Appendicitis

Take 2

I’m not sure I have the energy to write an 11 sentence poem today, but I’ll try.

Beeping machines

His anxious father, pacing

A thirteen year old

With acute appendicitis

My thirteen year old, our thirteen year old

Who kept saying

I knew this would happen

This time surgery

To remove the offending organ

Gentle hospital staff

This too shall pass

💖💖💖

I’m writing from emergency room #4.

The OCD piece of me is screaming. “You said good things about the weekend, everything was lovely AND YOU TALKED ABOUT IT. SO THIS IS WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE.” It whispers “terrible things happen when you let yourself become complacent. When you forget your rituals.”

But I am writing this to ignore that voice. I know that my being celebratory didn’t cause my kiddo to have another bout of appendicitis. That the world is a random place, and the universe doesn’t really care what I do.

I’m so glad that my 13 year old was with his Dad Sunday night, when the pain began. That he was in the city near a world class children’s hospital. That his Dad believed him immediately and kept me in the loop.

Now we are sitting, in the gentle boredom of the waiting time. I brought my kiddo his comfort books. His Dad is reading. I am writing. My eldest is with his Nana. My partner is looking after our dog.

This November has been hard. And beautiful. And awful. And magic. And that is life. Writing this rollercoaster of events helps.

Today my kiddo will finally have the surgery he needs, and because we are in Canada I am not thinking about how much this will cost. I only have to focus on my wondrous son, and his care, his comfort.

Tonight I will take his brother home with me, to help alleviate the anxiety he’s feeling. My children’s father, who is one of my best friends, will look after our youngest. My children have a brilliant and caring father. A kind and thoughtful Data (my spouse/agender partner). And me. Three parents who get along, who work together in concert to make sure our kids are loved, safe and cared for.

For that I am grateful. Because it makes all of this less hard.

His dad is gone for food and my kiddo and I are sitting. He wants to play Wordle.

*****

We got the Wordle pretty quickly.

*****

I just hugged my youngest goodbye. We have divided up the tasks. I’m to look after my eldest and take him home with me. My children’s father will stay at the hospital with my kiddo. Surgery happens sometime today or tonight.

If you have good thoughts to send our way. Absolutely send them. 💖💖💖

Heart,

Wake

6:33pm Edit: They have taken him to the OR, and it should be 2 hours before he is awake and out (give or take the time he sleeps)

My kiddo all settled into his lovely room with a gorgeous view, reading his favourite book ‘Wallace the Brave’ by Will Henry.

The view from the room.

A wondrous wall of art of the way out of the hospital.