Facebook and Family

I was already feeling a bit antsy on the day that my son-in-law posted on Facebook, “H1N1 Sucks!” I posted, “Who has H1N1? Do you?” Last I checked before going to bed, there was no reply.

So the next morning, I write my blog, drink my coffee, check my emails, and log onto Facebook. Larry has posted that he’s feeling better. As I watch the screen, a post comes up from Rachel stating that she’s doing better after her bad reaction to a pneumonia vaccine. What reaction? Enough already with the Facebook!

I pick up the phone, and dial Rachel’s home number. I don’t know if she’s home because I know she has parent/teacher conferences all week. But, I figure Larry will probably be home if he has the flu. Rachel answers, sounding like death-warmed-over. She says she’ll be okay because Larry’s home – A man with the flu nursing a woman with a fever. This I gotta see.

I know the girls have school and multiple activities, and I don’t think Larry’s going to feel up to running the taxi service. Anyway, what does Rachel think retired moms are for? I packed my bags, gathered groceries (for chicken soup and such), kissed Richard, and headed back down to Georgia.

I walk into their house fussing about finding on Facebook that they’re sick. Rachel is melted into her big recliner with several glasses of fluids, tissues, and a thermometer on a table next to her right arm. This is because she can’t move her swollen left arm, the sight of the injection reaction.

Larry is in a rocker a few feet from Rachel with the TV remote and his computer on a table in front of him. On his computer screen is a graph tracking the trend in Rachel’s temperature, which Larry tests every half hour.

He is also tracking her Tylenol and Ibuprophen rotation, bringing each dose to her in a clean medicine cup. Around Rachel’s swollen arm, Larry has rigged a Ziploc bag of ice held in place with an Ace bandage. He’s up and down, removing and reapplying the ice pack at Rachel’s request. I only wish Richard had received such attention from his ICU nurses when he was in a coma and post-transplant.

I was free to concentrate on laundry, meals and transportation for the girls – or I should say transportation for Rebecca. Larry had arranged with their friend Marian to transport Sarah, who was dropped off at the house with fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. What a nice network they have.

The second day, Rachel spent in the ER receiving IV fluids, with Larry in attendance. I was able to continue concentrating on granny and household duties in preparation for Mr. Stability (Rachel’s daddy) to arrive from Louisiana to check on his baby. (We’ll admit that we are a bit overprotective of Rachel since she was diagnosed a bit over a year ago with leukemia.) Thankfully, Rachel didn’t have to spend the night in the hospital.

As I got ready to take Sarah to piano lessons, Richard called with the tragic news that Mamie’s older son had died in a tractor accident. Larry was feeling better enough to take over Sarah’s transportation while I spoke to Richard. When I finished the call, it was time to get Rebecca from cross-country practice and another trip to the pharmacy for medication for Rachel.

Mr. Stability was at Rachel’s house when I got back. I was sure glad that Richard had insisted that I take the paprika chicken he had made for my last arrival home. He thought it would be good comfort food for me. If he only knew how right he’d be…