Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Thank you Stewart.....

My older meaner sister met Stewart when she was in her teens - they were basically together (except for a few travel separations) for the next 30 years. He died suddenly about 12 years ago. I often think of Stewart chuckling when he sees the things my sister has done since his death - my sister embarking on road trips with me and Miguel, my sister taking her little niece to the Olympics, my sister buying the same lottery tickets every week with the numbers they chose together. I know my sister thinks of him often and misses him.

Stewart must have really chuckled when we helped my sister fix up her house last fall and helped her discard or redistribute stuff that had accumulated in her basement. My sister and I sorted through his tools, his household acquisitions and even some of his clothes. There was a wonderful leather jacket that needed to be saved forever....there were other things that needed to be donated. And...there was a soft, plush comfy navy blue bathrobe that Miguel decided to use when were staying at my sister's house. When we left, my sister told Miguel to take the bathrobe home.....

Are you with me so far? The story continues..... My mother has been in the hospital for the last 12 days - and she is sharing a room with two men. One man has family support - lots of visitors, lots of attention. The other man (we will call him Bob), is all alone - no one ever visits, no one ever calls. Bob is a sick man - his lungs are full of something that does not sound good, he can barely walk and he is pathetically thin and grey. The last few days he has started shivering - and he is always cold. Bob tells me that his hands and feet are freezing and I have had to get him more blankets on a number of occasions and get nurse attention for times he needs immediate assistance. Last night I figured I needed to bring Bob a sweater, some mittens and some warm socks. When I got home I had Miguel look for something that would fit easily over Bob's shoulders. And that is when it became clear - a bathrobe would be perfect....we have a bathrobe - Stewart's bathrobe. Bob needs it..... a perfect fit!

Today Bob happily donned the robe and he looked instantly much more comfortable. The socks were a hit - and I hope he might put on the mittens when he feels the bad shivers coming on.... Thank you for the gift Stewart* .... a little bit of magic....

*Stewart - now, if you could possibly work some magic and let those lottery ticket numbers finally win, we would be very grateful....

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

very sweet ALMOST brought a tear to my older meaner eye stewart was a nurse so it is very fitting that his bathrobe would give warmth & comfort to someone in the hospital klk

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful story. Amazing how things work out in the strangest way. Nice that you could help this man through Stewart.
Nora

Wendy said...

klk--
You are so NOT mean. I never knew that Stewart was a nurse. Anyway, what a special tale.
Wendy

Anonymous said...

WTG Stewart.