Gah! Why do I struggle so much to write something positive these days? To write something – anything – of my own volition? I swear, if it wasn’t for these prompts, I might not write at all for weeks on end. Which is strange, really, because when I start, it’s natural. It just goes. Before I go off on a tangent, I want to say thank you. To all of you who help me keep going with my prompts. Because though they may originate here, if it wasn’t for all of you reading and participating in them, I’d have no motivation to keep it up some weeks. Thank you. 🙂
I’m not going to get this posted on Saturday, but I’m happy I at least started it with a minute or two to spare. I’ve spent the day working and occasionally tending to my son Chris’s needs. And talking to my mother on the phone about half a dozen times, allaying her fears that there really is nothing to worry about when she finds a note in her room that she wrote about something she was trying to remember to do three years ago. I swear sometimes it would be best to go through her room when she’s not there and empty it of every scrap of paper once a week. She’s always been a worrier. Now she finds something to worry about and with her dementia, she can discover it for the first time ten times in the space of an hour.
I actually tried not giving birth to an only child, as I am, so that only one child would be stuck looking after me as I age. As it turns out, my eldest will likely be stuck with both me and his two disabled brothers. Life just isn’t fair.
Gah! Why do I struggle so much to write something positive these days? (Yes, I copied that.)
So I was at the hospital with Alex the other day, and I was amazed at how many people I recognized from when he was there for the first eight months of his life. Not only that, there were so many of those people who recognized me. I must have made an impression. Or Alex did. He was admitted for a night after vomiting as he came out of anaesthesia and they were afraid that he may have aspirated. He spent the night with the nurses at the desk, apparently, hanging out and flirting. He didn’t want to leave the hospital when it was time to go. I remember one time he was in ICU after having a second surgery in the space of two days. He’d had sleep apnea and the first surgery wasn’t as successful as they’d hoped. Even after all that, he managed to wrap every nurse in the ICU around his little finger. I’ve never seen so many nurses drop what they were doing (in the bloody ICU!) to wave goodbye to him as they wheeled him on a stretcher out the door and back up to the ward where he would spend another few days recovering.
He gets it from his dad, I’m sure. I’m simply not that charming.
But soon we won’t have that particular hospital to go to anymore. It’s a children’s hospital, and Alex will turn seventeen in five weeks. I fear the adult hospital may not be as good.
Gah!
Check out the Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt at the following link and read all the other posts. And join in too, if you’d like. It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2017/09/15/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-sept-1617/
September 22, 2017 at 5:54 pm
I enjoyed the images of your son wrapping nurses around his finger. I’ve always loved my kids and would give my life for them. But in the hardest times, I thought I would enjoy them more if I was not the one responsible for them and worrying about them. Maybe our kids are stronger than we think. I have a feeling Alex is going to continue to draw good people to him. You are a good mom, Linda.
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September 23, 2017 at 10:19 am
Thank you, JoAnna. Yes, as much as I worry about him any time he has to stay in the hospital, sometimes I sleep better.
And yeah, he does tend to bring out the happy in people, which means those with the capacity to be happy are the ones most drawn to him. 🙂
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September 17, 2017 at 11:51 pm
Hope he won’t have to go a hospital. 🙂
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September 18, 2017 at 8:32 pm
He will. His heart condition will likely, eventually, require him to have open-heart surgery again.
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September 22, 2017 at 2:41 pm
I can understand how that is worrisome. There are good and kind Nurses and Doctors in adult hospitals too.
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September 17, 2017 at 3:49 pm
Reblogged this on HarsH ReaLiTy and commented:
Check out and join SoCS!
Note: Comments disabled here. Please visit their blog.
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September 17, 2017 at 3:48 pm
I’m glad to hear you are both home now.
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September 18, 2017 at 8:32 pm
Thanks, Cush. And thanks for the reblog too! 😀
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September 17, 2017 at 1:51 pm
Sometimes I struggle to write happy things, too.
I wanted a larger family because I always felt so alone as an only. I’m not saying there aren’t perks, but sometimes I really wanted a sibling, and always envied those who had them.
Now, as an adult, I can say that I have never wanted a sibling more. With the loss of my father, I hated that there was no one, not a soul, who understood my position as his child. I like knowing that my kids will have one another. There’s power in numbers and all that.
Maybe you won’t need the same kind of care your mother does. Maybe it’ll be a lot better than you imagine, for all of you. Even if it’s hard, there’s a lot of love ❤
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September 18, 2017 at 8:34 pm
There is a lot of love. 🙂
Thanks for understanding exactly what I went through as a child, my friend. ❤
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September 19, 2017 at 9:11 am
🙂
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September 17, 2017 at 12:42 pm
I have a lump in my throat just like Cage. For good reason. I agree that we are all connected through our emotions. Thanks really goes to you. You’ve creating a welcoming spot for all of us to come and share.
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September 18, 2017 at 8:37 pm
I’m so grateful for this community. I don’t know what I’d do without you all. 🙂 ❤
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September 17, 2017 at 12:39 pm
I see what you are saying. I feel like you but for different reasons. Life a bitch and then she bites you. All we can do is smile, keep our heads above water peddling and pray things get better!💜💜💜💜
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September 18, 2017 at 8:37 pm
Yep, that’s pretty much it, Willow! ❤
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September 17, 2017 at 10:26 am
I really enjoy the SoCS posts, Linda as I find the prompts often reveal so much more of the person, I like that.
I am sure that Alex will continue to charm the nurses: Some people have it, and some don’t!
Anyway, thanks for keeping on with the prompts and writing even when you don’t feel like it. I am loving your Second Seat on the Right stories too, please keep them coming!!! 💖💖
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September 18, 2017 at 8:39 pm
Thanks, Judy. 🙂
Yep, I’m blessed to have a son who’s “got it.” 😀 And I agree – stream of consciousness is very revealing sometimes. Usually in a good way! ❤
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September 17, 2017 at 7:27 am
I’m sure Alex will be able to charm the next wave of nurses. You are one busy lady. I think I’d understand if you missed a post. I’m so glad you find the time to keep the prompts coming.
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September 18, 2017 at 8:44 pm
Thanks, Dan. 🙂 Yeah, I suppose they aren’t all going to be jaded. I do see a difference when I have to take him to a regular hospital though. Maybe they’re just not as run off their feet at the children’s one.
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September 17, 2017 at 3:14 am
While I’m sorry about the stress you must endure when kids are ill, and with your mother–it sounds like you and the kids, especially, have great strong spirits, and personalities which attract lots of people.
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September 18, 2017 at 8:41 pm
We’re gifted … with something. 😛 Haha! Thank you. 😀
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September 18, 2017 at 11:39 pm
Most welcome 🙂
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September 17, 2017 at 2:43 am
Bless you Linda. xxx
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September 18, 2017 at 8:41 pm
Thank you, Ritu. ❤
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September 17, 2017 at 2:09 am
My best wishes to you and your family,
Thanks for sharing,
Nahla
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September 18, 2017 at 8:42 pm
Thank you, Nahla. The same to you and yours. 🙂
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September 17, 2017 at 12:58 am
There’s a choking lump in my chest, no one’s fault, but it’s there, and it needs to be there so I can share some of this pain. It won’t help, it never does, but to know people can share some emotional connection for the journey of our lives, however difficult or strange or hard or puzzling, is what I wish to show you.
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September 17, 2017 at 1:04 am
Thank you. ❤ I truly believe we're all connected, if in no other way than by our shared emotions. I have to say, I do prefer to laugh together. 🙂
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September 17, 2017 at 2:28 am
Yep, gotcha on that one. A laugh a day is much better than an apple or a tipple.
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September 18, 2017 at 8:41 pm
Indeed. 🙂
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