On Wednesday, we had lots to do with Paw having his procedure done. The day started out with me being awaken at 06:30AM by Paw who was already dressed and ready to be driven to the hospital.
Since my purpose in this lifetime has been the designated driver of the family, all three of us then went to pick up Brat at his house. We then proceeded to buy four sandwiches from the local store and two lottery tickets.
The travel was fine and lasted only fifteen minutes as long as we stayed in the carpool lane on northbound Highway 101. We made the 08:00AM check in at the front registration and were given a map to navigate inside the building towards the Radiology department. The hospital is being renovated at the front and the walking time was longer as a result.
The waiting room was not packed and was grateful the air was not stuffy to breathe. I took turns with Maw and Brat to get up and walk around to the bathroom or outside. There was little to do. Maw and I decided to have brunch of minestrone soup at the cafeteria around 10:00AM.
We waited anxiously until 11:00AM when we gave our Paw quick good luck kisses and blessings. Mel, the eighty year old man, conversed with Maw and Brat about Naval life; making models and being normal. I meditated as usual with my eyes closed to relax myself and pray for the all to be well with everyone.
Brat was hungry and wanted burgers. So we left the building around 11:30AM in search of food. I didn’t want to leave Maw alone in the waiting room but Brat was the most worried of us three. We decided to keep the parking space; leave the car and walk to the nearest burger restaurant.
My purpose was to take a leisurely walk with Brat, enjoy the scenery; get the much needed exercise and work up an appetite before consuming my food. For whatever reason, my right knee started to hurt with a definite pinch somewhere on the outside joint.
I requested Brat we turn back but he smiled at me; encouraged me forward and claimed that: ‘It is all in my mind’. I thought to myself that I could overcome this pain and limped onward but slowly with small steps, each one being gingerly taken.
The tall trees providing the cool comfort of shade from the bright noontime sun, which was beating down on us through amazingly clear blue skies. The cool breeze also made the walk pleasant as I cooled down from overheating with this form of exercise – walking.
I have noticed lady bugs and pill bugs crossing our paths. I was careful not to step on anything moving and small beneath my feet. Each step was a blessing; each step increased the pain. I continued onward for thirty minutes until we reached the corner.
We then bought our meals; sat down in the stuffy restaurant and discussed him wanting to have a non-denominational marriage in Hawaii with only immediate family members. This sounded like a good plan and I am sure Twit would accept Brat’s proposal, if he only knew her ring size and when the good time would be to pop the question.
Brat and I exited the restaurant and, for whatever reason, he punched a wall (probably out of frustration) and had caused an open wound injury to his right middle knuckle. So we went to two stores; found his bandages and antibiotic; and greeted Talofa, or ‘Hello’ in Samoa, to the salesclerk named Tua.
Another thirty minutes was somewhat slower and I continued to limp behind the smiling Brat. He kept looking back at his fatter and older sister. And I tried to smile back at him in vain and complained once in a while. I noticed two ‘watchers’ along the way.
At 01:00PM, we arrived to find Maw no longer in the waiting room. We inquired and then navigated back to the main lobby to take the elevator to the fifth floor. I was weight down with sandwiches and drinks for Maw because I knew she needed something to eat.
Paw was on his back and apparently finished eating his meal with Maw attending nearby. I helped Paw drink almost every drop of the bottled water with much effort because the straw was bent out of shape. And I cleaned him up as bit before he drifted off to sleep from the sedatives.
Brat was looking tired and we were all relieved that Paw was doing fine. All three of us debated that we kids should take off for another two hours before Paw could be discharged. This was enough time for his wound to heal a bit from the surgery. So we both left at around 01:30PM.
I dropped off Brat and I did many things at home like cleaning up the house and taking a much needed shower to remove the stink of my walk. The pain in my knee was mysterious and all I could do was take over the counter medication to relieve the symptoms. Brat suggested this pain could be gout, arthritis or lack of exercise.
At 03:15PM and after receiving two of Maws calls a few minutes earlier, we both headed back to the hospital to pick up Paw. After driving 70mph, we arrived at 03:40PM to find both parents waiting at the very front of the hospital bench and sitting together like peas in a pod.
I limped back to the car and drove up to pick all three up at the loading zone. We went to the other doctor to pick up the prescription for Paw and then drove home on the carpool lane. The travel time took thirty minutes this time because of the rush hour.
As a good daughter, I did as much as I could without complaining much. As a good sister, I seem to sustain some injury while enjoying times with Brat. As a tired person, I had gone to bed early at 09:00PM and did not enter my blog for the day.
The day was worrisome but the results turned out good for all of us. Paw got another chance in life; while Maw and Brat were relieved. As for me, my lesson for the day was to improve my outlook in life by taking more leisurely walks to enjoy nature and the outdoors.
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Thursday May 18, 2006 – 09:15pm (PDT) Edit | Delete | Permanent Link | 0 Comments
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