Forever Family

Our plan, to be on the road at 8:30 AM, heading for Niagra Falls and Niagra On The Lake, to visit Lawrence's cousins, was derailed, when Lawrence was hit by a fierce and aggressive respiratory bug in the middle of the night. Sweating (which we attributed to him having a slight fever), stabbing/piercing chest pain with cough, and difficulty swallowing/breathing due to a constricted feeling in his upper respiratory tract, were all the disconcerting symptoms he was experiencing. So..... in the morning, we went to a walk in Medi-clinic, where a doctor felt he should go the ER to have a cardiac assessment as she felt he may have experienced a 'heart event', given the severity of his chest pain, difficulty breathing and his cardiac history.

Off to the General Hospital ER, we went! He was taken in immediately, and after an ECG, some blood work and a check up by the attending physician, he was given a green light to leave, with good cardiac health!! Thank goodness!!

 

His cousin, Tami, who had been delighted and excited to host us for lunch, supper and a tour of their pretty city, was called initially, this morning, to say we would not be able to come.....then called again to say, he was feeling better so we would like to come, but not for lunch.....then called again to say we were tied up in emerg, longer than expected, and would still come, but only for supper and an evening visit! She was soooooo accommodating! She and her husband, Gary, welcomed us warmly, into their beautiful country home when we arrived around 4:30 PM.

 

Her sister, Debra, joined us for supper and together, these 3, first cousins, who had not seen each other since their teens, experienced the comfort & familiarity of family ties, that bind us, no matter the distance that separates or the infrequency of connections!! Conversation, involving life stories, reminiscing and recollections, flowed easily and with genuine interest, capturing with certainty, that family is forever!

Tami & Gary made an incredibly beautiful, delicious meal and treated us like royalty! And......as we prepared to leave, she had an amazing care package filled with gifts to take home (for Laura, us and Trudy & Ed), homemade baking for us to enjoy during our final days in Hamilton and some 'fisherman friend' lozenges for Lawrence's cold symptoms!

It was a great, heart warming evening spent in the company of good, good people......people whose goodness, like Lawrence's, is rooted in the kindness and generosity of their family of origin (Trudy's family) and their Mennonite heritage!

 

 

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