Easter 1912

Ah Easter. The holiest of holidays in the Christian calendar. I remember on Good Fridays being silent from 12 to 3pm which was representative of when Christ was on the cross. In later years, I wondered if it had anything to do with having kids home from school when they should have been gone, but I have grown somewhat cynical in my old age.

I was invited to spend Easter with Tom's relatives. I really do like his relatives and it was fun to see a grown niece with two kids of her own and others whom I have not seen for twenty years - and their kids. It was a treat. The kids all got along and hunkered over ipads as well as playing together outside. The challenge was picking the oranges and lemons from trees filled with bees. Both trees ended up almost stripped of fruit.

That morning, however, his aunt Rita, an 83 year old dynamo who was hostess for this gathering and did not let anyone bring food, felt tired and weak and just under the weather. No big deal, she is 83 after all, so everyone stepped up and helped with prep (by everyone I mean Judy and Jean - but I had a pretty good view from the table where my lazy a** was resting). Easter dinner was early - 1:30 - and Rita had noticed being weak when she had gotten up around 8 am.

After dinner, and we were all concerned, but something about how she moved her feet reminded me of Tim. I approached her and asked her to smile - all was symmetrical - and I said "Rita, you may be having a stroke. You should go to the hospital today." She said, "No." LOL. OK, that was the end my influence. So I found Tom Sr and told him what I thought and he talked to her. Long and short - after much discussion and a fruitless call to her doctor (ended up transferred to RN Advice Line - a useless invention if I ever heard one), I called Elizabeth's MD dad and asked what he thought - wait, emergency room or ambulance. He was very clear - ambulance and immediately.

So the voice of authority had spoken and 911 it was. Now, a few days later, they have confirmed it was a stroke (yes, I could have been wrong) and she will be staying in the hospital where they have an on site rehab and will spend time getting used to a walker. If I know her, once she knows how to use it she will walk out the door. Tom Sr was as usual a calm, strong voice in a sea of indecision and it is always nice to see him in action. And oh yes, there are pictures.

Two vehicles actually arrived, sirens blazing

Five big burly men assessed her and helped her into the ambulance.
I am such a laugh riot. At one point when Rita dropped some 20 dollar bills, I said "Hey guys you might want to come in here. It's the part of the stroke where she starts throwing away money". Rita laughed, which was the point.

When asked what year it was she said "1912. NO! 2012. Twelve!"


And through it all, our thirteen year old teenager slept through family debate and sirens and chatter and had no idea what was happening.. I am surprised the paramedics did not assume he was comatose and take him too.


So maybe now that I have done my good deed for the year my karma points will lean towards the positive side and things will start going well for me. I am counting on it. :)

And I have come to realize that they are my family, too. Everyone except Tom who has opted out. Too bad for all of us.

Honest to God, I will learn how to take a decent indoor picture. I swear.