The Gift ( continued XII)

We were then shuffled down the hall to our 3rd waiting room. This one was definitely three steps down from the first two. We squeezed into a small, cold and drafty square, with very uncomfortable chairs and a monster flat screen on the wall.

Now on this unit we were allowed to see Mer as we pleased. She had been placed as usual, right across the hall from the nurses station.

We decided to let Mer get settled in so we went back to Mom's for the evening. But the next morning we were at it again. Mom stayed home this time, but we were joined by the usual crew plus Glory's oldest granddaughter 'Chatty Cathy', Jazmin.

I immediately walked through this small unit to Mer's room and was slapped in the face by shock. Mer was unconscious, no not sleeping but completely out! I didn't realize this might be a part of how her body might respond to detox.

I stepped through the doorway and went around the bed. As I grabbed her bound hand I was alarmed again! Her hands were bloated to the size of an inflated latex glove! There was an IV connected to keep her hydrated. There was a tube secured to her nose, this was so they could feed her. She was having difficulties swallowing normally, caused by yanking the inflated respirator out.

My brother Robert followed me in, got right up to her pale, freckled face and said, "Hi baby."
Mer's eyes flickered quickly, and she responded back in a raspy whisper, "Hi baby."

This brought joyful tears to the rims of our eyes. I massaged her swollen hands which felt so tight and hard I thought the skin would burst open at any minute. She lay there in her deep, unwanted slumber as I snatched up a comb and tugged the snarls out of her short mop. Robert left as I rubbed her forehead and chatted softly at her.

The Dr. for this unit came in to check on her and introduced himself to me. He explained a few things and went about his morning rounds. Then in floated her nurse. A sweet woman with a marvelous British accent, who called Merrym honey.

I had a hard time leaving the room, but I knew I needed a break, so I switched out with one of my other siblings. We all took our turns doing rounds with Mer. Now they weren't picky about who visited, they just had to be over the age of 14.

While we sat in our drafty holding pen, Ann and Karen would work on a Christmas search and find book together. Bill would wonder in and out to smoke. Gaylia, Bill's wife would crochet Christmas wash rags for each of us. I brought my bills in and paid them. Robert, Glory and Jazmin chatted. Ace and Michelle came and went. Courtney would show up before her work shift and visit as long as she could.

By 5pm we were spent and Mer still unconscious, so we headed back to Mom's.

Each day, although Mer was slowly recovering, her body and mind would go through some very vocal and physical laboring.

That next day when we entered the hospital and walked towards the one on one unit, we could hear Mer yelling, YES YELLING! At the top of her lungs...

When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house."
Genesis 39:15


Love You Mer