This is for all the wonderfully thoughtful folks on the main PD list
and the Caregivers (CARE) sublist who have asked about Peter's progress
after surgery. With daughter's help we brought him home this A.M.--he
was in a chair when we got to the hospital, and able to walk--gingerly,
but determined to do it alone as much as he could....Now home, resting,
but not needing pain pill for a while, a good sign. I was so grateful that
he could stay overnight , as he needed the Demerol--thank goodness he's
not on Eldepryl now. I thought I'd share with you all the thoughts I had
last night andthis morning, since we do share poetry here at times:
AT THE HOSPITAL--January
Evening:
From the window--
sky, a featureless grey,
sheds light snow, falling like perpetual motion.
Far below, the Hospital Entrance sign
punctuates the dusk,
and a snow-iced patio features yews
trimmed like a baker's dozen
of cupcakes.
Distance and glass insulate me from cold,
from sounds of traffic,
from snow-dusted workers
sneaking a smoke in defiance of weather,
their other witnesses only
the mourning doves
studding the bare branches of patio trees.
It is sombre and still,
outside and inside this room,
where my love lies under blankets
as white as the snow icing the cupcake-yews.
I keep watch as he slowly surfaces from
drug-induced slumber
that succeeds the surgeon's blade.
The snow grows denser,
the pain returns.
Morning:
On the phone, a tentative voice-- "I need you here,
when will you come?"
But when I reach the hospital,
he is seated in a chair, revived.
We make our cautious way into the glistening world,
still frosted, but sparkling in sunshine--
a new day has begun!
Camilla H. Flintermann, 1/4/96
Thanks again for all the help and loving messages to us both.
Camilla, CG for Peter 76/6+
