Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Italy





When you wake up Friday morning I will be landing in Florence, Italy.

This is a trip we have planned for a long time.  The airline and hotel reservations have been in place for months.  Because our life is more predictable than it used to be, we didn't bother with trip insurance. Of course we were going to go.

Then, early in the summer, Steve's dad got sick and we weren't sure if the trip was going to happen so all plans were put on hold.

We brought my father in law here to our house and have round the clock caregivers. When he moved in here at the end of July we weren't sure what was going to happen. With the right kind of care, however, he has stabilized and is comfortable.  He lives in Maggie's room so our life has come full circle.

Steve's siblings encouraged us to go on our trip and they are both coming here to manage their dad's care while we are gone.  We couldn't do it without that help and I am very grateful.  I confirmed the reservations and made a few more plans. Somehow, though neither of us really got excited about this because of the situation.  I think neither of us believed we were really going to be able to go. Now were are just 36 hours away from departure and excitement is building.

As we make the final preparations for our trip, I find myself in the familiar position of orchestrating the needs of a medically fragile individual.  Though we never attempted a trip this long when Maggie was with us, the similarities are uncanny. Instead of shift nurses and therapists and bus schedules, it's visiting nurses, caregivers, and social workers.  Supplies are laid in and I will stock the groceries for the first part of the trip. There is also the matter of making sure Steve's siblings know how to use the remote and other household things, and know when to put the garbage out. And, because this is San Francisco, we have to warn them of the car break in problem and plethora of parking tickets.

I think it's all done. I think everything is packed. Passports are ready, boarding passes will be printed. Things will be forgotten and we will manage without them.

Ciao.


4 comments:

  1. Have a wonderful time!! Much deserved!!!

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  2. Have a great trip! Please share some pictures!
    Jenny

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  3. So looking forward to stories and photos from this long awaited trip! Hoping all of it is fabulously thrilling and famously easy. ox

    ~ Will

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  4. Well?????? Want to hear about the trip!!!!!

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