Thirteen Thursday #5
1. When I found out that my dad was in the hospital after being in a recent car accident, I brought my suitcase down from the attic and left it in my bedroom unpacked.
2. After a week, I packed the suitcase and flew to Boston to see him. His condition (a broken neck vertebra and pneumonia on top of that) was so serious that I had to debate whether to pack black funeral clothes or not.
3. When I returned home to Virginia a week later, I had a slight fever and wondered whether it was a “sympathy fever” because my dad had a fever when I left him.
4. I was afraid to unpack my suitcase.
5. On the same day I returned home from Boston, my computer hard drive failed. Would I lose all my documents? Would we lose my dad? The next day, when the computer technician told me that I hadn’t lost my files, I knew we weren’t going to lose my dad either.
6. My family finally had a meeting with my dad’s doctors, and were told that there was no reason why my dad would not make a full recovery. We were ecstatic, but it was also hard to accept that most of his life threatening problems were not from the actual car accident injury as much as they were repercussions from being in the hospital.
7. I got my computer back from the repair shop, but when I plugged it in a WARNING sign flashed on my screen. It seems that my computer problems are complicated and are paralleling what we are going through with my dad. On the same day I got the WARNING sign, my dad got a tracheotomy. The road to repair is not so straight forward.
8. I was burning my files to CD before taking my computer back to the shop. I still have dial-up because DSL hasn’t come to my part of the county, and my friend was trying to phone me. After 3 hours, she walked the mile over to my house to talk to me.
9. She stayed to watch a movie with my husband, Joe, and me. Joe was feeling down and needed a comedy, so we watched “Guess Who” with Ashton Kutchner and Bernie Mac. (In the words of critic, Peter Vonder Haar, the movie “has its share of eye-rolling moments, but at its heart it’s a decent story.”)
10. Ashton Kutchner reminds me of my son Josh, the Asheville potter who loves the Red Sox and is a closet super hero.
11. On Wednesday I was one of the judges of a literary contest at the Floyd Elementary School. The theme of the contest was “I wonder.”
12. I wonder why tea always tastes better when I make it at home but beer tastes better in a restaurant?
13. My favorite current saying is this: “I’ll keep you posted…Literally!”
Post Note: Leanne, host of 13 Thursday, is keeping us posted on all the 13 Thursday participants. She encourages us to visit each other, so that’s what I’m doing today.
November 17th, 2005 9:22 am
All is well that ends well. Glad to hear your dad is out of the hospital and doing better.
PC difficulties aren’t fun… I have my 13 up. Have a nice day.
November 17th, 2005 9:35 am
Oh my gosh! I’m sorry that all happened to you. I pray all goes well. On a happier note- I love your scrabble board!! What a cute idea!
Take care.
November 17th, 2005 10:12 am
Hope your dad can go back home soon and recover from the hospital stay… Thanks for dropping by!
November 17th, 2005 11:01 am
Hope your dad’s OK. Come on by. Here’s my 13:
http://uzismusings.blogspot.com/2005/11/thursday-thirteen.html
November 17th, 2005 12:46 pm
Happy Thursday 13!
Oh my goodness, I’m sorry to hear about your dad. Is he doing better now? That is really weird that your computer problems paralleled your dad’s problems. It was like God’s way of giving you a sneak peak into the immediate future. Maybe a way of reassuring you that it was going to be okay. hmm.
Hope you’re having a good day!
November 17th, 2005 1:25 pm
What a great list!
Hope your dad is back up to par soon!
November 17th, 2005 1:49 pm
As usual, your 13 list is so entertaining and revealing. I’m so happy to learn that your dad is on his way to a full recovery, but sorry to hear he had to endure so much distress along the way.
Great to be reading you on a Thursday afternoon!
November 17th, 2005 1:54 pm
I hope your Dad has a speedy recovery!
Guess Who is on our list of movies to watch over Thanksgiving break.
here via Leanne’s TT and I have mine up as well.
November 17th, 2005 2:47 pm
I hope you Dad gets better soon.
Here’s my 13
November 17th, 2005 2:51 pm
I’m glad your dad is doing better, even if it is a bumpy road. We’ve spent plenty of time in hospitals with two of our kids, and I’m sending you hugs and positive thoughts.
Here’s my 13: http://jenanddavin.blogspot.com/
November 17th, 2005 3:09 pm
I am glad to hear that your Dad’s prognosis is good but so sorry to hear of the long, long journey. You remain in my prayers.
November 17th, 2005 3:16 pm
Thank you for reminding me about the 13! Glad to hear your Dad is doing better 🙂
Here’s my link:
http://fondofsnape.blogspot.com/2005/11/thursday-thirteen_17.html
November 17th, 2005 3:44 pm
What an inspiring post — I am so glad that your dad made it through. I know he has a long road ahead of him, but it sounds like he has a great family and support team in place. Great TT post!
Mine is here today: http://www.myprairierose.com/CarolynsComments/?p=344
November 17th, 2005 4:39 pm
It’s excellent how you’ve tied this all together Colleen. My thoughts are with you and your dad. Take care.
Here’s my 13 for today.
November 17th, 2005 4:56 pm
Hi Colleen,
Cute photo of the Scrabble board. I’m glad to hear your dad, as well as your pc, are mending and all will be well. (my sympathy regarding dial-up, too.)
November 17th, 2005 8:32 pm
Coleen..I pray your Dad will be better very soon, expecially from the Hospital induced horrors! (I NEVER want to go to a hospital..ever!!!)
And I also hope they can fix your computer this time around, too. (I had to replace mine a week or so before yours crashed…And they were unable to save ANYTHING from my hard drive…HELP!!! But, luckily most of most important documents had been saved to floppy’s…a habit I learned when I got my very first computer that has stood me in good stead….
The books have not arrived as yet, but I’m sure they will…Think Positive, I say! (lol)
Take good care Coleen…
November 17th, 2005 9:28 pm
I hope this coming week has all the makings of a happier list next go ’round for you. But I have to say, your #12? I’ve wondered that myself a time or two. What did the winner wonder, I’d be curious to know?
November 17th, 2005 10:01 pm
Older people have to be up and going to stay well. Prolonged confinement to bed whether in the hospital or at home leave the elderly prone to pneumonia. I hope he is doing better.
November 18th, 2005 12:08 am
Continued good thoughts for your dad, Colleen.
November 18th, 2005 6:49 am
What a nice post! I’m sorry to hear about your dad! And I love the Scrabble picture – makes me want to play!
Here’s my thirteen. Have a great day!
November 18th, 2005 8:03 am
Thanks for stopping by again and the comments!
You are my first blog visit of the day! 🙂
I hope you have a wonderful weekend and I will swing by early next week to check in!
November 18th, 2005 9:14 am
I got my Thirteen up on time, but I’m just now getting around to visiting everyone. I continue to hold your daddy in my thoughts and sending out every good wish for his recovery.
November 18th, 2005 9:48 am
I’m sorry that your life is in such turmoil right now and pray that your dad & computer are both well soon.
You seem very busy right now, but if you get a chance to stop by http://lillyput.blogspot.com/ I’d love to hear your comments.
Renee 😀
November 18th, 2005 10:28 am
Renee, if you ever come back…I visited you site but could not comment because your blogger site doesn’t “allow anonymous comments” which means bloggers who are not with blogger.com can’t comment!
November 18th, 2005 10:44 am
hello, michelle sent me.
i sincerely hope your father has a smoother and full recovery, from here on out! and i hope your computer issues resolves themselves without any major loss of hair (from pulling it out in frustration!). I enjoy reading the thurday thirteen and learning more about the new people Michelle sends me out to meet.
we will keep your father in our thoughts and pray for his speedy return to health!
November 19th, 2005 9:03 pm
Keeping you, your dad, and your folks in my thoughts — may he recover fully from the accident and from the hospital! I hope your fever is down as well.