A Homemade Take Out Christmas Lunch with Mom at St. John Rehab Hospital, Toronto

We came back from our U.S. trip a few days before Christmas. No matter how nice our trip has been, it  always feels good to be home.

Knowing that we would be away most of December, we put up our Christmas decorations and lights in late November. Therefore when we came home in late December, the house was aglow with Christmas lights and decorations.

What a warm welcome home and a nice feeling!

However, my mom fell and cracked her hips before we went away.

It was nice that my sister and brother took turn to look after her during our absence at the rehab hospital. So it was my turn to look after her as soon as we got back.













Unable to be released to go home for Christmas, Mom was very happy when I told her that we would bring a meal to share and spend time with her on Christmas Day!

I made her favorite food: shrimps and salmon, a few kinds of soft green and yellow vegetables, some meatballs and appetizers. I even brought a tablecloth, plates and cutlery to the hospital so that she could feel that it was a special day for her. We put the home made food in a basket and took everything we needed with us.

We got to the hospital a little past 11am to make sure that she would not have lunch yet.

She was very happy especially when she saw E. coming to greet her. She liked the fact that E. came all the way from the States to visit her.

We set everything up in the visitors' lounge and enjoyed our Christmas lunch. I kind of felt bad when another family came in with one of the patients who looked at our Christmas lunch, yet all he had was a sandwich from the hospital.

We finished our Christmas lunch and left the room quickly so that other patients could have the use of it. Mom was eager to show us what she could do with the aid of her walker.

We took  her down to the lobby, enjoyed a hot drink and asked her to open her presents there.

Mom always spends Christmas with all or most of her children and grandchildren. This year was the first time we did not have our big family Christmas dinner together.

I was glad Mom did not spend Christmas alone and that we could spend this special day with her. It was a blessing!

R.T.
St. Johns Rehab Hospital
Toronto