The Coronacation Diaries, Episode 82

Thankful

I have so much to be thankful for.

I am so thankful that Dad went to the doctor when he did. Another hour, another day...the outcome might have been very, very different. Instead, 11 days after he was diagnosed with stroke-like symptoms and admitted, I just dropped him off at the residential rehab facility; they said he is doing so well, that they don't expect him to be there for long at all. There are no visitors allowed there, so I hugged him goodbye. Tomorrow, I'll drive over there with the kids and take him some clean clothes; we can wave to him through the window, make heart hands, and let him know how very much he is loved. I am so thankful.

I am thankful for my partner who held down the fort here at "home," dealing with sheltering-in-place in a "foreign land," and figuring out how to work from "home" so that I could stay with Dad until he was discharged.

I am so thankful that, even though my kids are often emotional roller coasters and have not been on their best behavior, they are mostly self-sufficient. Some eye-rolling, a curse-word or four, and a door slam here or there. Otherwise, they are mostly fine. And I am so thankful for second daughter, who stayed home and took care of the house and the dog and the cats. Knowing that we didn't have to worry or make arrangements, that everything back home would be fine for as long as we needed to stay...that was an amazing gift.

I am thankful that Dad's house was available, so that my family wasn't bouncing off the walls of a hotel room this whole time. Instead, they could spread out, each person claiming a room, while the new kitty pounced from person to person, eating their hair.

I am so thankful that I have a car that is reliable, comfortable, and fun to drive. Dorothy has been amazing during the 2000+ miles I've put on her in the last week. She handles the driving rain; she passes semis like a champ, she holds to the road, and she gets good gas mileage. This trip wouldn't have been possible with a lesser car. Dorothy is a champ.

I am thankful for Sirius Radio. Without it, I might have lost my mind. The radio station choices down here are...not good. I can't find an npr station to save my life. If I manage to find classic rock, the announcer then comes on and spouts some right-wing rhetoric and I shudder in horror. There are a lot of country stations, but they all play country music. And the pop stuff coming out of Orlando is just way too pop for me. Thank you, Sirius Radio, for keeping me sane. (And thank you, Michael, for gifting it to me.)

I am weirdly, selfishly thankful for the shutdowns that gave me the opportunity to come down here. In a normal year at this time, I'd be knee-keep in final exams, dealing with student drama, and trying to keep my head above water. Instead, I could just work on my Chromebook from Dad's hospital room, answering emails and grading papers and entering grades. In a normal year, an emergency trip to Florida during finals week would be an insane idea. This year, it was nbd. It's strange to say, but if this had to happen to Dad, this was the right time for it to happen.

And, finally, I am so thankful to the entire AdventHealth system down here in Florida. They immediately knew something was wrong when he went to the doctor in Sebring. They immediately transported him to Tampa. The Sebring staff drove his car back to his house and kept the keys safe. They called me to check on him. The doctors in Tampa were incredibly skilled, thoughtful, and kind. They took the time to call us, to let us know what was going on. The nursing staff and support staff were amazing. Always there, always willing to crack a joke, bring us a cup of coffee, bring Dad a charger for his phone, give Dad a fist-bump. They took care of "Mr. Kim" like he was their dad. They hung out with him after their shifts were over. They were incredible, and it was clear that they loved their jobs.

And I am so very thankful for all of you, who have been reading along and rooting for us during this entire time.

Tomorrow, we will drive over to see Dad, we will wave through the window, and we will say goodbye. We will stop by the liquor store and re-stock his Bourbon supply. And then, on Sunday, we will head home.

For all of this and more, I am so very thankful.  

Photo by Courtney Hedger on Unsplash