Below is another part of My AVM Story: the recounting of the discovery, removal, rehabilitation, and survival of an arteriovenus malformation. To read from the beginning of the story, click here.
Date Night
While at Mary Free Bed, I was given three meals a day. I use “given” oh so loosely. I paid for them. 🙂 But if a patient missed a meal for any reason, he or she was given vouchers to the main hospital cafeteria for the amount of the meal missed.
On one of the weekends, my father-in-law brought the family and me pizza. We had a little pizza party in the guest suites were my parents were staying. Mmmm…greasy pizza has never tasted so good!
When I got back to my room, I found the vouchers there so Dan and I decided to go check out what the cafeteria had in the way of dessert.
It was exhilarating.
Why?
Freedom.
I was able to wheel myself (although probably Dan pushed me) through the cafeteria and CHOOSE anything I wanted to eat.
I only had so much money in the vouchers so we had to add things up as we went to make sure we didn’t go over the vouchers.
Choices.
Decisions.
Real life!
It was glorious.
Do you know what the best part was?
Sitting with the love of my life in the cafeteria enjoying some frozen confectionery treat. It was like we were dating again.
We weren’t in a rush. There were no other obligations we had to think about. We just sat across from each other enjoying our treats and each other’s company.
We ended up having this opportunity one more time before I was discharged, and it was just as special that time too.
Traditions
Another nightly tradition Dan and I had was watching a movie every night. Partly this started as just something to do, but I think it was also to distract me so that I would stay up later. I was in the habit of being sound asleep between 6 and 7pm and sleeping until 7 or 7:30 the next day. Yikes! I needed to work at building my stamina so that I could return to a normal work day. At this point, a “normal” day still seemed so far out of reach.
Thanks so my wonderful friends, I had plenty of chick flicks to choose from! Dan was introduced into the wonderful world of sappy movies. It was awesome.
The Proposal
The Wedding Date
My Best Friend’s Wedding
The Princess Bride
I could go on and on. This was such a fun tradition we created, and iIt gave me something to look forward to every night.
It truly is the little things in life that matter the most.
Next: My AVM Story – Part 37
Elyse says: “The. Princess Bride. is. not. a. sappy. movie!”