Well, just like the rest of this year, my plans and my reality didn't quite match up.
As soon as Mike and David decided to go up to Indiana to help his mom out with her mastectomy this week due to her husband being in a nursing home/memory care facility, I asked Juan to not make any overnight plans with friends for the three weeks they'd be gone. He and I would find something fun to do together for New Year's Eve, especially. I had considered flying up to Indiana at least for a week, but then decided against it because I'd be flying there and back alone. Juan's new job does not give him vacation time yet. My mother-in-law has another surgery on the 11th, so Mike and David won't come home until after that. So I agreed to teach Inter-session at school starting on January 3rd and make some extra money doing that instead.
Then out of the blue we found out that my father-in-law was on 100% oxygen and was not expected to make it through the night. He thankfully did make it through that night to give his wife time to get permission (COVID restrictions) to see him before he passed away the next night.
Well, Mike and David already had tickets to fly up three days later, so Juan and I got tickets to fly up a week later (tomorrow) for the funeral. Which meant I had to tell my principal I would need a sub for the first two days of inter-session before I would make it back. I felt bad because I had agreed to teach 5th grade bilingual, which isn't easy to find coverage for, especially when everybody is on vacation. They are kids I already taught both in Pre-K and in 2nd grade, so I was really looking forward to it. Then I spent the beginning of this week preparing for a last minute trip up North into the frigid cold. I also had to take a day to go in to the school to leave plans and make copies for a sub to cover those two days of inter-session. Juan gave me a gift card to Chili's for Christmas, so I was going to use it to treat us to a nice dinner together this evening before heading to bed early so we could leave for the airport at 3:30 am.
Juan told me on Monday night that he had a strange cough, so I sat at the opposite end of the table from him at dinner just in case it might be something contagious. He came home Tuesday night and texted me, saying, "Mom, I think we might have a problem." He was running a fever, had a headache, body aches, and felt really weak.
He got tested the next morning, and they said he'd get results sent in 24-36 hours. We hoped for the 24. He quarantined in his room since he came home from work on Tuesday, and I just deliver his meals and meds to his door and text him to tell him they're there. He sadly did test positive, so we had to cancel our flights and will not be able to attend the funeral. Nor will we even get to celebrate New Year's together this evening. I'm out in the living room, and he's in his bedroom.
So guess what? I ordered Chili's to go and delivered it to his door, along with a New Year's hat. And I just made a cheesecake to have something to celebrate with at 12:00. No twelve grapes (a Colombian tradition), no card games, and no special drink. Me in the living room. Him in his bedroom. And Mike and David in Indiana an hour ahead of us.
I couldn't have made this year up if I even tried. From start to finish. Oh, my. 2021--you have definitely been a memorable year.
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