Monday, February 9, 2009

The list of...is this the right list?

So...people, including you, blog people, are amazing. AMAZING. Since we first got a whiff of bad news, we've been INUNDATED with kindness of all kinds. Offers to give us food. Care for the kids. Drive us places. Pray for us. NOT pray for us. Do the woo-woo dance for us. Vet our MD choices. Tell us your stories. Tell us you are thinking of us. It's a big load of awesome, and you, blog people, are really, really deserving of all the good, best things. We'll be repaying everyone for the rest of our lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you. So now, I'm trying to figure out how to harness the kindness without knowing, at this point, what we might need. Here's the general lay of the land:
  • We need babysitters for a couple of appointments we had anyway. This has nothing to do with the surgery, so don't be duped into thinking it's helping us in a way we wouldn't normally have asked. So...that, but we've probably got it covered. (thanks MNMs)
  • We then also need babysitters for a couple of MD appts. This could include picking up the kids from their so-awesome preschool. At this point, we're a bit in the dark about how long it takes to talk to surgeons and jump through their hoops.
Once the surgery is scheduled, we'll need a couple of specific things:
  • The day of surgery, we might need someone to take the kids to preschool. Or pick them up. Or both. And to hang with them until I come back from the hospital.
  • The week after the surgery, if the kids can't visit Jamie, we might need people to help me take care of them while ~I~ go visit him in the hospital every day. I'll be working FT, but after work would like to be able to see J for a while before I go make things as normal as possible for the kids. Again, whether they can visit, visiting rules and hours, all unknown.
  • The month after Jamie comes home, he'll be not doing much. And possibly bored. He might want a visit, but since he's vaguely surly at the best of times, he might want no visits. He might appreciate funny e-mail. Facebook jokes. DVDs or music. His mom will be staying with us that first week after he comes home, and she's amazing. But after that, I don't know what J will do with his time or how he will get his needs met.
  • He also can't drive for the next 6-8 weeks after surgery. Since I'm concerned about the impact to our $$ if I take time off work, I might ask someone else to help drive him to a few of his follow-up appts. Which might be numerous or not. So many unknowns.
Food.
  • We would love a few meals, and would be a huge relief to not have to think about every one of them during the time right around the surgery. BUT... hum. But we ALL are going on a cholesterol-conscious diet. Forever. Jamie's problems are hereditary, which means the kids have to eat the same healthy things he does. This means our foods need to be super low fat, low-processed, low...whatever it is I like in food, I think I can't enjoy it again. Jamie is living vaguely vegan right now (he eats fish and fish oils, but no other meat, dairy or eggs). I hate having to follow other people's food restrictions, but as with many things, the thing I most don't want to do is the thing I'm doing. So...vegan. PITA, but there it is. So, while we would worship you, it might just be more than most people could do.

I don't even know what to say. It feels all grabby to put this out there, but...I am. And I hope it's clear: I love everyone who has offered. We are grateful and humbled. Thanks...

12 comments:

Lee said...

Well as someone who KNOWS vegan food, let me know when I can drop off dinner for your family. And you're so close by, too, so that is easy-peasy.

xox

Anonymous said...

I can't help much with the other stuff, but I can order you the best vegan take-out I can find! (Lee, your help would be awesome here. :)) Do you guys have Netflix yet? I could get you a gift subscription. Let me know!

Irish Gumbo said...

Rebekah: You are more than welcome. I have been thinking about you guys a lot. I wish I was closer (see my post today, if you need a brief diversion), so I could be more directly useful.

And I didn't know the woo-woo dance was an option! Now that I do, I am furiously shakin' my moneymaker! Woo Woo! :)

Anonymous said...

I can do meals, pick up/drop offs etc. I can be yours on certain days... and can probably do some tag teaming with Joi on some stuff. (like I can pick up and drop them at her place on days I have work etc.) we are here for you.
Don't worry about being grabby. this is a time when you should grab every ounce of love that is thrown your way and hold it tight to your chest.
love you.

Amy *aka willa* said...

I've got the dirty/bad/sundry filthy Facebook jokes covered.

I can do a few meals at least.

Depending on the kids comfort level with me, I can come and do pick ups and hang out with them, help you get them into bed, jammies, books, post kids bedtime drinks, etc.

What are good yummy vegan treats???

Jason, as himself said...

I'm so glad that you've got people around you that are able and happy to help. And all this time I thought only the Relief Society took care of families in need.

I would love to help, but I live a zillion miles away, so I guess I can't babysit or drive. I like the idea from elliesmadre about ordering vegan take-out for you, or something like that. I really want to help out. . . please let me know what I could do. Don't be shy.

radishly said...

Yay! I'm so glad to see this list. I'll email you specific availability, but we and our car and our vegan eats are here for you.

Unknown said...

I have a meal train in the works for you..... so feel free to give my email address to ANYONE who offers and I will hook this up. I also would be happy to come over and watch the kids and to bring Jamie strange and funny dvds :)

Squirky said...

I never have to be at work until 10:30 or 11, so I'm almost always available in the mornings for transportation or whatever!

I bet Grilch and I can come up with some excellent music and movie packages to entertain Jazzbo while he recovers. (I'm guessing that "Fragging" might be too much strain... but we can supply plenty of Frag too!)

nicole said...

I can do some meals...cleaning and laundry too.

Jenn Crowell said...

Ex-vegan here, I can hook ya up with some foodstuffs!

(Joi, can you add me to the meal train?

jenncrowell AT mac DOT com)

UrbanHippieMama said...

What a wonderfully perfect list, thank you! I can do food and have a few yummy vegan tricks up my sleeve. Sending love & peace.