Mesa

 

July 8, 2026

Last Day

 

Last day in Mesa

Canasta, dishes, poetry

Plus a good night’s sleep

 

Good old college try

To win games with my daughter

Twenty-one to three

Mesa

 

July 7, 2026

Preparation

 

Drove to Walmart

To see if I could drive post hospital

Will go home soon

 

Worked on poems

Played Canasta with Lori

Ate three big cookies

 

Staying up late

Can’t go to bed full of sugar

I’d get a headache

Mesa

 

July 6, 2026

Recovery

 

Woke up with a snore

And got up at four

And began the day with prayer

I worked on each poem

I write when I roam

To record what I did over there

 

I played Canasta with Lori

Losing’s my story

Did dishes, went back to my room

Went over things to do

When this vacation is through

Mesa

 

July 5, 2026

A  Bit of Celebration

 

We walked to church at the usual time.

Not our home church, but here in Mesa.

With few cars in the parking lot,

we knew something was up.

 

We went into the foyer half full of cupcakes,

Red, white and blue, and a 250-years banner.

I spoke to the lady at the desk.

The three services had been combined.

 

We missed it, but we could watch online.

We thanked her and took cupcakes.

His was red, mine blue, extremely sweet.

My little bit of celebration of a great event.

Mesa 4th of July

 

July 4, 2026

Quiet Celebration

 

While others played, picnicked,

and watched fireworks,

I stayed quietly inside,

listening to music and stories,

recovering after my hospital stay

and thanking God for our country--

just Him, my family and me.

Thank You God for my country,

my family and all that You provide.

Mesa back to Lori and Eli's

 

July 3, 2026

Thankful

 

I’m thankful for Lori taking care of me.

Taking off work to spend time in the hospital.

Clarifying what the doctors told me.

Playing Canasta and helping me to the bathroom.

 

I’m thankful that this didn’t happen

While I was in the UK.

I’m thankful I had a wonderful trip.

 

I’m thankful that the stroke was small

And I’m pretty much back to normal.

 

I’m thankful that I was discharged.

 

I chose a GIF,

a cute white kitty

doing the Macarena,

to describe how I felt

being released

from the four-day stay

in the hospital

that ended my vacation.

 

Mesa Baywood Hospital

 

July 2

 

Unexpected Tour

 

We went to Scotland

And toured castles, some in ruins.

We went to England’s Lake district

And heard the ducks sing their tunes

 

In Wales, we toured the gardens,

Rode a train, ate some food.

I avoided the blood pudding,

Though they said it’s very good.

 

This all was in the plans

For the trip to the UK,

But what I didn’t expect

Was at Mesa for a stay.

 

I woke up rather dizzy,

With my head off kilter.

My daughter said your pulse is low.

In the hospital, you’ll get better.

 

So there I was in an MRI

With a board for a bed,

Listening to the bangs and clangs

To see if something’s in my head.    

 

I was poked and prodded

All through my four-day stay

I’m bruised like I’ve been fighting

An evil enemy all day.

 

Then I’m walking down the hallway

With gown flapping in the breeze.

And I’m sure that all that showed

Wasn’t just my knobby knees.

 

Tomorrow I’m headed home

And then a new trip is in store

But I pray next time I’ll skip

The hospital’s four-day tour.