Friday, February 1, 2013

8 days of chanukah is too short. 8 days of hospitalization is so long!

I'm home. 
The end of another infection.

The bright fluorescent lights,
the constant ambulance sirens,
the people on cell phones constantly ringing, day and night,
the nurses flipping on your room with lights when you are resting in the blessed absence of fluorescent lights.
The 4am antibiotic hook-up to the IV, the first of 4 per day.
the round-the-clock temp & blood pressure testing.

The doctors and nurses talking loudly right outside your door,
the morning exams, needing to show what is hurt, under your pajamas, to anyone who asks.

...and more.

There are also...
visits from friends,
healthy food made lovingly by a dear friend,
a warm, fluffy robe I received as a gift from a compassionate woman who I never met.
Cool podcasts, enjoying time with my 'smartphone' and all that it offers.
Reading (and finishing) a good book.
My children who made me pictures to hang on my walls of my little corner,
And all the chocolate I had stashed away in my little drawer. :)

The goodness of the good things helps the bad stuff not go so low on the scale.

The CT scan came out clear regarding the mesh, thank Gd. It did show something else, not related, that I have to follow up on. Hopefully no big deal.

I have to follow-up with my GP, my gynecologist, and the surgeon who put in my mesh over two years ago. It's good I have to do all that, because this month was going to be so boring without that.

The preparations for Ya'akov's BarMitzvah are way behind schedule. I had a bit of a melt down this morning. I'm sure it's not the last one before I get my strength back.

We have to:

Get a suit for Ya'akov, -or- tailor the one we already have, given by a friend, which is beautiful and almost fits him. He wants a new one, though. We may talk him out of that.

- invitations need to go out
-Get shoes (BarMitzvah as well as sneakers) for Ya'akov
- (hopefully at the same time, but probably not) get sneakers for Dov
- new shirt for Dov
-take Shifra's dress to the dress maker- the length is too short now- she grew since we bought it.
- arrange catering for Friday night
- arrange a kiddush for after Ya'akov's BarMitzvah on Shabbat
- organize things for the party the next night (many, many things still have to be organized)
- select menu
- decide, and order something to be personalized with Ya'akov's name on it for people to take home after the party
- help Ya'akov learn and be ready and confident
- choose music for the DJ to play- very important- i don't want to leave it to someone else's decision what sort of music we want there. Takes *time* for this, though. (any ideas how to go about looking at playlists?)
- not overdo things myself so that I will be able to enjoy it with my family when it all happens.

That last one is so hard. At this point, I am forced to take it easy; my body is still down from the whole hospitalization. That stresses me out. (stresses Robert out, too, of course, but at least I am home). As you all know, I am not good at moderation when I get energy. There is so much to do. The house needs a good cleaning (we may hire a cleaning company before out-of-town-and-country relatives come), and it so stresses me out.

I just gotta breathe and know that it will be beautiful. I know it will all be fine, but there still is so much to be done that it isn't really an option not to do/organize.

But at this moment, a few minutes before Shabbat, having been in bed most of the day, I am stressed out. And crying. (oh- did I tell you that Shifra reminded me today that we still haven't given her a birthday party? That was back in December. I cried when she told me that, too.)

No matter what, it is the family love that prevails. And thank Gd, we got that here.

Shabbat Shalom.

12 comments :

  1. Sarah, at the very least can a trusted friend take Shifra for her dress fitting and your son for his white shirt and perhaps sneakers and dress shoes? DEFINITELY have a cleaning service come and clean the house before the overseas guests arrive. Can you tell the catering company you can't travel right now, and can they please send over a bunch of samples (they'll want your business so may oblige). Knowing these things are done will give you peace of mind and the energy to do the things you must do yourself.
    Michele

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  2. A couple thoughts as I read this. Why not let family that is coming help clean? Nathaniel hasn't had his birthday party either and his birthday is in Sept.
    Sandra

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    Replies
    1. I think we are going to hire a few people from a cleaning company to clean before overseas family arrives. Or not... trusting strangers is a stressful thing in and of itself. I just need the place CLEAN.

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  3. so glad life is getting back to "normal"...crazy is normal no? have a wonderful Shabbat at home and rest! Even healthier people take a long time to recuperate from a hospital stay!

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  4. I'm happy to hear you're home from the hospital, and before Shabbat as well!

    Larry

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  5. Oh dear! May this all heal quickly and not return!!
    Jackie

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  6. oy, refuah shleima to azriel and to you - and check out that instant test on your comments, sound like a good plan - hugs
    Bracha

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  7. Grrr...not again! Hope you all heal quickly and it doesn't spread through the family!
    Deborah Solomons

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  8. Holy mozes! We need to get some quick strep tests so that you can do them yourselves at home. I wonder if in your situation Kuppat Holim would cover those expenses for you?
    Rivka

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  9. Incredible.Incredibly frusturating. Refuah Shlayma to you and Azi.
    Ken

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  10. hopefully he is now being taken care of. Are you still on antibiotics? Get well soon all of you.
    Tzippy

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  11. Definitely - the mantra is "been there, done that". I hope you get everyone free from the Strep quickly.
    Edna

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