Holiday Gifts & Treasures

This Christmas Eve I got 2 transfusions and 4 lumps of coal.  Not bad.  The coal will come in handy if it gets any colder here; while the new blood will keep the old body warm and running for another week - hopefully.

With little else to do, I arrived early hoping I'd be taken in earlier so as to not be driving home depressed, in the dark.  There was cheery music for the first time in the reception area at the cancer center with the registration staff all decked out in their most festive outfits and wearing headgear of all kinds; reindeer antlers, snowmen, or jingling bells (which became most annoying after about 10 minutes.

The transfusion room was crowded, as usual.  All the nursing staff were wearing gay apparel accessorized with necklaces of tiny, twinkling christmas bulbs. Home made cookies, candies, mint canes, truffles, and fruit cakes were passed around. Enough to put a person into Diabetic Shock!  

Oh, and there was NO music in the transfusion room.  Fine with me.  If I had to listen to Burl Ives "Holly Jolly Christmas" today, I'd have gone Postal.

I was finished with treatment earlier than I would have been so I sent a text to the restaurant to find out if they were still open.  They were. I was invited to partake of our annual Christmas Eve tradition of closing early and enjoying a cocktail with the day staff to celebrate the holiday. As the last customers left the building, the locosguys busied themselves behind the bar making cocktails for all of us.

We sipped, laughed, shared holiday stories and were on the way home in about an hour. Glad I could take part again in this relaxed time of refection on the year ending and how we made a difference.  Without getting too blubbery, I expressed my gratitude for the support I've received throughout this medical situation and how much they all meant to me. One of the servers piped up and said, "you'd do the same for any of us.  You did it for me." 

This shocked me as he related the story (I had completely forgotten about) of a family medical crisis he weathered earlier in the year.  To my mind I had done so little to help out, but to him what I did was obviously a big deal.  I am used to giving.  Taking is another matter.  I'm not very gracious in that role. I took note. He came over and gave me a big hug and thanked me again.  Evidently, it's something he will not forget.  Now, I won't either.

Lights were turned off, alarm set and we headed in different directions, having shared a rare, personal time of friendship together. The shops were closing and going dark (as was the sky), the town was quiet as I drove home. There are few restaurants open this evening and only one or two will open for dinner tomorrow evening. Don't ask me why.  Makes no sense.

The spice rub/marinade is made and waiting to be smeared on the lamb. Asparagus salad is made and chilled. The parsley potatoes will be prepared as the lamb is roasting.

If I awake without side effects from the new blood, it will indeed be a joyous Christmas Day. 

In any case, I wish all Blogger Buddies, Friends, Occasional Visitors, and anyone stopping by - Happy Holidays!

And so it goes. 

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