An Unexpected Change of Plans

    My husband is on vacation this week.  We had a great week planned- camping for four days, a trip to the beach, Kung Fu Panda 2 and of course, our ritual Saturday night bonfire with friends and neighbors.  Plenty of relaxation for my hardworking husband and plenty of Daddy bonding for the boys.
    Last week my mother in law succombed to an infection and was placed in ICU for several days.  Due to a host of health issues she has long since struggled with, her kidneys began to fail.  On Saturday evening, less than 24 hours before the great camping trip was scheduled to begin, my father in law calls to update us on her progress.  It was obvious in his weary voice and tired words that he had reached his limits for stress and exhaustion.  Although he assured us she was OK, I knew he wasn't sharing with us the whole truth.
    It took us all of five minutes to decide to scrap the vacation plans and head to New England instead.  Securing dog sitting with my sister and plant sitting with my neighbors, we packed a few things and set out early Sunday.
    In the past few years, my husband's vacation days have been spent travelling the east coast for the ailing and the failing.  Whether it be divine intervention or not, he can only laugh now at the timing of such things.
     The ten hour drive up the coast is something we have always done in the dark.  Since my husband works at night, he does the driving while the kids and I sleep.  The time passes quickly and the traffic is minimal.  Due to timing, we chose this once to make the drive during waking hours.  Imagine two young boys locked in a compact sedan for the better part of twelve hours.  Now add to that three traffic jams and a thirty minute backup at the George Washington bridge.  Sounds like alot of fun, doesn't it?
    Do you know that neither one of them ever complained?  There were four "Are we there yets?" and two "I have to go potty's"  but not another complaint. 
   Now take the same two little boys and tell them they have to be quiet and still for at least three hours and sit in a tiny hospital room spending time with their sick grandmother.  If you have little boys, you know how challenging this could have proven to be. 
    My mother in law has a roommate too.  Today she told me how wonderful and sweet and well behaved my little darlings were.  She said she was amazed at how well they handled spending their nsummer days in a hospital.
    I am very proud of my two little men.  What a testament to their developing characters that they have spent hour after hour sitting by their grammy's bed just because that's what she wants and needs?
   I grew up with illness in my home.  Between my brother and my father I spent more time in hospital rooms and ICU's then I care to discuss. That was definitely not the life I wanted for my kids.  In fact, after Dad passed last summer I was downright angry that my little babies had to learn the sorrow of loss and the finality of death at such tender ages. To now spend this summer learning hospital etiquette seemed so unfair.  To watch them handle it with such finesse has amazed me. 
    Illness is a part of life.  Colds, flus, strep throat- these are things we deal with and move on.  No one even really considers them as anything more than a tiny hindrance, bumps in the road for most of us.  But as we all know, not all ills are cured with chicken soup and ginger ale.  Sometimes IV's, surgeries and twenty four hour nursing care are necessary. 
   I fully believe that the boys needed to understand that illness is a part of life and sometimes we have to put others' needs before our own desires.  I just had no idea how much compassion they had already developed in their young hearts.  Never once have they complained of boredom or acted out. 
  The little one has one request- we must get to the animal farm and petting zoo before we go home.  
  The older one's only lament?  He misses cuddling his grammy.  So he forced his way in around all the tubes and hoses and took what he felt was rightfully his!