She Got Pneumonia... Now I'm A Transformer

My twin sister was admitted to the hospital recently with pneumonia and the flu. She was placed in the Critical Care Unit due to her extremely low oxygen level and the severity of the pneumonia. Needless to say, I spent the week afraid and worried, but now that she is home I have a story to tell. I ask her for permission first, of course, and since our family handles everything with humor, she granted it, and so here goes....

I was sitting in my sister's hospital room with her, while she slept. I had been so worried about her that the room felt heavy with silence. Just as my thoughts were getting serious she opened her eyes and looked at me and she said "Go and get us some passes.". I said what? She said "Go and get us some passes.".

I paused and thought, she is not clear of mind, and then I decided to just play along, so as not to upset her. I responded with What passes? She said "The ones like Mallory (our niece) got us the other night when she was here. We can leave and come back. She got three of them.".

At that point, I leaned up on the edge of my chair and I said...well, what do they look like? She said "like Army I.D. things, you know....I said Dog tags?....She said "Yes.", then in a low and conspiratorial voice she said "and they are silver and gold. Now go and get us some.".

I remained on the edge of my seat and I leaned forward and I said let me ask you something. She said "What?". I said where did y'all go? In a tone that implied there was no place else in the world they could have gone, she said "We went to get smoothies.".

Now while I was mulling all of this over she looked at me in a most serious manor and said "Did you know we are transformers?". I said What? She repeated "Did you know we are transformers?". I said No. No I did not. She said "Well, we are, and I'm the Blue one, and Mallory is the yellow one, like her truck. I said well I hope I'm pink, because I love pink and she said "Oh, you are." I said awesome! She said mother is the purple one. I said good because that's mother's favorite color.

She said "We transform when we are out with our passes.". I said we do? She said "Yes, we do. You should have seen the people in the smoothie shop step back when we came in. Transformers are intimidating, but we are nice ones." I said good I like nice and I know they are.

Then I said, but we've got a problem. She said "what's that?". I said I have absolutely no idea how to transform.
She said "Girl, all you've gotta do is hit the street and you transform. It's amazing." I said the only thing I could think of ...Awesome!

She dozed off again, at that point, and I sat there and thought, it can't be lack of oxygen because she has a direct line of that going in. Next thought... Oh snap, she's lost it, and just wait until I tell mother she's a purple transformer.

Before panic could completely set in our Mother walked into the room. I told her everything about the conversation I had just had with my sister and she said I am going to speak to her Doctor about it. Later that afternoon when the Doctor came by my mother stepped out into the hallway to speak with him. I heard her explaining that my sister was confused. His answer was "a bit of confusion is common in cases like this." Then I heard my mother, in her "Outside voice" say "a bit of confusion? She thinks she's a transformer!!" He chuckled and tried to reassure my mother that my sister would be fine.


I left that night and came back early the next morning. When I walked in the room I looked at my sister and I said Do you still think you are a transformer? She said "No. I do not." I said well let me just tell you right now that I have no intention of relinquishing my super power just because you have regained clarity, and we are getting transformer t-shirts.

She laughed and then she explained to me that the Doctor had come around and told her that he was diagnosing her with diabetes and that her confusion was due to an extremely high blood sugar level. I hugged her tight and told her that I was so grateful to hear that she hadn't completely lost it, and that I loved her dearly.

Most importantly, I silently thanked God for the healing of my sister, and for the gift of standing in that room with her that day, our birthday. It was the best present that I've ever gotten. She is such a huge part of my heart. I am so grateful for the blessing of her in my life. I have had more than one reminder this year to never take for granted the moments that you get to spend with those that you love. Cherish them...I know I do...

P.S. Sister, I'm still looking for those passes, and when I find them...we're gettin' our pink and blue on... I want a smoothie...I love you!!