We Climbed before the Klimb 4 Kim...

We Climbed before the Klimb 4 Kim...
1997's Climb

Friday, July 1, 2011

5th Floor St. Joseph's

          I woke early today...and worked in Kimmy's garden...adding a bougevalia and a 'monkey bush' or yellow trumpet bush...
          As I showered (thank you Lord for these refreshing waters running over me....), I realized how dirty my feet were...how'd they get so dirty?? 
         Stairs.  I went back to St. Joseph's yesterday, slipping in a little used side door that I had found when Kim was being taken care of on the 5th floor - able to avoid the main entrance, where I had left her parked in her wheel chair one morning, while I went to park the car, coming back to find her praying with Monsignor Tom - beamining, revitalized...with hope.
         I prepared to run up the 5 flights of stairs, glanced down....damn.  Flip flops.  Two days in a row...what was I thinking?  I ran one flight in them before kicking them off and doing the final four bare foot.
       A little winded at the top, I opened the door and entered the 5th floor waiting room...and time stopped...I couldn't remember the day or immediately why I was there or what room I was going to as I glided down the hallway...remembering...
       I came across Jesse, one of the wonderful techs who was incredibly helpful to Kim and our family - always doing extra, without being asked - making the bambini laugh, bringing them ice cream and drinks...he embraced me, asked me how I was doing...and I asked 'how is she?'...'how is who?' perplexed...
       And I was back.  I explained that I was here to see Angie and that she had her knee replaced.  He told me she was doing great!  And walked me to her room.
       I noticed it was directly across the hallway from Kim's room...
      
      Angie is doing great.  She's one of those hardworking, optimistic, non-complaining types...and it was a relief to see her.  They had strapped her knee into this boot looking apparatus that auto excercised her knee.  As it came towards her body, she would grimace, ever so slightly....'OK?'...she would smile and nod.  Her daughter Kristie was there with her little ones, Trinity and Richie and they were wonderful to watch, making me realized that I missed the bambini.
       It was the first time in several weeks that I was without them and I missed them.  As I sat there visiting with Angie, I remembered the days visiting with Kim.  I would miss the kids so badly while I visited with her, losing all track of day, time, missing meals...until Angie or one of her daughters would walk in with a meal for me...
      So it was nice that Kristie's little ones were there today.  The bambini were being taken care of by our friends Monique and Joe, who kept them fed and had them swimming all day...

      It was nice to sit there visiting with Angie and Kristie, knowing that Angie was healthy and her doctors feeling that she was doing great.  And she may get to come home today. Thank God. I vowed that when I visited her, I would make sure to be wearing sneakers, to better run the stairs.  And by the end of my visit, I felt comfortable with the 5th floor.  At peace... Those wonderful nurses and techs comforting so many....
      
          Love,
                  Dave

    

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