Sometime around 3 a.m. the cell phone rings again. Granddaughter is sick, too. Why we need to know this in the middle of the night is beyond us.
My fears of my car problem being self-inflicted are unfounded. (Phew!) Apparently some critter crawled up under my hood and chewed on the plug wires. Weird, as this usually only happens when a car is idle for an extended period, which mine hasn't been. Also the battery is cracked and leaking, and the backfire has cracked the air filter housing cover. I have them do the battery (which normally I'd do myself, but I'm in a bind for time) and plug wires, will have to wait a day for the cover; figure I'll skip the cover until we can get back home.
At dad's house, I offer again to work up a program for the funeral tomorrow. We don't have all the details in hand yet, but I format it based on a sample and save it to fill in the blanks later. Problem is, afternoon viewing is 3-5 (family at 2:30) and parish office closes at 4. So, go to pick up daughter and non-sick grandkids for afternoon viewing. When I arrive, I'm asked to come up to the room after all, to press a shirt for grandson. At the last minute, daughter decides granddaughter must've just overeaten, as she hasn't been sick any more, and she gets her dressed, too. Oldest grandson is still not feeling well. We go to viewing, and after a brief while, I take sister-in-law aside to get remaining info for program. Then, to church office to pick out clip art for cover; to dad's house, which is locked; back to funeral home to get key; back to dad's house, finish program, then print 3 times as I spot a formatting error and make a printing mistake; back to parish office just before they close; back to dad's house to call the car shop. Car is ready. They close at 5. Back to viewing for a few minutes, then go to get car. Oldest daughter and kids go with me, so they can head back to hotel from shop (which is pretty much along the way).
Car seems fine when I first start it, but then doesn't want to idle once it warms up. The interior is getting fumes, too. Do I have an exhaust leak, too, from the backfire? It's going to have to go back.
Both viewings simply packed. Evening includes a memorial service by the LAFRA, in which mom was very active. Dad is a past national president of the FRA, and mom was national chaplain of LAFRA. They've traveled to funeral services for deceased members throughout the country, and now they are receiving as they have given. The service is very emotional, which annoys dad a bit, I think; he'd prefer they'd maintain more decorum, as is their norm. But they've really loved and treasured mom, and it shows.
Oldest grandson comes along for evening viewing. He's not feeling nauseous any more, and has eaten. They leave soon after the LAFRA service. But daughter calls again before we leave, asks to talk with wife's cousin, who's a doctor. Oldest grandson experience pain on right side. No fever, though, but could still be appendicitis. A couple of movement tests ultimately lead to an ER trip, where we meet them when we leave the house around 11. Doc there agrees appendicitis is likely. Grandson is terrified before getting stuck for blood tests, IV; he's seen mom go through this stuff for years, and she has notoriously bad veins, but afterwards he agrees it wasn't so bad. I baby the car back to sister-in-law's house, by which point the blood work has confirmed a highly elevated WBC count. Next up is a CT scan, with the expectation that he'll need an appendectomy in the morning.
I'm feeling pretty stressed out about the car situation, too. I don't know whether the fumes and the poor running are both due to the air filter cover, or if I'll need a separate trip to an exhaust place. If so, at least I know a good one in town.
There's been too little time for individual prayer these last few days, and I'm feeling stressed. Help me to trust in you, Lord.
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