Labor of Love

I have mentioned my brother, Darin, is staying with me. He didn't get a summer internship, but has a camp counselor job later in the summer. Until he leaves, he is living with and taking care of me. Before my sinus surgery we did some cleaning and laundry. By "we," I mean "he did the work and I barked the orders."

I barked out where to put away all the things I had in my suitcases, where to put clean laundry, how to load the dishwasher, how much water to put in my glass, and how to pour my weekly meds. I sure will miss him when he leaves.

The main reason I'm writing about my brother today is because he's amazing.

My surgery was figuratively and literally painless. I checked in about 1/2 hour early and was taken to my room right away. Darin and Mom were both very good, but especially Darin. I'm used to Mom taking care of me and doing things for me before and after surgery, but I'm not used to having my little brother there.

Darin did wonderful things for me. He and I looked at the fail-blog to keep me laughing before my surgery. My nurse Caron was absolutely brilliant and we kept her laughing, too. Because I'm that funny. I got a dose of Valium, and have decided that it is totally worth it's weight in gold. If I ever become a drug seeker it will be for Valium. Man that stuff is grand.

I was taken to surgery and then woke up in recovery. I was angry in the recovery room because I was having a hard time waking up. Finally I woke up and was taken back to my room. There we got word that Pulmonary had said that I would be fine to go home same-day (Let's not talk about this decision, because I don't want to get into all that). I finally was able to get up and walk, get dressed and go home.

Before I came home, when I was waking up Darin was feeding me ice chips and my grape slushie. He was helping me with everything - including walking to the bathroom and changing from my gown to my clothes, and then he even blotted and removed the grape slushie that stained my white sweater. He's my Healthcare Diva.

I wonder how much money he'd have to be paid to stay in Madison after graduation. I don't know what I'll do if he ends up in California, or worse, abroad. I guess I'll pack my bags and move with him. He'll be my Will and I'll be his Grace.

I have the world's best brother. He even is willing to give me a bath when I'm too sick to do it myself. And I don't know many brothers who would bathe their older sister. He is, however, afraid of my breasts, so he makes me wear a swimsuit. Whatever, either way, I get a bath and time to jam to my tunes with my brother.