Part 160 The real world and the world serious


We arrive at my mother’s house mid afternoon. Craig is there, and we all drive to visit dad in the nursing home. He has been lying in bed, refusing to get up even to go to the bathroom. He says repeatedly that he is going home tomorrow, forgetting the statement as quickly as he utters it. We tough love him – you can go home as soon as you get up and walk over and sit in the chair. It is so hard to leave him here, away from his familiar reclining chair in the home he has lived for so many years. But my mom simply can’t handle it anymore. She’s been trying for years now, often in silence, in denial, resolutely hanging in and working probably harder than we’ll ever know.

Back at her house, Craig and I work on her expenses and budget as the Texans lose to the Ravens on TV. We joke about mom moving in with her longtime friend Ms. Evans for companionship and to save money (I state that I am not really joking). We laugh at the thought of her friend reclining in dad’s chair, tapping an empty glass and asking for more coke to be served.

After breezing through another day of work the following day, I am struck by a bad hernia attack that lasts for well over an hour. Book club meets tonight and I go only because the host has personally invited me and is getting veggie pizza for me to entice me. I bravely head over to his house, playing the odds (successfully, it turns out) that I won’t have another attack.

Having had enough, I meet my general doctor Mu- to discuss my hernia situation. He recommends surgery, which despite my tendencies to scream when I hear the word, sounds pretty easy for this condition. He recommends Dr. Br-, who put in my port so many months ago. He has my trust, so I will set it up.

As the real world soberly knocks at my door, so does one fun perk – the real World Series. St. Louis and Texas meet this year, trading off victories in the first two games. Before St. Louis clobbers Texas 16-7 in the third game, I have walked all of the bright morning in a benefit for autism and spent the early evening dining and dancing with Becah and the kids to the r & b music of Luther and the Healers at Fat Mike’s restaurant.

We sleep in Sunday morning, heading for church in time for the 11:00 service, only to find there was only one (10:00) service today. It is just as well, since my groin flares up and I am soon lying on the couch watching football as the Texans defeat the Titans in a much needed 41-7 win. At night, I watch as Texas ties the baseball series with a 4-0 victory.

The next day is highlighted by my first sandwich in ages. I stop in at Subway for what to me is a true celebration. I am a bread eater from way back, and having to eliminate that from my diet has been so hard. I longed for months to be able to take a big, chewy bite from a sandwich, and I am not disappointed. Tonight Texas wins the game in this exciting series on a bases loaded double.

Two days later the kids and I try carving a pumpkin with the Houston Texans bull logo; we fail, and revise it instead to a heart. A kinder, gentler Halloween is always good. The highly anticipated sixth game of the series is rained out, so we must wait until tomorrow. It arrives, back in St. Louis. The Cardinals start with the lead but quickly fall behind 7-4. They tie the game in the ninth, but the Rangers regain a 9-7 lead. St. Louis jumps back to tie 9-9. Walking Albert Pujols (who I call “Danger Man” because that’s what he is if you are pitching to him) to pitch to Berkman has backfired on the Rangers, and now we are in extra innings. In the 11th inning a local St. Louis boy named Freese socks one over the fence for the win. As he rounds the bases, his teammates in celebration grab him and rip off his jersey.

It is probably the best baseball game I have ever seen.

A cold front slowly passes through the next day. Breanna puts on her New Orleans Saints Brees jersey and we drive to see the new “Three Musketeers” movie. I am amazed they can remake this story so often and still keep it interesting. At night we enjoy pizza while watching St. Louis take the game and the “World Serious”, as Brooke calls it.