Hungry. Hungry hungry hungry HUNGRY. I woke up fantasizing about food, mainly Middle Eastern food (hummus, tzatziki, flatbread, salads, ARGH). Maybe it’s because I’m beginning to think/plan about the meal I want to prepare for my family the next time I have a break. I’ll miss Easter but if my calculations are correct, I should be home by Palm Sunday. I always do a Middle Eastern spread for Easter dinner. Fairly simple fare, really, but so sooooo good, and I make everything from scratch (well, except for the flatbread). The meal centers around lamb of some sort, usually a roasted bone-in leg, but I think this year I’ll make it easier on myself and use those yummy fat little chops and either grill or broil them. Hmmm… I just had an idea. Leyna has been baking like a mad thing lately and she may enjoy researching recipes for flatbread. I may assign her that task! I hope the hoarding hysteria has died down by the time I have to shop for ingredients or I may be in some trouble.

Whoa. Sh*t may be getting real here at the hospital regarding the coronavirus crack-downs. Hospital administrators have been meeting all morning trying to hash out protocols for dealing with incoming visitors. Right now we’re looking at one designated visitor, per patient. Said visitor cannot come and go from the facility to, say, run pick up food or supplies for the patient. There have been discussions about discouraging or outright banning of ANY return visits during the duration of the patient’s stay at the hospital. So far we’re only in the discouragement phase and I’ve told my nurses that Rory only comes to see me once per week. Still, Rory was planning on coming down this afternoon so that means that I won’t be able to see him again for at least another week, more like a week from this Saturday, since he’ll be back on a regular work schedule by then and won’t have time during the day to nip down to see me. Blurgh… this whole thing is turning into a bit of a nightmare.

Yep, it’s official. Visitors are now being actively discouraged from visiting more than once. Rory brought down a couple things that I’ll need, including a little makeshift “washing machine” (a large Mason jar with lid and a small bottle of laundry soap. I have to have SOME way of keeping my underwear clean!). Lord knows how much longer I’ll be here this time but this is going to be one long, lonely stretch. FaceTime is great but really isn’t the same as being in the same room as your loved ones. *Sigh*