My children were determined to get their parents back into their home for Christmas. Their effort was Herculean, all-hands-on-deck, cleaning, moving boxes, transporting furniture from storage, more boxes from the place where we had been staying, and finally, late in the day, Ed’s chair and Ed back into our house. December 22.
We had scheduled gift giving for the 24th, since our paramedic son-in-law was working on Christmas day, so with two days to go, I finished my shopping and bought the groceries for Christmas dinner.
On Christmas Eve day the kids brought our fake tree and decorated it. Around 4, our son came and finished up a few chores he had left to accomplish. Our daughter brought glute-free food for Doug.
I made two lasagnas, Robyn and Renee brought a lovely salad, we had bottles of Prosecco, apple pie with vanilla ice cream and decided to open gifts while the food cooked.
One or two presents in, Ed, who had been fading noticeably, announced he needed to go to bed, so the “boys” helped him into the bedroom. We continued with the gifts, and then with dinner. Doug checked on Ed multiple times, finally announcing that if his father-in-law was his patient, he’d be taking him to the hospital. So, men in uniform came with a folding stretcher, and off they went. I was advised to stay home.
In time, I got the verdict: he had Covid and a touch of pneumonia.
I, in the meantime, thought I had caught a cold, so the next morning I used my last Covid test and found out that I, too, tested positive.
And that’s how we spent Christmas.
There’s more to the story, but I’m not ready to tell it yet.
Give me a minute.
Displaced Part 2
Pat Ponders Life 
Oh Pat. I’m sorry you are experiencing such health issues. How is Ed doing and you too? I’m pleased that you were in your home for Christmas however hectic and somewhat chaotic it seemed at the time.
Now it’s 2025 and we wish you recovery of health and energy to be present with your family. We wish you many blessings and are sending comforting thoughts and prayers to you and your family.
Please send a part 3 out so we will know what’s happening with you all.
I miss you so very much,
Nancy Griffin
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Oh, Nancy, how sweet you are to stay up with me. I have every reason to be grateful to be safe and warm and loved, especially in light of what’s going on in not only the US, but all over the world. I have to keep reminding myself that no body gets out of this thing called aging unscathed, ya know? I do grow impatient with my husband who has, for the most part, given up on keeping himself as fit as possible with regular exercise so he’ll remain strong enough to not expect me to be able to lift him when he falls, etc. I have finally gotten him to agree to a physical therapist coming to the house, so we’ll see. His trip to the hospital for a couple of nights was a bit of an eye-opener for me in that for two days and nights I had only myself to concern me, and I stopped rocking unconsciously and gritting my teeth–pretty much signs that I’m tense all the time as a full-time caregiver who is always answering questions that weren’t there when I was alone. That’s the best way I can put it even though I know what it makes me sound like. I probably won’t write that, but maybe some version of it that works. How about you? I know nothing about what’s going on in your life. I’ll be talking to Bobbi later today, so why not let me know? Her two boys are in California!
Much love.
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