Sisterly Love

My sister and my two youngest nieces headed for home yesterday. I am used to being the older sister so it is a little odd to me for the roles to be reversed. My sister is very good at taking care of other people and making you think that she has nothing better in the world to do with her time. She arrives as if she just came across town rather than three hours in the van with two little kids.

In her two days away from home, she managed to drive us to speech and the library to replenish our supply of books. This is critical if you have been instructed to lay low and spend two hours a day hooked up to your vest machine shaking. Of course, if you add the seven hours a day on IVs and throw in a little rehab time on the treadmill, it creates a lot of reading time.

She also managed to take her two kids and my daughter to the grocery store to stock my house. I gave her a list and told her to get whatever else looked good. I will for sure send her again as my fridge looks so much better and she bought ice cream treats. Who can't use some of those to make you feel a little better about life? She was visiting me at the hospital when the dietician came to have a talk about my calories so she has the inside scoop on what to eat. By the time my sister was done cooking, she had made mashed potatoes with whole milk and hamburger gravy, browned hamburger for my freezer, shredded chicken for my freezer, made raspberry jello salad with extra heavy cool whip, and made my family dinner before she left and an extra dinner for my freezer.

The best part about her visit is that she is really good at making you forget that you are staying home. She picked up movies to watch and some to leave behind. When I mentioned getting a subscription to the paper, she came home from another run to the grocery with the daily paper and the ad to subscribe. She even managed to get in a game of Scrabble and do the dishes before she left.

So, today, as I was eating her leftover mashed potatoes and gravy and jello salad, I was especially thankful for my sister. I am also thankful for her husband and her mother-in-law who help cover for her while she is helping me and my older nieces who don't mind sharing her with me.

I was handling the whole deal pretty well until today and I think the lack of sleep is starting to get to me. My friend has been giving my daughter a ride home from school which allows me to do a vest and go back to sleep for a little while. It is a really great gift. She has the same gift that my sister has for making you feel like you are doing her a favor rather than the other way around. Tonight, my delivery man brought a new box of IVs and supplies. When I answered the door, he said, "I haven't seen you for a while." It was good while it lasted.

Blessings,

Cindy