Chapter 24: Thanksgiving Day

It had been only a few weeks after his stem cell transplant when he’d received the green light to go home for a few hours to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family. Before leaving the hospital, he’d had the routine check out procedure of blood tests and vital checks. Although he was still enormously fatigued, he couldn’t wait to spend a ‘normal’ day out of the hospital with his brother, sister-in-law, and dad at home.

X’s dad picked him up at the hospital early in the afternoon and they went home. X had the privilege of leaving for just a few hours. He had to return to the hospital that same night. Arriving at home, X’s dad helped him into the reclining chair where he stayed the entire day. S and D arrived and they quickly began preparations for the Thanksgiving meal. X channel surfed on the television, falling in and out of slumber at any given moment. When he was awake, a gross fatigued was present.

X sat in the chair in the family room, listening to his family preparing cocktail hour in the kitchen. He heard them preparing things as they began speaking louder and louder with each new round of drinks. S came and sat next to X at one point. He’d asked X how he was doing in a friendly sort of tone. X barked back at his brother, “how the hell does it look like I’m doing?” He’d instantly felt bad about the comment and how he’d reacted. X should have understood that it was a difficult time for himself, but also an extremely difficult time for his family. His brother had expressed a genuine concern with an open heart and X twisted it into something ugly.
After a long cocktail hour, the food came out of the oven. X could smell the delicious foods drifting in the air, yet he could not eat. He couldn’t even think of eating anything. Despite this, he had been happy just to be present for this Thanksgiving meal. Just hearing his family and being close to them during the celebration was so comforting for him. X had been so comfortable at home that he didn’t want to leave. He slept profoundly in the chair next to the roaring fire, falling in and out of consciousness without effort.

Late in the evening, his dad awoke him to return to the hospital. Although it was just a few hours with his family, it was a Thanksgiving he’d never forget.