no real news

Just more waiting. Annika went back to the O.R. almost 11 hours ago now. I sang her her favorite hospital song, a rather repetitive tune I made up to a Shel Silverstein poem back when she was a baby.

Bear in There
By Shel Silverstein

There’s a Polar Bear
In our Frigidaire—
He likes it ’cause it’s cold in there.
With his seat in the meat
And his face in the fish
And his big hairy paws
In the buttery dish,
He’s nibbling the noodles,
He’s munching the rice,
He’s slurping the soda,
He’s licking the ice.
And he lets out a roar
If you open the door.
And it gives me a scare
To know he’s in there—
That Polary Bear
In our Fridgitydaire.

Annika only asks to hear this song when she's in the hospital. And then only when she's scared, and about to be sedated for something.

I always feel bad when I hit the line about being scared. I didn't choose the poem for its meaning way back then; it was just fun and easy to memorize and easy to sing. Most importantly, it wasn't "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," the 6 notes of which wore out their welcome pretty quickly.

But now she's older, and she listens to lyrics when I sing. I worry about sending her off to anesthesia with a song about scary things lurking in unexpected places. Who knows what kids dream about when they're under? Do they dream? About scary polar bears?

That's the song she asks for, though, every time she's scared. Maybe just to hear that it's OK to be scared, and OK to sing about it. I don't know.

Jörg noticed that the time stamp on my posts is off by 2 hours (earlier). Evidently Typepad moved me to California sometime during their recent upgrades. I can't change it back right now (for kind of boring technical reasons that I won't elaborate), so I'll have to remember to mentally add 2 hours to every post if I ever reconstruct this timeline.

I tried Kathy A's alcohol hand gel remedy for greasy, overly stressed, underly styled hair. I ended up looking a tad bit like John Travolta in that movie(s?) where he had the really strange stiff hair.

But then I remembered that I did own a comb, and, what do you know, I think there may have been some improvement. Thanks, Kathy!

Comments

[Dea]

Still following along with you out on the West Coast. Thinking of all of you.

[Karen/Jzygale]

Yay for hand gell hair washing! Still with you, still praying for all of you. I added the donor family to the list--there's plenty of prayers to go around. :)

[Hannah]

Here and listening - just commenting to send more of the best wishes I have.

[Vicky]

I don't think at moments like these that Annika will be analyzing the words to that song too closely. It is the comfort of the familiar, and I am sure she did feel comforted as you sang it to her. I hope that it helped you to sing, too.

Keep on; 11 hours has gone that you don't have to live through again....

I'm not sure if you find my comments helpful - I just thought it might occupy a nanosecond of your time in reading them, and then again there's the "people are actually taking notice" thing that I hope might help a bit....

[Tanya]

I feel as though I'm keeping a vigil with you. It's heading towards 8pm here (Australia) and I'm pretty sure I'll be checking back throughout the evening/morning.

Stay strong.

[Helly]

Mid-evening on the other side of the Pacific and following along on your longest night.

My little guy's birthday was yesterday so a big shout-out to Frankie too!

[Kathryn]

It's Thursday mid morning here - all your posts came in while I was away from the computer/asleep last night so now I am going to light a candle for Annika and for all of you.

[keri (auburn gal always)]

Still with you here in Alabama. I blogged about the events before going to bed for the few hours of rest I did get. I am certain that my 8 followers are praying also.

And what I would have given to know about the hand gel as a styling aid last year when my mom had spinal surgery!! Oh well. Its stored way in the coconut now for my next hospital vigil.

Time to click refresh again.

[Phantom Scribbler]

Thinking of you all here, too.

[bobby]

Still here in the mile high city.its 4:am, and time for the dreaded lactulose. still prayin/
. Love Bobby and Sharon

[Rev Dr Mom]

Still praying and holding you in the light.

[Jenn]

Moreena,

I'm dozing in and out with the laptop at my side. Still holding you guys close at heart. Much love-

[Alice]

( )

[moxiemomma]

checked in several times overnight. we are all still out here waiting with you. constantly in my thoughts.

[Lee]

You are all in our thoughts.

[Jennifer]

1pm in Switzerland and we're thinking of you in this time zone too.

Best best best wishes

[kathy a.]

glad the hand gel trick worked for you! hanging out in waiting rooms, you gotta develop wilderness survival skills, ya know?