Saturday, March 15, 2008

It Started with a Phone Call .... or .... Giving and Receiving

Wednesday morning I got a phone call from my friend, Brandy. She was crying. She was sooo sick, her hubby had worked nights and was sound asleep, her baby, Abby, needed a diaper change and Brandy couldn't even lift her and she needed gingerale. I got to her place as soon as I could delivering gingerale, getting Abby cleaned up and fed and ready for an afternoon nap and waited until Jason had showered and was ready for the "afternoon shift". When Jason went back to work that evening I went and spent several hours with Brandy looking after Abby, tidying up, emptying the dishwasher and loading it, fluffing Brandy's pillows and tidying her bed, feeding supper to Abby, bathing her and getting her ready for bed. I left after Abby was tucked into bed and Brandy was ready for bed. I was glad to help ...

Over two years ago now, I spent 7 weeks in bed and I had friends who came and helped the entire time. Friends from church and my homeschooling group delivered meals for my family, offered to taxi my kids back and forth to events, and even brought one daughter a new swimsuit when they noticed hers was getting thin at swimming lessons. One friend from church delivered a whole box of movies for me to watch while I was laying in bed! Many friends came by or e-mailed that they were praying for me. So many researched and offered solutions to my health problems and many of them worked. One friend connected me to an Osteopath who was vital in my recovery.

So, when I had the opportunity to give back to a friend in need, I was glad to do it. What I didn't plan on was that the flu is the gift that KEEPS giving!! (Just for the record, this isn't the first time I've helped a friend in over 2 years, but it's current so I decided to blog about it!)

Andrew and I both invited folks to our house last night ... two different families who had never met each other. When I realized it and tried to get one to come a different night, it wasn't possible. So, they all arrived here for the afternoon and evening yesterday.

Problem was, I woke up in the morning knowing I was getting sick!! I wasn't sick enough to cancel ... until they were in the driveway and I was in the bathroom!! YIKES. Too late. Thankfully, I have wonderful friends who helped get supper ready and one husband even barbequed the burgers because by late afternoon, Andrew was also starting to feel sick.

By bedtime I was feeling a lot better, but my poor hubby was as sick as a dog. He was sick all night long and has been snoozing on the sofa all morning. He was supposed to sing at a funeral this morning, but had to cancel.

So, I've learned ... the flu is the gift that keeps on giving!!! My advice ... try not to get it!

PS. not for one minute do I regret helping a friend in need. It was a joy to do it and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

6 comments:

Rhonda said...

Vicki - you are one of the greatest Friends out there. I'm so glad that you were available for Brandy. How Wonderful for her!! (Maybe next time you should come equipped with a hospital mask.)

Vicki said...

Hospital masks ... what ingenious inventions! Maybe I should keep one in the bathroom closet for the next time ... just in case!

Nana Cheryl said...

This flu is nasty. Hope it passes soon.

Amy said...

Well Vicki--I do believe that Brandy & Jason may have got it from us....my whole family had it last week (Mike & I at the SAME time!!) my neighbours helped out..and VOILA--they are NOW SICK!!
Thankfully my kids had the flu shot, so they didn't have much of it (Isaiah had it overnight and woke up a runnin'!!) I, on the other hand, lingered 4 days with it!! UGH!
I hope you feel better soon!!

Tammy said...

that's what it's all about. Paying it forward!!!!! It's great to know that there is someone to call on when sick. Nothing worse than being sick and having to care for a baby at the same time.
I remember being terribly sick while pregnant with Ryan and I had a friend come over a clean up after me. Now that is servant hood......
Blessings to you Vicki and hope you and your fam. are feeling better!!!!!

Sombra said...

I have better advice.. Next time God calls you to serve at the bedside of a friend, take a bottle of Lavendar oil, and leave drops about the room, and when you leave, drop some onto your hands and rub it in.

Then when you get home, you make yourself some lovely garlic butter and make yourself a sweet plate of garlic bread.

Then you keep having garlic bread at every meal for a day or two.. just to fight off that virus.

God does need his servants to tend to the sick and the needy, and he needs them healthy.. so go..serve and stay healthy!