As I look about the havoc that was once my living room, I feel compelled to offer great thanks to those individuals who have brought me through this horrendous battle for health and survival.
To my diligent neighbor, Frank, I offer a cooling salute of Mountain Dew. Propping a 12-can carton of Mountain Dew against my door and hanging a plastic bag of rotisserie chicken on the door handle provided me with nourishment in time of great need.
From my sister, Jean came Pedialyte just in time for me to avoid total crash and burn from dehydration. Boxes of Jello, bananas, bouillon cubes, and a marvelous new fluffy pillow completed her Florence Nightingale list.
From Harold came the sincere, calming gift of hope. Handing me a rune bracelet, he sat patiently telling me that even though I thought I was feeling better, I still needed a visit to the Doctor. He sat there until I stopped fussing and saying that I was going to be fine.
At last, I relented and admitted, “OK. Harold. I will go to the Doctor’s office.
Through the fog of fever, there appeared a large bouquet of flowers from my art students, I recall holding their get-well cards until I fell asleep. The realization of how weak I was came when I struggled to the kitchen table and was unable to pull open the cardboard box of Jello. The two steps to reach a knife lying on the kitchen counter was a journey I labored to take in order to pry open that important item.
I can’t say thank you enough to the dear people who brought me through these wretched days since my problem began on September 3, 2009.
If you must face the great Swine Flu battle alone, I wish you Godspeed! And I hope friends and relatives hold your hand, bring you chicken, Jello, and a nice, fluffy pillow!
It is now September 21, 2009, and I am at last able to drive and resume my schedule of teaching art classes.