Being With Frieda

I am in the ICU waiting area of Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville, NC.
I have been with Frieda twice now. Once was with Nancy (Young Nancy, as I call her) and Jess, Frieda's youngest daughter.
Frieda looks peaceful and comfortable. She looks so, so much better. The doctors are slowly reducing her sedation which is a good thing.
Frieda responded immediately to my voice. I was stunned. When I spoke and said "Frieda, it's me." She started to raise her left arm and squirm. She opened her eyes for me and though there was no "focus," that was enough.
We were told she could have music in her room. I was pondering that on the drive up. I was thinking about how much Frieda loves music, how music we talk about music and how many trivia nights she has won at M&M's during the winter months in Oriental. Frieda will be pleased to have her TUNES! I am going to bring my iPod boom box type thingy so we can line her up with what she truly loves.
On many occasions, Frieda and I would have our Senior moments and those are hysterical. We each knew what song we were thinking of, but not then we'd "hum a few bars" then start laughing when we both knew the song, but couldn't remember the title. In a couple of hours, of course, the title would come to us. If Frieda had already gone home, my phone would ring or hers would ring NO MATTER WHAT TIME....and whoever remembered first, blurted it out.
We have a wonderful "competetive spirit." NEVER have we competed "against" one another. We complement each other and we give each other a healthy level of support. Even shooting skeet, shooting pool, guessing song titles, talking about the 4.5 million subjects we talk about, Frieda and I have such a beautiful relationship.
I know she knows I love her. She's not the mushy type. I am. She's not the huggy type. I am. Though I never hold anything in reserve on how I "feel," I knew Frieda just isn't the mushy type, so I just love her so much in my heart and sneak in an "I LOVE YOU" or a hug every chance I get.
We love our girls together. We pity people who have LOADS of children together and just laugh and laugh! We are women in the middle points of our lives who are loving every second of it. Our kids have made us proud and continue to, but we are loving our independence as "women." We've each seen a lot in life and we each have had similar experiencess. That's our foundation and our love is our constant. It's our True North and I can honestly say, I could never, ever have a better, more trusted friend than Frieda Hudson. Holding her hand a few minutes ago gave ME comfort. Isn't that typical? There she is a few doors down the hall in an ICU unit...giving me comfort, reminding me with a raise of her hand, telling me she's here.
I'm here too Frieda. I'll be here now and for the long haul. I love you and I feel better just being near you.

|