The Conversation

Yesterday, when I visited Patrick in the hospital, we had a great conversation. As I walked up to the door that was partially open, I read the caveats on the door sill. "Please talk softly, don't upset him, etc." all of the precautions that one might expect with a brain injured patient. Through the crack in the door, I could see him smiling as he was talking to a lady that had been reading beside his bed. As Patrick introduced this lady, I had the feeling that I had stepped into the Academy Awards as his praise for her was so profuse.

"Hi, Unc, good to see you, are you just passing through?"

"No, actually Patrick, I came to see you."

He looked good with his dark beard and shaved head as he lay there in bed eating the finger food for lunch with his fingers.

"They feed me all the time here, but that isn't what I need most. I need to get to the Lighthouse, so I can do some rehab to help myself get better. Tomorrow, they are moving me there."

"Wow, that is great!"

Patrick quickly shifted the conversation, and I felt like I was being interviewed. "Still live on the river? How is the Mrs? How is that job going?" His humor was shining through, but the last question left me in a quandary. I retired a couple years back, and this question along with some other ones made me realize that Patrick's memory of the last couple of years was a bit scant. What should I do so as not to disturb him with this new information, but still tell the truth. I replied, "Ya, I retired. Spontaneous move, didn't give it much thought, but I'm glad I did it."

Patrick's follow up, "What do you do with all of your down time?"

"I haven't worked on Christmas music for many years, but I am now working on compiling a Christmas CD"

"Great, would you make me one?"

"I'll make the first one for you."

As the conversation took other turns, "How is the Mrs." again, I can see that Patrick is doing his standup comic routine, even though he is laying flat on his back. Then he said, "I have to go to sleep now, cause I need my rest." We finish up the conversation and I depart.

As I drive back, I really hope that Patrick will be moving to the Lighthouse today and that it isn't just wishful thinking on his part. Later, the lady at the laundry mat confirmed this fact. There have been three fund raisers for him and he is a celebrity in at least two counties, if not more.