farquad with a perm
i pulled into the driveway around quarter after six. suddenly i felt sapped of all strength. not enough to move my body out of the car anyway. so i sat for a while and enjoyed the late light of the day. since dad has been in hospital i go straight there after work. usually i eat with them there. mom has well stocked the fridge in the family lounge, maybe to the slight alarm of the nurses. but the soups and salads and chicken was running low and i had salad and chicken at home.
but felt too weak and tired to avail myself of it. but eventually i slugged myself into the house only to slug up on the bed for a while before i had strength enough to pull food from the fridge and stuff my maw. i made a big greek salad and a big freshy fresh salad on the weekend. i too have strips of chicken breast to put on a salad. and thus i did.
by 8 i was in bed, tired teeth brushed, prayers said, mask on. that's when mom called me. "you forgot i was coming home, didn't you?" she accused. i hadn't. but also i had. i knew she was coming to sleep at home tonight for the first time in over a week of hospital vigil but didn't remember that i should park accordingly. there's been a strange car in our driveway for a couple of days. it's where i usually park so i am parked where mom usually parks. "you are already in bed aren't you." said mom knowingly. i admitted i was. and so i sank into nothingness while mom got her wagon to cart her things into the house and the snow geese in the park honked their honks.
dad is alert enough to play dice again and hold a conversation. he told me all about 'our dog' who he saw a little girl playing with in the hospital. the hospital lounge has the best crushed ice and i munch cupfuls of it slouching in my yellow gown on mom's bed, mask hanging from the right ear, until my tongue is frozen and words are hard to articulate. mom sits in the chair beside the bed and is on hand to help with all things while also figuring out her pill schedule, sending out updates and texting funny gifs to people.
on sunday when i arrived mom was in the lounge and told me dad had tried to get out of bed confident in his ability to walk. hullaballoo ensued. when i went in to the room i asked dad how he was. "i've been better." he said. "i've been going through h-e-double-toothpicks." he added. then told me the same story from his perspective, the hardest part of which seemed to be that mom was on the nurse's side. luckily dad's cheerful nurse was a good peacemaker and brokered a deal. "i agreed to wait for the physiotherapist tomorrow" said dad. we played 2 games of dice and then a game of name that tune with the hymn book.
meanwhile i hired someone for a temporary position and she started yesterday. her name is esther.
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