hospital stays
I am familiar with hospital stays, but I am always two social circles away from the sick. I am not the daughter; I am the granddaughter who brings food, water, phone chargers, and toothbrushes to those who are spending the night. I am not the spouse; I am the one who goes and feeds the family pets and who takes the little ones on a walk in the garden. The doctors have no reason to update me on how things went, but I know everyone's coffee order. But I wasn't the second circle this time. I was the first. And I wasn't ready. My dad was in the ER for a couple days for a heart stent. I knew what was needed: food and water, hygiene, taking breaks to walk around the hospital, leaving the hospital to get fresh air, bringing books or small crafts to keep my hands busy. But I wasn't ready. I remembered none of those things as I rushed out the door, went straight to the ER, and didn't leave his room until he was discharged. What if he came back and I wasn't there? What ...