JOURNAL…REHABILITATION
The first thing I see as I walk in the door is the red light flashing from the
answering machine. I press it quickly to hear Daddy,s voice, gravelly with
excitement.“Connie this here’s Daddy!” (As if I wouldn’t know.) I got some
wonderful news, really wonderful. I need to tell you. Call me soon you can.
This here’s Daddy!” (He repeats it as if I could possibly mistake him for
anyone else.)
I rush to dial his hospital room. Daddy answers on the first ring.
“Daddy, I got your message. What on earth is your news?”
“How’d I sound on that machine?” Daddy can’t resist asking.
“You sounded great, Daddy. Now what’s your wonderful news?”
“Humph, reckon I sounded great ‘cause I am great! A great bearer of good
tidings. Reckon that’s me alright.”
“I know! I know, Daddy. But what is the news? Tell me.”
“Well, now I tell you what. This social worker woman come in to see me
‘bout goin’ upstairs here. She says they got this here place right upstairs
where I can go to, you know, “rebiltate”. You know, reckon to help me get
my strength back ‘n all.”
“Daddy, that sounds perfect. I’ll check into it and we’ll talk more about it as
soon as I get there, okay?”
Once I arrive, Daddy’s still riding high with the prospect of “rebiltatin’ hisself”.
His eyes are shiny as the words tumble out one on top of the other like the
puzzle pieces from the small box I’ve brought him to work on his lap tray.
Daddy’s thick, wrinkled fingers struggle to separate the pieces with about
the same amount of difficulty he has now with his words.
“Yeah, reckon I’ma gonna be “re built aided,” Daddy says each piece of the
unfamiliar word slowly, unknowingly forming new words as his fingers
struggle with the puzzle pieces.
“Daggone right. And I’m a gonna get back good as ever.”
Journal Tip: When caring for loved ones there are many ups and downs
along the way. The challenge for me was to learn to ride the roller coaster
of care giving in serious illness without becoming too devastated when
things did not work out as I hoped they would. Faith, family, and friends
always got me through when the roller coaster came crashing down.
Connie Meyer writes regularly for Today’s Woman. Her book, Starting From
Scratch, (published by Vintage Romance Publishing, LLC) is an anthology
of 14 Louisvillians’ true love stories that took place before 1969. She is also
a commentator for Louisville’s NPR station WFPL 89.3 FM. You can reach
Connie at conniemeyer@iamtodayswoman.com.
The first thing I see as I walk in the door is the red light flashing from the
answering machine. I press it quickly to hear Daddy,s voice, gravelly with
excitement.“Connie this here’s Daddy!” (As if I wouldn’t know.) I got some
wonderful news, really wonderful. I need to tell you. Call me soon you can.
This here’s Daddy!” (He repeats it as if I could possibly mistake him for
anyone else.)
I rush to dial his hospital room. Daddy answers on the first ring.
“Daddy, I got your message. What on earth is your news?”
“How’d I sound on that machine?” Daddy can’t resist asking.
“You sounded great, Daddy. Now what’s your wonderful news?”
“Humph, reckon I sounded great ‘cause I am great! A great bearer of good
tidings. Reckon that’s me alright.”
“I know! I know, Daddy. But what is the news? Tell me.”
“Well, now I tell you what. This social worker woman come in to see me
‘bout goin’ upstairs here. She says they got this here place right upstairs
where I can go to, you know, “rebiltate”. You know, reckon to help me get
my strength back ‘n all.”
“Daddy, that sounds perfect. I’ll check into it and we’ll talk more about it as
soon as I get there, okay?”
Once I arrive, Daddy’s still riding high with the prospect of “rebiltatin’ hisself”.
His eyes are shiny as the words tumble out one on top of the other like the
puzzle pieces from the small box I’ve brought him to work on his lap tray.
Daddy’s thick, wrinkled fingers struggle to separate the pieces with about
the same amount of difficulty he has now with his words.
“Yeah, reckon I’ma gonna be “re built aided,” Daddy says each piece of the
unfamiliar word slowly, unknowingly forming new words as his fingers
struggle with the puzzle pieces.
“Daggone right. And I’m a gonna get back good as ever.”
Journal Tip: When caring for loved ones there are many ups and downs
along the way. The challenge for me was to learn to ride the roller coaster
of care giving in serious illness without becoming too devastated when
things did not work out as I hoped they would. Faith, family, and friends
always got me through when the roller coaster came crashing down.
Connie Meyer writes regularly for Today’s Woman. Her book, Starting From
Scratch, (published by Vintage Romance Publishing, LLC) is an anthology
of 14 Louisvillians’ true love stories that took place before 1969. She is also
a commentator for Louisville’s NPR station WFPL 89.3 FM. You can reach
Connie at conniemeyer@iamtodayswoman.com.
