Holidays at the hospital

In the past couple of weeks, I’ve seen Christmas decoration displays already in stores. Every year, it seems to happen earlier.

This year, it reminds me of Dad.

Mom and I ate several times at the Albuquerque hospital cafeteria last November. On one visit, the staff were putting up some Christmas decorations. It seemed odd and out of place as a family member of a very sick patient, but hospitals are also workplaces for many employees. Why shouldn’t they be able to enjoy a little cheer?

Upstairs, Dad was heavily sedated, and knew not where he was, or what time of year it was. He would hang on for almost another month, before passing five days before Christmas.