True Christmas Superhero!

So Cadel got a major infection in his port-a-cath just days before Christmas. We were faced once again with having yet another Christmas Day in hospital but the quick thinking staff who are more then aware of how much time Cadel has spent in the hospital put an action plan into place straight away. Their actions allowed us to be all together on Christmas morning, at home, with a nurse coming to administer his daily drugs. 

While it wasn't the Christmas we were dreaming off, we weren't waking up in different places on Christmas morning. We had planned on visiting my family 4 hours away and for almost a week we would stay there, relaxing and spending time with family and enjoying the town I grew up in, including enjoying the salty air and rejuvenating nature of the beach. We were all so excited about it and had planned activities and had talked about it for weeks and when Cadel was firstly admitted and then discharged and had to stay at home we were all very sad and disappointed. Then we realized that it would be just the five of us at home and we would have to have our own little Christmas, this party planning addict got a little excited.  We went and salvaged what was left in the shops for our Christmas table. We started to plan our menu and we all were excited about Christmas once more. 

Although we all missed being surrounded by family we facetimed and had several phone calls and messages back and forth to keep connected through out the day. We made up some new little traditions for our family and we had a good day and created some great family memories. I'm sure the kids will look back in the years to come and laugh at the silly photos we took and reminisce about how much they enjoyed the Bon Bon crackers and loved the silly glasses that adorned their place setting along with Christmas lights on the table! I'm sure they will not look back in regret as we were all together and not cramped up in a hospital room. 

Although a big low point in the day would have to be holding down Cadel on the kitchen bench while a new needle was placed into his port as it wasn't working very well, I couldn't help but think of the poor nurse who was actually doing the procedure. I'm sure it wasn't what she had envisioned for her Christmas day either. 

They are true heroes, nurses. Here is this women driving around to several patients throughout the day administering medications and doing observations. The super hero in civilian clothes also came bearing gifts for Cadel and his brother and sister from the Hospital In The Home team. How special, we also made sure that we had a tiny gift of gratitude of a box of chocolates for her to munch on as she drove around to all her patients throughout the day. I hope that she got to go home to a cooked Christmas dinner and was surrounded by her family who truly appreciate how much her job means to family like ours. 

I would also like to impart on you to never take your health or your families health for granted. Appreciate what you have and yes sometimes our families can drive us all a little bat crazy with their little annoying habits but spare a thought for those who me included wanted nothing more to be surrounded by my family but for unseen circumstances it didn't happen. Yes my family will 'redo' Christmas but you can't 'redo' the real magic that happens on Christmas Day. 

From me and my family, we hope you all had a great Christmas and wish you all a big stack of health, wealth and happiness for 2014 and beyond. May you forever have fun in your own bubble. 

K