Faith, Hope, Belief & Love

Thursday, 12/10/09, Meg, Uncle GG & I left the house at 9:30am for Meg’s weekly appointment at Children’s Hospital in DC.  It was a bright sunny day, but cold.  Meg was feeling much better than she had felt the night before.  She said that she wanted to sit in the front passenger seat.  This was a really good sign.  It felt like it was going to be a good day.

The doctor’s office was busy, so we had to wait a while.  Meg has a Dr. P and a Dr. R at Children’s Hospital.  Dr. P came into the exam room and he was surprised at how well Meg looked.  The last time, that he had seen her, was just before she was admitted to the hospital, on 12/3/09.  Meg was tired, but she smiled and conversed. 

Dr. P performed a routine neuro-check on Meg, was satisfied with his results, and went off to visit more patients.  It seems that he always tries to visit all of his patients…even though we also see his Associate, Dr. R.  Both doctors are very attentive and Meg’s Nurse, Debbie, has been great, too. 

Our experience at the Children’s Hospital in DC has been very different than our experience at Johns Hopkins.  The processes are different.  At JH, it’s difficult to reach your child’s actual doctor and just setting up Meg’s MRI’s took a lot longer at JH.  The care at Children’s seems so much more personalized.

We wanted to go to Ben’s Chili Bowl in DC for lunch, after Meg’s appointment.  A man at the hospital told us that Ben’s Chili Bowl is very well known and many politicians have eaten there. Unfortunately, Meg’s doctor’s appointment took longer than we expected.  She was starving afterwards and said that she didn’t feel too great, so she wanted to just eat at the hospital cafeteria.  I guess we’ll have to hit Ben’s after another visit….

We finally got home on Thursday sometime around 5pm.  We were beat.  It doesn’t really seem like much to do, but driving to DC, hanging at the hospital for 3 or 4 hours and driving home again makes for a rather long day.  We were happy to be home.  There were 2 care packages on our front porch…a container of chocolate chip cookies from Karen B., our neighbor, with a sweet card, and a Hannukah gift bag, addressed to our family from the Faid family.  Inside the Hannukah bag was a treasure…a candle holder, with meaningful sayings on each side…sayings about Faith, Hope, Belief & Love.  It was such a delicate and special gift… and so appropriate.  These are the things by which we live each of our days….

….it was a good day.

Friday, 12/11/09, Meg got up early, took meds, ate breakfast and snoozed on and off for a while.  I cleaned out the vanity in our 3rd bedroom, so that Jer can take it off of the wall, in preparation for painting.  We’re getting  closer….

Meg worked on Jer’s fuzzy bear blanket.  She picked special fabric for him, with pictures of bears, that reminded her of him.  She was planning on presenting it to him later in the evening.  It was his priceless birthday gift from her.

Meg, Uncle GG, Aunt Retta, Anna & I decided that we wanted to go to Pizza Hut for dinner.  Jer came home dusty from work and didn’t want to go out to eat, because he wanted to shower.  We promised to bring home some goodies for him….and off we went.  We had a lively conversation during dinner…the pizza & salads were delicious…and we headed home.

The first night of Hannukah awaited us…and so did an ice-cream cake….the one that we were supposed to give to Jer on his birthday, 12/3/09, but were never able to, because Meg was admitted to the hospital that day. 

MA and family, Steve & Shari, Barb & Deanna and Uncle GG and Aunt Retta came over to “hum” Jer Happy Birthday.  Yes…hum.  It’s a new thing.  Instead of everyone singing off tune together, we all hum the birthday song and when we get to the part where you are supposed to say the person’s name…you do so…and then continue humming the rest of the melody.  I know it sounds a bit strange, but it was funny and made us all smile…especially Jerry.

The cake was from Hoffman’s in Westminster and was delicious, as usual.  It’s the chocolate crunchies that make their cakes so yummy…I’m sure you would all agree.

Anna spent the night on Friday.  Meg didn’t feel so great while everyone was over.  After everyone left, Anna & I lay in Meg’s room with her.  She desperately wanted to just fall asleep, but her tummy wasn’t so good.  I went to bed and Anna & Meg continued to chat.  Everyone eventually drifted off to sleep.

Sunday, 12/13/09, was a very rainy day.  I think I saw some dogs & cats falling from the sky.  The rain continued for hours.  Jer made Megan waffles – FIVE!! (at least that’s what he said).  They are huge!  I don’t know where she puts all of that food.  Anyway…she was doing really well, when  I came home after 4pm. 

My long lost cousin, Debbie, and her son, Matt, came over to visit.  It is funny how it’s such a small world.  Meg met Matt at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation a while back.  They became friends and then discovered that they were cousins.  Deb and I caught up on some of our family history on my Dad’s side, while Jer made baked chicken for dinner.  Matt & Megan talked art and photography.  Matt is an amazing artist.  His passion is sketching…and he does so with such precise detail.

Upon arriving at our home, Matt presented Meg with a large box, wrapped in Hannukah paper.  Inside was a sketch that he had done of Meg. He had used a picture from Facebook as a reference point.  The picture was fantastic and such a heartfelt gift. It brought tears to my eyes.  These are the moments….

When Deb & Matt left to go home, we pigged out on Jer’s dinner.  It was yummy.   We were all tired.  Off to sleep we went…with happy stomachs.

That brings us to today, Monday, 12/14/09.  The sun was shining in the morning and the air was not too cold…but the clouds came back later in the day, so it started to feel chilly, again.  Meg didn’t feel so great today.  Her knees hurt real bad….probably side effects from medication….and her teeth and head hurt.  I nursed her through the day as best I could.

We had several visitors.  My old friend, Karen D., came by with her two boys.  She brought some holiday magic with her .  We chatted for a little while.  Her boys were a delight.  They liked the dogs, Roxy & Daisy Mae.

After Karen left, I made Meg a lemon slushy.  She likes the way the ice feels on her mouth…and the lemon is good for her.  Lemon helps her tummy, especially she has nausea.

I washed bed linens and reorganized the frightful mess in my hall closet…which would NOT close after Jer went looking for the heating pad for Meg.  Cousin Amy W. and her daughter, Kara, brought Meg & I lunch from Panera AND homemade sugar cookies that Uncle Keith made.  Meg dragged her tushy out of bed and joined everyone at the kitchen table.  After our lunch feast, Meg hit the couch and snoozed hard.  We managed to leave 2 sugar cookies for Jer…..which he would quickly gobble up as soon as he arrived home from work.

Aunt Cindy came over for a visit with me, while Meg was snoozing.  We chatted for a bit and then she headed home.  Meg awoke to quite a bit of discomfort in her joints, so I filled a hot (she said TOO hot) bath for her.  After her bath, she put on comfy pj’s and climbed into my bed – under Jer’s new warm fuzzy blanket – and tried to feel better.  I even gave her the heating pad, but her knee was really giving her a fit.

When Jer came home, he gave her a big bear hug.  I left for the grocery store and Jer took care of Meg.  He said that she ate like a piggy!  They had leftover baked chicken & stuffing and some freshly steamed broccoli and cauliflower.  Wella!!!  She was feeling much better.  Dad does it every time…he always makes Meg feel better.

I left for the grocery store at 6:15 and didn’t get home and finish putting most of the groceries away until almost midnight.  It was a long shop…it’s tough to get to the store these days.  Thanks to all who have helped with that issue — especially Aunt Retta, Caroline, our next door neighbor, and one of my best friend’s, Marina, Anna Banana’s Mom. (Anna is one of Meg’s best friends.)

My house is silent now.  It’s almost 3am.  Meg is sleeping comfortably and Jer and Daisy Mae are snoring together – both cuddled in his new, soft blanket.  I can hear my pillow calling me….

Happy Hannukah to all!  Thanks for all of the holiday cards and caring notes that you have been sending.  I always look forward to the mail delivery…

Hugs,

Joanne

aka Megan’s Mom