We were only hearing sad news after several months into the global pandemic. Cases were continuing to rise and new restrictions were continuously being implemented. Travel had come to a complete halt. As a part-time travel agent, I spent most of my time dealing with all the trip cancelations that my clients had previously booked. Special celebratory plans, such as milestone anniversary cruises, were scrapped, and even more disheartening, families were not permitted to visit their distant loved ones. Our oldest daughter, who lives in the UK, was expecting our first grandchild the Fall of 2020, so I turned on the news daily, hoping and praying to hear some good news. I kept wondering whether this pandemic would ever eradicate and if travel restrictions would ever be lifted. Would we be able to meet our grandson at the time of his birth? Sadly, the virus wasn’t going away and we would not be allowed to travel yet.

On September 16, 2020, we got the phone call that my husband and I had been anxiously awaiting. Our first grandson, Oscar, was born a few weeks early. My brave daughter was alone much of the time during her hospital stay, because of hospital visitation restrictions. We were all so disheartened that my husband and I couldn’t fly to the UK to meet our grandson and to be with our family to help them out during those first few pivotal days and weeks, when new parents are desperately trying to adapt to the overwhelming newness of parenthood. I can’t even imagine enduring a global pandemic when I had my children 30 years ago and cell phones were nonexistent. Thank goodness for the invention of phone apps that provide video chat, as it was the only way that we virtually met our grandson. My daughter phones us regularly, which allows us to experience Oscar’s daily routine and development and to not feel as isolated and detached. I am forever grateful.

Throughout Oscar’s first year, we all nervously awaited news if and when travel would be allowed. We decided that either my husband and I would travel to the UK or my daughter and son-in-law would travel to Canada during the summer of 2021, the first opportunity for a visit from their work schedules. My second vaccination was not yet available. They volunteered to travel to Canada despite all of the complicated logistics involved in travel planning. They were excited to see all of their family and friends in Canada and to introduce Oscar in person. We purchased the airline tickets and went online everyday to view the mandatory travel requirements. Rules were unclear, overwhelming confusing, and changed daily. We were unsure right up until they were scheduled to depart of whether quarantine would be mandatory. By the time they would be travelling, we did know that they would be required to pay for and take four separate PCR tests and complete extensive online forms. Luckily, I was able to get my second vaccination before their arrival so we all were relieved to be fully vaccinated. I prayed that there would be no travel mishaps and counted down the days until I would finally be able to hold my grandson for the first time.

Their plane was delayed and they were all exhausted when they finally landed late at night and got Oscar settled into his crib and themselves settled into their bed. I laid awake most of that first night, so eager to cuddle my grandson. I had barely slept when I heard Oscar whimper at around 6 am the next morning. I got up as I did every morning during their visit and couldn’t wait to snuggle and care for him. He was the happiest little guy, never making strange with me or anyone else, and providing endless cheeky smiles. We had our morning routine which included regular walks to our nearby park. I loved every minute spent with Oscar and felt so grateful for their visit. All of the sadness and loneliness that I felt during the uncertainly and isolation of the pandemic immediately disappeared as soon as Grammy was able to hold her beloved grandson.

My husband and I planned to travel to the UK to spend Christmas 2021 with Oscar even amidst further travel rules and restrictions. There were a series of mishaps that we endured prior to leaving. In addition to completing onerous online arrival and departure forms, we both felt it was necessary to have the third vaccination. It wasn’t available to us until mid December because of our ages. The day we became eligible, I went on various websites and made numerous phone calls until I was extremely fortunate to find bookings for both my husband and me. We felt comfortable that we both would have three vaccinations before departing. Most friends that I spoke to advised that they had to wait several weeks for their appointments, so the only explanation that I have in securing those early bookings is that somebody was looking out for us.

The next step was having the mandatory PCR test. We had confirmed scheduled appointments for late afternoon two days prior to flying. When we got to the test site, we were abruptly informed by the unapologetic receptionist that my test had been cancelled and that there was nothing that she could do to help us. While we may have panicked because we knew all testing ended by 5 pm, I calmly looked up and phoned several testing facilities as we were driving home from the facility. Unfortunately, none were available that day. MedSavvy, a pharmacy that I had never heard of, suddenly appeared on my phone. I was drawn to phone it and was answered by a very kind pharmacist who promised that he would do his best to fit us in that day, but that he was currently very busy. We immediately drove to a residential neighbourhood that we had never been to and luckily were greeted by the pharmacist who was now alone in his compact store. By what I call divine intervention, we were able to have our tests completed that day by the 5 pm cut-off and show proof of our negative results at the airport. My husband and I breathed a huge sigh of relief as we finally boarded the plane. We would finally be able to see our family.

Words can’t express how happy and thankful we were to finally hold our grandson again . Oscar had grown so much since our summer visit and was the same smiley boy who is pure joy to spend time with. Grammy was so thrilled to change his nappy, feed, bath, read and play games with him once again, and of course snuggle him. One of my favourite sayings is that when life gives you lemons, then you make lemonade. In our case, when life gives you a global pandemic, you learn how to adapt and live within this new normal. There may be additional hurdles and inconveniences to endure, but nothing is ever going to stop us from snuggling Oscar, who is our silver lining and gift during these difficult times.