Derek meets Santa

Derek is my Grandson, his mother is my daughter Ann.  He is tall with blond hair and has blue eyes.  He is married to a sweet wife and has 2 wonderful, energetic young sons.  He is always happy and kind to those he meets.

He drives a big truck for the trucking company Swift.  He is traveling on the road many days and nights, delivering the goods to stores that we might do our shopping at, but he loves being home, enjoying his family and playing with his sons.

It was around Thanksgiving time when Derek started not feeling to well, he had sort of a stomach ache.  It was the busy time of the year, with the Holiday Season, and with Christmas was just around the corner, so he was busy delivering merchandise to the many stores and not thinking to much of himself.  He still wasn't feeling too good, but kept on working, day after day.

When he arrived home after a run one evening, his stomach was really hurting.  He knew something was terribly wrong.

The first thing the next morning he went to the doctors, then straight to the hospital.  Before he knew it, he was in surgery, his appendix had ruptured.  He was a mighty sick young man.....

After surgery he was placed in a room with a roommate.

Now this roommate was a jolly ole man, with a round rosy face, white hair and a white beard. 

When Derek began to feel better, his roommate and him started to have a nice relationship.  They would talk and laugh and share about their families, work and life....  I think maybe Derek even shared some of his hopes and dreams of what he wants for a future.

Derek would tell his roommate that he looked like Santa Claus, they would laugh and his roommate would tell him that he has been called that before.

They each met each other's wife and some of their family members and became friends..

Derek's roommate was released from the hospital a day or two before him, they said their goodbyes and wished each other well.

It wasn't long after his roommate and his wife had left, that a nurse came into the room and handed Derek an envelope.  It was a Christmas card and inside the card, was written a nice message and a $100 bill.
The card was signed, 
Santa and Mrs Claus.

Derek was in the hospital for almost a week, but was very happy when he was release and able to go home and be with his family as he recuperates.  He will be able to go back to work just after New Years.

I'm sorry that Derek was so sick, it will take sometime for his incision to heal and he will have to take it easy as he drives the big truck delivering his goods.

But not everyone can say, that when they were sick and in the hospital, that their roommate was Santa Claus, only Derek can, and he has a Christmas Card to prove it too......