Connie's Corner

this and that

I haven't wanted to say much about Jim's progress lately. It seems like every time I say he is improving, I jinx his forward movement. So I will only say today is day 57 of his hospital stay, and I pray he will be home by Thanksgiving. I spend every day at the hospital giving encouragement and help wherever possible. It seems when I am home, I want to be there and when I'm there, I wish we both were home.

The nurses and techs have been amazing. How they keep moving nonstop all day with never a cross word (even when more than cross words are shouted at them) is mind boggling. Most of the patients on my Jim's floor are elderly and require lots of care and attention. At one point, Jim was so weak he could barely lift his fork to eat, but if I was not there, they always cut up his food and opened containers to make things as easy as possible. Can you imagine trying to open a pint milk carton when you have very little control of your fingers and hands?

His stay has been so long, we all are on a first name basis, and whether a particular nurse is caring for him that day or not, they all ask about him and give me a thumbs up when I smile and nod my head. Their personalities and positive attitudes have helped give me the strength to keep going. I am so thankful for all of them.

I read this morning about the reopening of the investigation of Natalie Wood's death. It made me happy. I always believed it was much more than an "accidental drowning." Many on the site may be too young to remember Natalie, but she was one of my favortite actresses. Although she was well known for West Side Story, Splendor in the Grass, and Rebel Without a Cause, my favorites were This Property is Condemned and Marjorie Morningstar. I forgot about everything else whenever I watched her act...mesmerizing, I would say.

I had a little fender bender a week or so ago. It was not my fault. I know they all say that but this time it is true. I was stopped at a red light when someone pulled out onto the highway and actually bumped into my rear fender. I have never been in an accident in my life (pretty amazing, I know, at 67) so when the light changed I pulled into the first place I found and got out to see the damage. I thought the bumper (I was the bumpee) had fled the scene and was very surprised when this young girl walked up and said she was the one who hit me. The damage looked minor, a dent and some white paint streaks from her car. She begged me not to call the police so it would not go against her license and said she would pay for any repair. I agreed and we exchanged names and phone numbers.

Well, of course, when I told Jim and my daughter what happened, they labeled me an idiot and told me to ALWAYS call the police. Too late. I got an estimate at Maaco, a whopping $745. No way a college student is coughing up $745. I figured I was doomed to eternal ridicule over my fender bender. But, lo and behold, just like in a fairty tale, on the way to the hospital to see Jim the next day, I spied a sign saying "Mr. Small Dent Repair." It was the answer to my prayer, and to make a long story short, my dent and paint streaks disappeared fifteen minutes later after the exchange of $30. Unbelievable but true. I texted the bumper, and she said she would mail me the thirty bucks. We'll see. I hope so...not for the $30 but so I can gloat about what a good judge of character I am after all the name calling I suffered through .

until next time....c