Massey and the "BUBBLE" of Life

When I got off from my lunch shift I went home and picked up Massey and we headed into downtown Atlanta.

My father's cousin, Frances had a triple bypass and two other operations within the past week. She looks GREAT! Still as sharp as ever and in great spirits. Her niece (I believe) was there with her and was a pleasure to finally meet. She acted as if she had known us all of her life and made us feel right at home. The hospital seems to be giving Frances excellent care and I was amazed at how good she looked and seemed to feel. Not one complaint came out of her mouth the entire visit. I think a good mind set is some of the greatest medicine there is, therefore Frances is well on the road to a full recovery. Massey and I both promised to come see her when she is moved to a rehabilitation home here on the south side and told her to let us know anytime she needed anything.

After that we drove on up Peachtree to the Sheperd Center. A young girl who works with me was in a car wreck driving to Tampa to visit friends. She was temporarily paralyzed on the left side of her body. The wreck was over three weeks ago and she has just been moved to the Sheperd Center. She was in the recreation room when we got there. She was sitting by herself at a table in her wheelchair, waiting for her dinner.

When you walk into a recreation room at the Sheperd Center, you immediately realize how very lucky you are. It is at BEST heart breaking. Young kids, teenagers and adults all facing tremendous challenges and obstacles. The staff is incredible and I know that she is in the right place, it just breaks my heart that she has to be there at all. Security is really tight, you have to sign in with security before even going up to the floors. I know that it is a great facility and she is in excellent and caring hands.

She seemed not to really recognize me at first...so I jokingly said "Hey, It's me... KELLY from work!" She weakly said "hey." When I quickly recovered from the shock of seeing such a spirited and vivacious 21 year old sitting in a wheelchair, I plowed right on talking (because that's what I do) and she seemed to come around. It just takes a few seconds for her to absorb and process information and I really do talk too fast. I told her all the work gossip and caught her up on things. She started to perk up and I could see the old her coming out. They placed her dinner in front of her and we watched her pick at her macaroni and cheese and totally avoid the lame piece of broiled fish. I told her Massey and I were going to the Varsity to eat, and we could bring her back something.

Massey and I were even MORE shocked to hear that this poor girl had never eaten at the Varsity!! It is almost criminal to live in Atlanta and NOT eat at the Varsity. I told her what all they had and she said she liked hot dogs. I told her about their great onion rings and famous "PC" (plain chocolate) ....the best chocolate milk I have ever had. She seemed up for it so I headed back to the nurse's station to see if it would be okay to bring her back some food. The nurse said she had her feeding tube out now and was on a regular diet. I told her I was going to the Varsity...I wouldn't call it's food a regular diet, but the nurse said it would be okay. Another nurse perked up and said how she loved their hot dogs. Another asked if they still had F.O.s (frosted orange) I told her they did and we would bring them chili dogs and an F.O as well.

We headed back down to security , asking the guard if we had to sign out if we were just going to get a patient some food. He said we did and I told him we were just going back down Peachtree St. to the Varsity. He said he liked naked dogs. That is the terminology used at the Varsity for a plain hot dog. I told him we were getting the nurses some and we would get him one too (they are only $1.84). In 'Varsity speak' I said "One naked dog walking." At the Varsity that means one plain hot dog to go. He said quickly, "You know, don't even bother to sign out, just go on and go...and don't you DARE get me a peach pie." The Varsity is famous for their fried pies as well.

Massey and I scooted back down Peachtree St. to the Varsity and ate in the car..."The World's Largest Drive In" (another fun fact about the Varsity.)

We had the NICEST car hop . A friendly smiling guy that just catered to us like we were sitting at a table for two in The Four Seasons. After he took our order, Massey said "He is my favorite here...we should always ask for him."

When he came back with our huge to go bag for the Sheperd Center, I paid and gave him an $8.00 tip.

You would have thought I had just handed this man a hundred dollar bill. I mean with me and Massey eating and food for the patient, the nurses and the security guard (don't you know we bought him that peach pie) the tab was around $37.00. I had bought my son and husband a couple of dogs and onion rings as well to take home. Dang though, I fed eight or nine people for $37.00. Not bad, and it made me feel good. I always tip at least 20%...it is in my blood, especially when they make an effort to be nice. The crappy servers even get 15% from me...just to make them think "Hey, how much would she have left me if I had really tried?"

So we trudged back up Peachtree again with our Meals on Wheels.

The security guard had a replacement. He said the other had just stepped away for a minute, so I left his naked dog and peach pie with his partner.

The nurses couldn't believe it when we walked in with their chili dogs and F.O.

One of the nurses said we were her new best friends. I don't know if you have ever heard of the Sheperd Spinal Center in Atlanta, but it is a highly respected facility. Christopher Reeve went there after his accident. These doctors, nurses and therapists do some amazing things for their patients. If a hot dog from the Varsity makes them smile, I say my buying them a chili dog is tiny compared to what they do for these patients every day .

Finally we came back to my friend's room.

My friend liked the hot dog...scarfed it down in a New York minute, I held her chocolate milk to her lips with a straw and could see how good it tasted to her. We fed her onion rings and fries and gave her a napkin to wipe off her Varsity lip gloss. (Everything is greasy at the Varsity...in a good way if you ask me)

People have done so much for me over the past few months that it made me feel good to do something for someone else for a change.

Massey made the comment when we were first driving to Atlanta early this afternoon...she had a theory that her best friend's cousin proposed while in Myrtle Beach .

God and love are like a bubble. Some people have the bubble so tight around their body that you don't even notice it is there. Some people have a big enough bubble that you can actually see it. Some people's bubble is so huge that it covers them and everyone around.

On the way home in a beautiful twilight driving through downtown Atlanta (a really fabulous city) my daughter remarked that she felt like our bubble was pretty big right now. She said we visited Frances, met her niece and hopefully made them feel better, went to see my friend and made her feel better, met the nicest car hop (in her words "He was AMAZING") made his day giving him a well deserved great tip...made the security guard happy (when we left the Sheperd Center, we bumped into him coming around a corner with the hot dog stuffed in his mouth, carrying his peach pie on a plate) we made the nurses almost giddy...they were also cramming food in their mouths at the nurses station when we left and all smiled and thanked us.

Massey and I are going back to visit both our friends later this week. This time all the grease will go to Crawford Long Hospital for Frances' relatives who are staying with her. Sorry Frances, but after a triple bypass...I don't think the Varsity would help you ...it would probably give you those three extra years of age I gave you in a past blog and possibly a clog. Maybe I will bring you an "F.O" how bad can a frozen orange drink be, even from the Varsity?

My bubble does seem to feel bigger and feels easier to breathe in.

My daughter can really know how to make me look at the big picture and see the beauty.

PAY IT FORWARD...a motto to live by.

Frances is doing amazingly well, despite being in her sixties (you're welcome Frances) on the road to a full recovery I am sure and has a great support group of family and friends. "A tough ole bird" as we say in the south...no dissing intended...in the south that is a true compliment to a strong willed... minded... and independent woman.

My co worker is in one of the greatest facilities in the nation and I happen to be lucky enough to live outside of that city and can go see her often.

All in all...a good day for me and one that made me realize once again how truly lucky I really am .