Do Not Disturb

While the Easter Bunny was hopping from house to house last night, I sat in my son’s hospital room and tried to convince him that his nurse was not, in fact, a total idiot. Just someone new to her job, who did not realize how her ineptness at adding medication to his IV was stressing out her patient something awful.

He has a very short fuse right now. He had all his tubes removed the morning after the surgery. But the pain, the immobility, the fact that standing too long is impossible, the need of a shower and clean hair, plus the frustration of not being at home in his own bed has led him to kick everyone out of his room except me. Even his dad. To him, no one else is comforting… apparently anything they say to try to make this better annoys him to death.

And that’s fine. He has that right. I am intensely private myself when it comes to things like that. I don’t even like people showing up at my house without calling first. I know that people congregate around a sick family member with good intentions, but honestly, for some of us, it doesn’t help at all. While many may revel in the attention and love of their family around them, I am much like my son. Let me take a shower first!

The one factor in all that attention I don’t understand comes from people who never called, came by or even inquired about Dylan’s health until he’s “under the knife.” My father called the night before the surgery, after God-knows-how-long, and just announced that he would be coming down to the hospital.

Why?

I had to tell him Dylan doesn’t want him there. No one wants him there. He isn’t a part of Dylan’s life at any other time.  My father is also a pretty obnoxious person, who I absolutely cannot stand. I wanted to say just keep on doing what you’ve been doing: staying away. Works for me. Of course he hung up on me before I could ask to speak with my mother, although I believe she knows how to work a phone. Whatever. I don’t have time for that. 

In fact, I probably won’t post again for awhile. I haven’t checked my email in days and am putting off all the phone calls to return. I need to be there for Dylan, who is doing great, despite his mood. I don’t know when I can bring him home, but we’ll both be very relieved when I can. Then I won’t have to drive downtown everyday. He can order me around from down the hall.

Until next time … Happy Easter everyone….