You Cannot Make This Up

So the "fun" for Lucas' graduation weekend probably started when we decided I should apply for an expeditated passport since I couild not get an appointment for a Real ID.

Naturally I could not find any copies of my birth certificate. So my mother, who also lives in North Carolina, found a copy from 1967 and overnighted it to me in package so sealed for safety we had trouble opening it ourselves.

We spent the money for the expeditation and breathed a sigh of relief. 

In the meantime, here's what this past week has looked like across the family, the Illiniois family and the North Carolina family: COVID, two ER trips for two different family members (including me; the barium in the photo is mine), an ER plumbing issue, power outage in ninety-three degrees, a romantic breakup, missing carryon bag with medication that had to be checked (found later destroyed), another illness overnight that prevented a grandparent from attending graduation, and one person in North Carolina that overslept and missed the graduation altogether.

Then we had trouble loading the virtual link and missed Lucas walking in (but we were jubilantly present when he received his diploma and watched him walk out as new graduate of the Class of 2025.

So this afternoon, we will have a Zoom celebration, and I will read Lucas my "Message to the Class of 2020," which I read to my two nieces at our Zoom celebration of their high school and college graduations in May 2020, because these same sentiments apply.

The one thing that did work out for us this week is that we all commiserated together.

This above list of "experiences" doesn't even make believable fiction. But it's all true, and it all happened to us over these past few days.

But those are the key words: "we" and "us."

Whenever we go through these trials, we remind each other that some people don't have "we" and "us." 

In fact, WE see it all the time in the ER: people who are there alone, without "we" and "us."

Which is worse? Being alone and having everything go right and according to plan? Or having everything go wrong but having it all go wrong with togetherness?

While you're mulling on that question, you've probably missed Chekhov's gun.

Well, that's because I'm missing it, too.

I'm referring to the "expedited" passport.

I received an email an hour ago. It should be here on Wednesday.

Happy Monday!

Mom Moments

A lot of this weekend was work.

Some work always runs into the weekend, and, in this case, I have a son scheduled for surgery on Wednesday, so some of it was working ahead.

And then it got a little busier.

Timothy was preparing for a nine-day business trip. This included flying several hours to another state early Sunday morning to launch new products at a trade show and then flying to several hours Tuesday morning to another state for nearly a week of professional development.

Early Sunday morning, (1-ish) I woke up feeling something was off. And then I fell back to sleep. Repeat two hours later, and suddenly I was wide awake.

Timothy was sick with what appeared to be a stomach bug. Except he was REALLY sick and missing this trip was not an option.

I should add here that on his father's side of the family, we have A LOT od appendicitis. His father nearly died from it; and his father's uncle did. One of Timothy's uncle's had it, and so did both of his children as adults, with one very recently. Because of this "appendicitis" quickly comes to mind.

I spent the next hour researching various options (work, travel, medical) for him while he just got sicker (sick enough that he doesn't remember the experience, and we almost called an ambulance) and other options vanished.

I woke up the next in line from his company to alert her of the situation. Rebekah changed his flight to later in the day (just in case). We got him dressed; Rebekah and his girl friend Jasmine took him to the ER with instructions from me on how to handle the situation, what to ask staff, medical history, etc; and I signed on the computer and started working.

And I felt the clock ticking. It was going to be a full day of work, which would culminate in attending an event with my family, which I was also covering for a story later this week.

The ER had no available beds, so but they did move quickly with triage, labs, and medication to give him some relief. This last turned out to be a wonderful medication for him.

The girls kept me posted.

Eventually appendicitis was ruled out, but he was severely dehydrated. So IV fluids, instructions, one anti-nausea medication, and a few hours later, they brought him home, looking sick, but with having made of the decision to fly, with plenty of face masks and hand sanitizers because he is a very considerate person, too.

I'm really, really, really proud of him.

We set up another plan and answered all questions of "what if..." with plans in place before he left. He had a few more "what if" questions over the course of the evening, and we answered those, too.

Hopefully, he got some rest and is feeling better today, which I expect he is. Not great, I understand, or even good, but better. He may decided to pass on the professional development, and no one will fault him.

But I'm also very proud of Rebekah and Jasmine.

They handled things very well in the ER and pushed back when needed to get things moving. They came home and cleaned the entire house on very little sleep so I could work up until the last moment.

Around 3:30 p.m., we left with my in-laws for a wonderful evening, all on their treat. Beautiful people. We are blessed.

The obvious part of this "mom moment" is the caretaking part, which is true, I suppose. But follow this rabbit trail a moment.

As parents, our roles shift and change as our children grow. We don't (or at least we shouldn't) "parent" our 20 or 30 or 40-year-olds the way we parent younger children. But since we're always one step ahead of them, we can, when appropriate, equip them for the next step.

Rebekah and Jasmine know more about handing ER situations today than they did yesterday.

My oldest son Christopher, who has been fighting infections in his feet and will lost part of two toes on Wednesday, knows more about high blood pressure and diabetes today than he did even a few months ago.

Timothy learned some strategic planning while dealing with his own medical emergency and job obligations.

All of these simply took some thinking on my part and some conversations with them. They did all the rest, and they did it very well.

I am a huge believer in "not giving a child a fish" - unless, of course, someone is simply too down where the only option, indeed the compassionate option, is handing off a fish.

But how much more wonderful when parents can empower their children! The children in turn can empower THEIR children, etc. And one day, these same children may make power of attorney decisions for their parents using, hopefully, the guidance they received from the parents.

Oh, and look how beautiful the girls looked last night. One would think they'd had a spa day! <3 .="" p="">

Community News: Oct. 27, 2017

Check out upcoming general events in the Joliet area, as well as the awesome things people are doing.


Local arts and entertainment: Oct. 27 through Nov. 3

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/10/22/local-arts-and-entertainment-oct-27-through-nov-3/adoctst/


Marching band to be in Rose Bowl parade

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/10/26/marching-band-to-be-in-rose-bowl-parade/abmnofb/


Oaxacan artist visits Lockport to share hand-carved figurine styles from Mexico

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2017/10/26/1923ef2660cd484896f999cc482f0e7a/index.xml


Illinois resolution designated October ‘Zombie Preparedness Month’ 

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/10/27/illinois-resolution-designated-october-zombie-preparedness-month/a91fvj6/


Edward Foundation commits $2 million for Structural Heart Center 

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/09/03/edward-foundation-commits-2-million-for-structural-heart-center/a662ud2/


Lockport school creates butterfly garden

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/10/09/lockport-school-creates-butterfly-garden/aa12buh/