Friday, November 24, 2017

An Unexpected Thanksgiving

I've been through colds with my children before, but never have I seen them sink so dramatically from robust health into pneumonia (Ben) and prolonged fever and coughing that stumps the doctors, even after labs and bloodwork (Genevieve). Phoebe continues to cough and cry.  I continue in health, thank God, because someone has to make tempting snacks and tea and new bribes for forcing liquids at all hours, piling up the little dishes and cups in the sink and washing washing washing laundry and dishes. And don't forget the myriad runs to various medical establishments (my husband had to go on a 2-day business trip in there, too) and food stores to coax the healthy color back into the sickies' faces again.


We realized the necessity of canceling all Thanksgiving plans with extended family on Wednesday afternoon.  Sitting with Genevieve in the hospital lab, I quickly sketched a menu that I thought could work to make Thanksgiving at home traditional and doable. I flew down to market, forgetting its holiday hours, and got there in time to see it shuttered.  I begged the meat stand to quickly sell me something, anything, and got a chicken just before he drove off.  There was just one produce stand with all its boxes packed, but Laura dug through her boxes in full sympathy and good cheer to find what I needed. 


For years, I have wished to cook an entire Thanksgiving feast with everything exactly to my taste, recipes researched, rejected, and chosen with care, ingredients gathered for weeks ahead, and linens fussed over and prepped.  And here I was, thrown into my own feast in less than 24 hours with lethargic children coughing in the other room. 


So I am thankful for things I was not expecting to be thankful for this season: for skilled doctors who use their diagnostic tools well, sympathetic nurses, supportive parents and family who jump in with childcare and errands, the relative health and incremental recovery of my children, an abundance of food from kind market sellers, and all the big things that underpin our lives that I can take for granted.

What are you thankful for this season?

7 comments:

Polly said...

Oh, I so hope that your little ones are all on the mend! It's so scary when they start to get Really sick. Since everyone was able to sit at the table, that's a good sign. I'm so impressed that you went ahead with a feast nonetheless.

I'm thankful for good health, a warm home, happy children, and most of all the grace of God (to help me deal with the things that I'm not naturally thankful for ..:)).

Lana said...

I cannot tell you how much I recommend Lung Support from HopewellOils.com. After my husband's 10 day coma his lungs were a mess from the respirator and this is what pulled him out of that. Putting it on cotton balls around the house or diffusing it will quickly heal the lungs and stop coughs.

e said...

What a whirlwind! Good job on getting it whipped together in such a short amount of time. Hope that good health is returning to your family.

Also, I forgot to say the other day; we like hot lemon water for sour throats. Sometimes I can find a product call True Lemon (also True Lime) that are little packets of citric acid that you rehydrate to make juice. Very handy! Empty a packet in a cup, fill with hot water, add honey. Stir, sip. Ahhh...
Of course, an actual lemon is better...

Hazel said...

Poor Ben and Genevieve, I hope they're on the mend, Phoebe too. And I hope you stay well, you must be completely drained. I'm glad you managed a Thanksgiving celebration, even if it was a bit ad hoc. It all looks lovely on the table.

Penelope P. said...

Oh ,sweetheart, what a worry poorly children are! Well done for managing a thanksgiving meal. I will keep you all in my prayers, particularly that you will stay healthy. I'm thankful that the internet means I can read lovely blogs and I can pray for real people from so far away ! PennyL in Dorset UK xx

BLD in MT said...

Goodness, Margo. What a time you've all been having! Nothing like some poor health to make a person feel grateful for their "normal" life. I'm sorry your thanksgiving didn't turn out as planned, but as usual, you made a very good show of it. Here is hoping you're all back to tip-top shape for all the Christmas festivity that is soon coming your way, no doubt.

Becky said...

We've always waited until we have gotten to where we are going for the holiday and THEN gotten sick. I hope everyone is feeling better and the grunge has moved on. Way to pull off a last minute scene change!