We left the hospital yesterday in the early afternoon with hugs from nurses and promises to come back “but only to visit” we all said.  We’ve spent almost two weeks in that very cardiac unit since early October and we feel like we know several of the nurses and other caregivers very well indeed.  I imagine their other patients feel ‘bonded’ with them as we do but, even so, they made us feel truly special.

Take, for instance, the picnic supper that our friend Maggie brought on Thursday.  Since Nyel was on a ‘heart healthy diet’ which really wasn’t too bad and, furthermore, since the guest meals left much to be desired, Maggie brought a meal for herself and me only.  She timed it so we could eat with Nyel.  I don’t know what the ‘rules’ might be, but the staff looked the other way entirely when Maggie came with her huge bag of picnic goodies and spread the bright blue batik tablecloth out on Nyel’s bed.

Maggie and the Picnic

I had forewarned her that we would need to eat ‘in our laps’ – no table space or other flat surfaces available.  We did, however, have three chairs, so Nyel vacated his bed which Maggie and I used as Buffet Central while we built amazing salads from the ingredients she had brought – lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, yellow and orange peppers, sunflower seeds, cashews, marinated shrimp, hard boiled eggs, and I don’t know what all else.  Plus cheese and crackers.  Delicious!

And, lest Patient Nyel feel left out, there were salad ingredients (plus oil and vinegar dressing) left over so he could top off his chicken primavera dinner with a heart healthy salad, too.  Very continental!  A pique-nique to remember!  Plus, of course, the conversation ran the gamut – well beyond the usual focus of medical concerns.  A breath of fresh air!  Just what picnics are all about!

Salade Pique-nique!

So… we left yesterday with hugs and highlights to remember plus a new lease on life for Nyel.  We hope we aren’t back in a hurry… except maybe to say “hello” if we’re in the neighborhood!