The Pink Blanket

An old blanket becomes a great source of comfort

Back in the mid 90's when I was pregnant with my first child, I had morning sickness and an office job that I had to keep because of the health insurance. Some days were better than others and I could battle through the day fighting nausea while doing my paperwork. Other days I was not so fortunate. I would make it to work ok then smell someone's perfume or inadvertently get a whiff of the coffee pot and I would try get to the bathroom before it was too late. I tried anti-nausea medicine my doctor prescribed-it worked a little bit but made me so sleepy there was no way I could do my job. I tried ginger ale and other stomach-soothing remedies but needless to say they all eventually came back up. Once a girl at work asked my what I liked to eat since becoming pregnant. I replied "Jello" since it was the least offensive food I could sometimes keep down.

There were some days I could not make it to work at all and I would spend those days sleeping and reading books. This was before the internet was a thing. In those days reading, listening to the radio/stereo and watching TV were the main forms of entertainment. In one of the books I read there was a young girl who had Down Syndrome. My son ended up having Down Syndrome as well. Was the book trying to tell me something? I don't know. But I enjoyed immersing myself in those books to get my mind off my stomach.

I would sleep in my office during breaks and the air conditioning felt extra cold that summer. I had a jacket that I wore each day in the office but I was still cold. One day I decided to bring a blanket to work for the times I needed to lay down. I brought an old pink cotton one that my husband had kept from his childhood days. It was stained but it seemed very cozy. As I laid down on the carpeted office floor pulling the blanket over me, I felt comforted. I used it for the remainder of my time there until our office moved to a different building and I had a cubicle. One of my co-workers asked to borrow the blanket one day and I was happy to oblige. There was a peaceful feeling with the pink blanket even though it was stained and old and I was glad to share that feeling.

I don't remember what happened to the blanket since that time. But I do know that sometimes it is in the small things, the seemingly unremarkable things, where you can find the most comfort.