The Same and Different

Today Daughter and I finally got our flu shots. There has been a shortage around here. I'd tried several times before, but without luck. So today there was a festival at the fairgrounds, and the visiting nurses had a limited amount of vaccines they reserved for it. So, I picked Daughter up from work and took her to the fairgrounds. We got in line an hour before the clinic began, and were among the lucky ones who got our shots.

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Because Daughter has type 1 diabetes, she is very high risk for the flu. I had the flu about 19 years ago, and was pretty sick. My doctor told me I had to get the vaccine every year, so I have. The only vaccine for H1N1 in our county is earmarked for health care workers. Hopefully there will be more soon, and I will be able to get it for Daughter.

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I now have two people on hospice. They are also the two people in nursing homes at a distance. I'm taking communion to one of them tomorrow. I also need to go to the hospital tomorrow. One of our men is in the hospital with heart problems, at least according to the grapevine. If I'd heard from the family, I'd be headed to the hospital tonight.

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Daughter continues to be more reasonable since I put the name brand patch back on her. I'll have to talk to the pharmacy to see what I need to do to make sure she doesn't get the generic again.

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We're falling back into the routine. Much is the same-- I deal with pastoral care needs and plan worship and write newsletters. In the midst of the sameness is a difference: Mom and Dad are dead. I can't call Dad to tell him about the special delicacy I found at the festival today. Thanksgiving is just over a month away, and there are no plans for a family celebration. My life is the same, yet it is different. Someday this will be normal, but for now it is different.