Day Zero Plus Forty-two – Harrisburg or Bust!

Keith asked his dad to cut his hair for the wedding.  In typical Keith-fashion, the request was made Friday morning, before our planned departure for Harrisburg.  Jeff was getting his infusion at the time so the “three” of them went into the bathroom – Keith, Jeff and his old dancing partner, the IV pole.  Keith emerged from the bathroom clean-shaven and hair buzzed.  All set for the big day as Best Man to his brother.

By noon we were off to Harrisburg in two cars, the guys (Keith and Jeff – and Addie, too) to the tuxedo rental store in Mechanicsburg and the girls (Kim and me) to the hotel in Hershey to disinfect doorknobs and surfaces in advance of Jeff’s arrival.  I had hoped Jeff’s energy could be conserved by having someone pick up his tux for him but Kerry insisted that the fit be checked by the professionals.  Of course, Jeff wanted to do whatever the groom wanted him to do.  It turns out he was two sizes smaller than when he was measured pre-transplant.  The store didn’t have his size so they had to drive to another store to get it.  

Then we were off to the rehearsal at St. Lawrence Chapel in Harrisburg.  We met Tom, the wedding coordinator for the parish, and Father Acri, the Andrejacks’ former priest.  We had our first peek at the beautiful chapel, a stunning setting for a wedding.  After Father Acri and Tom instructed Keith on where to seat Jeff and me, we were finished our job and could relax and enjoy watching the young people practice their roles.  Only a few tears escaped but what about the wedding day?  Would I be a sappy wreck?  I hope I don’t blubber.  

Jeff’s sister, Debbie, and her husband, Larry, who were in from Michigan, joined us for the rehearsal dinner at The Cellar in Camp Hill.  We began with appetizers and drinks in the bar.  The restaurant was unexpectedly short-staffed which everyone took in stride.  After all, they kept bringing delicious appetizers and they managed to find a can of soda (they only had diet lemon-lime) for Jeff which he drank with his packaged cheese stick.  We had dinner upstairs in a private dining room.  Jeff ate a chicken dinner we froze for him at home and brought along for the occasion while the rest of us enjoyed such delights as Lobster-Crab Mac and Cheese, Filet Mignon and Salmon.  I hadn’t anticipated how long dinner would last and we did not have Jeff’s evening meds with us.  That was a mistake.  He grew more and more uncomfortable in the chair and eventually roamed the restaurant trying to alleviate his shoulder pain.  I offered to take him back to the hotel but he did not want to leave early.

We returned to the hotel by 11:30 p.m. and collapsed into bed.  I gave Jeff his backrub and hoped it, along with Neurontin, would help ease his pain enough to sleep.