10th December 2019
Today it snowed. I woke up to a smattering of snow that covered everything.
Today was the day that Georgia, Kelli’s mother was to have a heart procedure in Grand Rapids.
Kelli has been on tender hooks for weeks caused by a succession of texts messages from her mother. Because of her condition, she suffered irregular heart beats, often leading to anxiety and stress that Kelli absorbed. The date of the procedure, which I cannot go into detail because I would get halfway through and faint, was welcomed.
That did not help with the sleepless nights Kelli endured, but there was an expectation that surgery would cure the condition.
We were due to go to the family house to start the sorting of Dave’s workshop, which was convenient as the house was empty.
I met up with Matt, and we went into the basement and started to empty the drawers.
We didn’t have a clue what we were going to do with any of it. I started filling boxes with hammers, screwdrivers and every conceivable tool that he collected over his life.
Matt found Dave’s old school and college report cards plus more old photographs, many taken before I was born.
Kelli was upstairs searching for the Christmas decorations to hang up and make the place festive for Georgia’s return.
After many hours we barely scratched the surface, but at least we had made a start.
We drove to Grand Rapids for our shift.
The operation was in the morning, and that was followed by four hours laying on her back.
The staff would sit her upright followed by some walking exercises.
Getting to the Meijer Heart hospital was a major task in itself. We followed the satnav but it took us to the huge hospital building, but no signs for the place we wanted.
I ended up walking in and asking for assistance, something that a man rarely wants to do.
The friendly staff produced a map which showed the car park and entrance to the heart hospital.
With a few more stops to get directions we reached the room where Georgia was resting.
This type of procedure is very common and that showed by the number of people shuffling along the corridors taking their exercise.
The number of flapping gowns I saw, revealing certain parts not meant to be seen in public was a little unsettling, but I survived.
We spent three hours in the hospital waiting for the doctors to allow her out.
I collected the truck and waited at the entrance for Kelli and Georgia to appear.
The drive back was good, despite the snow.
We decided that she should stay with us for the night just in case anything happened, I doubt that we would have been any real use. The emergency services would have had to step over both our fainted bodies.
Another Lifetime to go 