found the phone clear over on his side of the car. Then we were off.

The plan was for David to pick him up from that gym and deliver him on to Sam’s church league team basketball practice. Fortunately, a friend brought him home after that. I’d come on back home to the farm, and Gerald and I had a bowl of the chili I had made on Monday.

Both of Katherine’s aides were sick again today, but David positioned her in bed before he left for work and the pain pill put her back to sleep. She was to phone her daddy when she woke up, but when she had not phoned by noon, I got nervous and drove in from the farm anyhow. She greeted me groggily and went right back to sleep. Gerald was in town, but she never called him. When the substitute aide came later in the afternoon, I eventually decided it might be good to wake her and introduce her to the new worker. She elected to stay in bed, however, until David came home from work lest the transfer to her chair be too difficult. I picked Sam up from his trombone lesson and fixed a couple of plates for the microwave before coming back to the farm.

When I walked into the kitchen, Gerald was busy putting up a shelf to hold the new television there, which is where I do most of my watching. Since our area newspaper carries little national news, I like to watch the news while cooking or cleaning up the kitchen.

We turned off the new TV and visited awhile as we ate left-over roast and veggies for our supper, and then I enjoyed the new TV while he watched downstairs in his comfy chair which often puts him asleep. Tonight he ended up playing with his camera and a flash he had had for a long time and never messed with. I have been so pleased that Gerald became involved with a photography hobby in retirement since it is good for him to have something to do inside the house. He is outside working most days and has projects going in his shop, but now he has an inside activity in addition to television and reading. He has done photos for two articles of mine, and that is another bonus for me. Since he is generous with prints, I am not the only one who appreciates his hobby.