This little story might interest, in particular, my new friends at the M.E. forum, especially the part about friendship, which I shall get to eventually.
For those reading this who are wondering what M.E. is, you might like to spare five minutes to watch this little video. She explains it briefly in a light-hearted way, and yet gets the point across beautifully.
I'll try to make this short, however, I'm not counting on the success of that, so no promises. [A little recent history to set the scene.] Hubby had a steroid injection in his shoulder last week and the lidocaine they gave with it—which, by the way, we had asked NOT to be given since he reacts badly to it—made him sick for five days straight. He has since ceased vomiting, (sorry for the graphic), but is still "dingy" (his word). Being smack-bang in the middle of an M.E. relapse myself, this has not been the easiest week, especially as both dogs have needed medical attention as well:
Loki had an ear-mite flare up—he is prone to them—because of the recent warmer weather.
SXLLM
I had just got him right, when Layla needed to go to the vet for gastritis.
[I will put your minds at ease and tell you that both dogs are now fine!]
So this afternoon, Hubby asked when I was next going to the shops as he needed some different food that he could get down. [Those who know hubby will realise that because of all his past surgeries this means things he doesn't have to chew and that will slide down easily. Anyway, I as usual digress.] Worth bearing in mind at this point that I had been to the shops a few days ago and loaded up on stuff so that I didn't have to return for quite a while...
Got to conserve energy where one can.
Nevertheless, I got dressed and hobbled to the car using my trusty walking cane, which I named Poppy, since she is covered in them.
To cut a very long story short(er), Prudence, the car, struggled going across the crumbling creek which traverses our driveway, and suddenly I felt a judder. Stopping the car, getting out to peek underneath, my heart sank. The whole muffler was on the ground!
Luckily, I'd remembered to take my mobile phone, so called Hubby from the driveway beyond the creek. Again luckily, he picked up. The resulting conversation went something like this: Hubby, (recognising my mobile number on caller display): "What's wrong?" Me, (a little embarrassed and more than slightly stressed): "Well… I think I broke Prudence." Hubby: "What? How?" Me: "I'd just got across the creek and felt something dragging, so got out to look, and the entire exhaust is on the ground." Hubby: "You mean the end of it?"
Me: "No. The whole thing is off. Must have caught on something in that horrible creek. " Hubby: "Oh, shit." Me: "Indeed." *Silence* Hubby: "Let me call the Hill boys, they'll know what to do." Me: "Okay, good idea." Meanwhile, I was thirsty, still stressed, and entirely not well enough for any of this crap.
[There went the trip to the shop. Okay, I'll admit it. My heart really wasn't in it. Nor, more's the point was my body. But dang it, I was all set to go after all!] After what was actually just a few minutes, but seemed like hours, Hubby called me back to tell me our wonderful friend, [I'll just call him Mr. Hill here], was on his way.
When the latter arrived, he trussed up the exhaust with a little wire so that I could at least get her back across the creek, meanwhile to us getting her fixed. [She needs a new bracket, (around $8), but the exhaust itself is okay. Could have been SO much worse!] I decided to forgo the thus far ill-fated trip to the shop, at least for today, because I was now too exhausted from the stress of the situation and did not feel well at all by then. Mr. Hill then said, "What was it you needed at the store?" Me: "I have a small list, not too much on it as I just did a big shop, but hubby needed some things." After glancing at the list, Mr. Hill took it from me and offered to go to the store for us, since we are both poorly. While waiting for our friend to return, I reflected on recent conversations about friendship I had been privy to on the M.E. forum I am involved with, and what the word "friend" really means. I concluded that THIS was how true friends behave. Mr. Hill and his family have been our friends for a few years now, and we have helped each other out more times than either of us care to count. I am pretty sure the balance is tipped in their favour, though, since we aren't so fit and healthy as we would like, and haven't been for some time. However, they are the kind of people who understand that. They also understand that we would do anything for them, as much we are able to do, as they would for us.
THAT is friendship!!
