Friday November 27 - Without The Dark, There Can Be No Light

Quinn wants a video game from Santa, “A video game like Nintendo DS only bigger and better!” Then he says contritely, “I know he can’t give me both so I’ll write video OR ipod.” Then he adds “Maybe I’ll just say that it doesn’t have to be both, that way he doesn’t have to give both but it could be both if Santa wants to give both.” Fairly strategic thinking. At the age of seven, he has discovered the art of making a loophole.
I sense a future in the politics.

Today was dentist day. It is long over due. We had an appointment when you were still quite ill, so I cancelled it and rebooked it for today. Good news is that we all belong to the cavity free club. Bad news – I have to floss more and Quinn might need some dental work. He has an extra baby tooth and an extra adult tooth, and they are all competing with each other of the same space. The result is a mal-occlusion. Quinn is not thrilled about a bite plate or appliance in his mouth. You are confident that Quinn will be all right. “He’s a good kid …a tough kid … a nice kid. He’ll be all right.”

Janice stops by the animal hospital on the way to the Dairy Queen to get a special order for you: a soft ice-cream sundae with Skor pieces and chocolate syrup. She asks about rehab and when is rehab going to happen. She had been with you this afternoon and witnessed the physio session. She was pleased with what she saw. “So, What’s the deal on rehab?”

This week, the rehab (NS Rehabilitation Center) informed us that a tele-medicine call will be made to discuss your case and assess you level of recovery. They will use the assessments that have been done so far and will likely re-evaluate you as well. If you get to the NSRC before Christmas we would be lucky. If you don’t get to the NSRC before Christmas, we are still lucky because we might be able to get a day or holiday pass for you and we all can spend the holidays in our home.

I hope you get home for Christmas – we all need a little ‘normal’ in our lives. If I can reframe from giving Tara away before then, your presence in the house may help her see that her Dad is back. Tara and I locked have locked horns several times today. At the dentist, after ukulele lessons, at the hospital. Whenever we are do something that involves you in some small way, Tara seems to have a physiologic reaction as well as an emotional one. I need to figure her out and what I can do for her. She needs both of us.

Megan visited you. You had met Megan back in September, shortly after you were moved out of the step down ward and into a regular room. You weren’t really awake then. You are now and when I came into the room tonight, you said “This is my new best friend, Megan.” Megan had visited you for quite a while and shared many stories with you.

I tested the new best friend claim. “If you could have dinner with Megan or Rod Carew, who would you choose?” “Megan” you said with no hesitation. Megan has to leave but you make her promise to come again … maybe tomorrow to watch the Notre Dame game on TV. She said she might and she may bring a special friend.

Janice plans to spend the night with you tonight – I tell you that you can sleep only with women whose husbands are either faster or stronger then you. Thankfully, both Martha and Janice qualify … I don’t know about Megan.

Janice gave us a few gifts. Yours is a special chain of hearts of beautiful sparkly hearts. It’s meant to go over a threshold. I hang it over the wall of cards that are opposite your bed. You are trapped in your room and the only exit is through your mind. In a way these cards is the threshold for you to your friends and family ... to the rest of your world.

Janice gave me a heart as well. A glass swirly black and white heart. The enclosed note was beautiful – I cried. She signs off “Try to remember without the dark, there can be no light.”