Family is Hygge
For those that don’t know, my sister, Maryn, was skating
down a hill and fell backwards onto the road, fracturing her skull and neck. She
had a brain bleed and had to undergo brain surgery, ultimately removing part of
her skull to allow the pressure to swell and dissolve on its own. She has a
long road to recovery, but thankfully she has been doing so well that the end
of the road is in sight. Soon, she’ll be going back to the hospital to have her
skull replaced and we’re all so excited for this part of the journey to be
over.
The accident occurred an hour away from my uncle’s house, so
while my sister was rushed to the hospital, my parents were able to stay in the
comfort of my uncle’s home. My grandmother and I drove up a few days after, and
we stayed at my uncle’s as well. He and his girlfriend fed us and cared for us
in the ways that we needed. They helped us feel supported and loved. They visited
Maryn when they could, while the rest of us visited every day (there was a day
or two that my grandmother and I stayed back because it was a lot for my grandmother,
and I still had schoolwork to finish up).
Even people who are not family offered support. Some of Maryn’s
friends reached out to support in other ways. One friend created a GoFundMe to
help with the cost of hospital bills and groceries, as my mom and I were not
working at the time. In fact, our place of work offered as much time as we
needed. Our coworkers diligently prayed for my sister’s safety and healing.
Strangers also reached out to my mom and expressed that they would pray for her
daughter. I will be forever touched and grateful for all their kindness and
generosity.
I mention all of this because it’s helped me see life in a
different way. I’ve always believed water can be thicker than blood in some
cases, and in the case of my sister’s recovery, it has proven true. My family
and I never thought we would be given the support and love that we have. Though
we were suffering from anxiety, stress, grief, sadness, we were also given the
sense of love, being held, being seen in our time of need. Being at the hospital
was stressful with all the noises and other patients, but with the kindness of
others to focus on, it was like little glimmers of hygge.
The most hygge of all was being able to come home to my
uncle’s after a day spent at the hospital, with his glowing living room that
can be seen from the end of the driveway and wine glasses ready to be filled. I’m
crying as I write this: I am so grateful for the hospitality that he and his
girlfriend offered us while they were busy with their own lives. They always
had meals planned and the fireplace ready to be lit. Their generosity was simple,
but it was everything. They continue to lend us their home as my sister has a consultation
coming up and the next surgery. They are the two most welcoming and generous people
I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
Family is hygge. Family gives a sense of belonging and comfort
you may not find anywhere else. There is strength and support in family that
you might not know you have until you need it, but it’s always there. Family
may not be blood-related, or they may be friends, but considered family all the
same. I am so grateful for those that showed up for us.
There’s more that I haven’t mentioned and if you are someone
that has reached out in any big or small way, please know that I am grateful for
you, too. I also didn’t use names for the sake of privacy because this blog is
public. If you’d like to donate to help with her upcoming hospital visits or
share my sister’s story, please click (or copy and paste) this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/maryns-road-to-recovery
Thank you so much for reading <3
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