The season that defines regifting

I slept better last night, once I put the heated mattress pad on the bed.  I also dug out my vaporizer and turned it on. 

I slept in with Biscuit, got up and fed him, did my grooming, and got dressed.  We went to work. 

Work was pretty standard.  We gave the sandwich delivery guy his Christmas present, and got a pie in return.  Ron and I won't eat a whole pie, so we regifted it to one of our drivers.  Ah, Christmas.  The season that defines "regifting". 

I did my work and helped Ron, then we left. 

I felt pretty lousy with my head cold, and was looking forward to going to Walmart and getting some new 12-hour mucus pills.  See, the stuff with the cough suppressant in it made me really jittery.  I really need the 12 hour plain mucus relief pill. 

Ron arranged with Chuck to meet us at a fast food location, then go to Walmart.  Chuck has had some medical problems, and they've prevented him from driving for us on one occasion. 

He saw his doctor this morning, in fact. 

Ron and I went home from work and I took a short nap.  It was pretty good considering the short duration.  I had the heated mattress pad on, and Biscuit joined me, so we had a good time.  I had planned to get up early and do my God Time but I didn't. 

We got picked up and went to the fast food place.  Ron made a mess eating and we discussed his need for a smock when eating foods with sauce.  I told him I would use my stain remover to remove the stains and things would be fine. 

Chuck called.  He was at Walmart, looking for us.  Ron explained.  Chuck said he would be over shortly. 

Chuck arrived and didn't want to eat.  I found that odd.  He loves their chicken.  I found out later his health problem had manifested at Walmart and he had taken medication for it. 

On our way out the door, Chuck collapsed in the parking lot.  Crap.  My first thought was that he'd had a heart attack.  He seemed coherent, said he was OK, I gave him his glasses.  I helped him sit up. 

His health problem had flared again.  Bad Word. 

From a selfish standpoint, that meant we were stranded at the restaurant and would not be going to Walmart.  From a merciful standpoint, that meant Chuck was stranded, too. 

He called an ambulance, they came out and checked him.  They said it was pointless to transport him to the hospital because he had just seen his doctor.  They also refused to let him drive, not that we would have ridden with him like that. 

Bad Word.  Chuck called someone who could meet him later, and we called a cab.  We had to call a couple of drivers before we found one who could do it.  He showed up before the ambulance left. 

Ron and the driver had a lively discussion of politics while I silently lamented the loss of my 12-hour mucus pills, Depakote, and Lithium 3-month refills.  Ron had already made a trip for tomorrow. 

Well, I sighed to myself, I'll just have to wait.  I certainly don't want to ride in a car with a sick driver.  Things just don't go the way I'd like them to. 

I was hoping to spend tomorrow in bed, nursing myself back to health.  That's not going to happen.  I will go to Walmart, sick (sorry, people, I hate it when people do that, myself included), and run my errands. 

Thank God I don't have to do it on the bus.