26 staples

i'm back from my week long vacation in erie. i was happy to leave all the snow behind, only to wake up to see i need to shovel and clean my car off once again.

my sisters surgery went very well. we were told to show up 2 hours before her 12pm surgery. after waiting those 2 hours in her hospital bed, they didn't actually take her into surgery until after 1:30, with the surgery starting at 2. after the surgery and recovery, i could finally go visit her around 7:30. lets just say it was a long day for everyone. she came home on friday and is slowly recovering. most people know my aversion to [and by aversion i mean complete fear of] hospitals, so this was a huge step for me. and it wasn't as bad as i thought. i even [gasp], took a look at her incision on sunday when a friend came over to change her dressing. she has a 10" long incision down her back with 26 staples. instead of passing out, my heart went out to her and the pain she must be in. i felt guilty for leaving her, but i had to make it back to pittsburgh before the storm, and shes lined up a few friends to come over and help her out as she needs it.

it was a strange week away from my husband. still getting used to saying that ;) he brought me flowers on his way home from work yesterday and it was like i had never been away. we settled into a cozy night at home, watching heros and catching up on our time apart.

thats also the weird thing about erie. sometimes it feels like i'm back in time. hopping on the bayfront parkway and taking the long way from my sisters house to my parents, it was as if every mile i drove, i went back a year in time. flipping the channel to the local college radio station and hearing electronic's 'get the message'. driving thru old familiar neighborhoods, memories of high school with my best friend megan, random memories flashing back. its odd the things that stick with you.

but then when i arrive at my parents house i'm painfully brought to the present realizing that they aren't who they used to be back then. that my dad is turning 80 this summer and hes a frail shadow of who he used to be. and wondering if, everytime i hug my mom goodbye, how long til she doesn't remember me? when do the tables turn, and children start taking care of their parents? i'm glad i was able to come up for a week and help out and spend time with my family, but it was really a wake up call. its heartbreaking to see my mom's memory slowly slip away as my dad's health deteriorates, even tho he's too stubborn to admit it.

on a brighter note, i got a lot of knitting time in while in the waiting room. more on that in the next post.