As some of you may have heard, my oldest brother was in a terrible car accident late Thursday night. So this blog is coming to you live from the Twin Cities hospital ICU. The good news is that things seem to be looking up and I am very thankful for all your kind thoughts and prayers. Now before you start thinking it's in bad taste to be blogging and Facebooking while my brother is fighting for this life, this is just how I deal. I come from a long line of emotionally unavailable women(aka living robots) that use humor inappropriately in time of crisis. And quite frankly, the doctor just wrote us all some Xany and I need to get this blog written before it kicks in! Even a robot like me could use a little prescription help to get through this.
When the frantic call from my mom came in early Friday morning, I rushed to get ready for the four-hour drive to the Central Coast. After throwing some mismatched clothes in my overnight bag, (You should see the outfit I'm wearing! horrible! Lucky for me the people in Paso Robles think a fanny pack is fashion forward.)I immediately went to my bookshelf.
Knowing I would be spending the next several days at his bedside, I was very thoughtful in my book selections. Not just for myself, but for my family too. When you go into these situations, you really want to bring something to the table, to feel like you are helping in any small way. And even if I can't be emotionally sensitive, at least I can provide proper reading material!
LIZ'S TRAUMA DRAMA BOOK LIST
For my sister-in-law:
1. My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler
Obviously, my first thought was comfort for my brother's wife. What does one read to be distracted from the fact that your husband has a thousand tubes coming out of him? I decided Chelsea's graphic book about her vagina adventures while in her twenties was just the ticket. Also, each chapter stands alone as a short story, making it easy for my sister-in-law to feel like she was accomplishing something each time she finished one. And I like to think that this small milestone will make her Type A overacheiving-self feel a little bit of control in a situation she has no control over.
For my Mom
2. One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell
My mom's book choice was bit tougher. This woman never sits down and spends so much time on her cell phone that I'm surprised it hasn't melded to her ear. So finding a book that will hold her attention is quite the challenge. I thought this story about the tenants in an upscale building in New York City might just be able to do it. And if she ever gets off the phone I'm going to ask her to take a look at it.
For the BFF
3. I'll Have Who Have She's Having by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
Of course I brought this too! What better way to force people to read your book than when they are trapped in a barren ICU waiting room for days at a time? The funniest part of this is that the BFF is a 50 something guy who picked up our book in desperation last night. The even funnier part is that he couldn't put it down and keeps peppering me with questions about Kate and Kelly! But, hey, a fan is a fan. I'm not picky!
For the beautiful sister(um, that's me, in case you were wondering):
4. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
Although I'm not afraid to admit that Bella and Edward bug the shit out of me sometimes, their werewolf versus vampire teenage angst can really take your mind off what's really going on! For me, I like my crisis fiction to be as far away from my real life as possible. Cuz that's how I roll!
And anything is better than the copy of Arthritis Today on the table that keeps calling my name!