Nature Songs ~~~~
November 8, 2000 - Survival was the main point of interest for yesterday. The boys actually did quite well, I have to admit. They were up around nine, but laid around for much of the morning. I took them over to spend some time with Mother. We all went to play Bingo. The boys each helped different residents with their playing cards while I worked with Mother. DynoKid lived up to his name and sat between two ladies to help each of them. By the end of the game he had all four cards in front of him with the ladies looking on. One of them won a fifty cent game and split her win with him. The man BingoKid was helping had to leave early when his son came into the dining room to pick him up and take him to vote. No problem for BingoKid. He just moved over and played the two cards for himself. Meanwhile NascarKid got to sit with the lady next door to Mother. She was really excited to have him take time to help her and was smiling the most I’ve seen her smile since being there.
The optical nurse called yesterday to bring me up to date on the procedure planned today. The requested cornea arrived in Hickory on Monday. I had a few things to check on and the nursing center had the list of things to prepare for today. All of this was relayed to my brother and we agreed to meet at the surgical center at eleven this morning. While Mother is in surgery we will go out Highway 127 a short distance and have lunch together at Joel’s Kitchen as we wait. I only hope and pray that Mother is able to lie still for the hour for the work to be done satisfactory. They do not want to put her to sleep. They much rather have her awake.
My plans are for me to leave a little earlier than usual in a little while to sit in the steam room before I get into the pool for exercise. I probably will leave the water a few minutes early to get ahead of the others to dress more quickly and head down the highway to Hickory. I missed yesterday and feel I really do need to workout this morning. It may help some of these aches and ouches that keep poking out needles of pain chasing around out of control. Boy, the ultra sound treatment would feel good, but I’ve hem-hawed around and failed to call and reschedule the one I missed. Now I hate to call it has been so long.
Guess the next spell of time will be a good indicator of how stress affects my joints, sinus problem, sleeping, psoriasis and Fibro. It will be necessary to spend more time with Mother because we are going to have to keep a close watch on her. She has fingered her eyes so much in the past after surgery, and the last time she had the dressing off the eye before the next morning. We’ve been discussing the possibility of having to tie her hands enough that she can’t reach her eye. She will be as ill as a hornet, but what has to be done will have to be done. Maybe mittens on her hands would work. We will have to watch and do things one day at a time. There is the possibility her system could reject the transplant. I shall pray and ask God to take it all into his advisement and we shall follow his choosing.
I’m off to begin yet another new adventure of life. I only pray that the Lord will be with me.
Night has come and we have all survived the day. Mother’s cornea transplant surgery is successful for now. We are all hopeful that it will heal and her eyesight will return enough to help her do a few things for herself. Today has been quite an adventure working with her. She has an excellent attitude about not being able to see for the time being except for one small fact. She expects to be able to do everything for herself with no help from others. As I was leaving the nursing center this evening the staff was getting a pair of mitts for both her hands. She has the idea that it is okay to put her fingers under the edge of her bandage as long as she doesn’t touch the incision. They may end up giving me a call to come sit with her and monitor where she places her hands.
My brother and his wife spent the whole time of waiting along with me today. While Mother was in surgery, we were given a beeper in case we were needed and left to have lunch. We chose a grill that offers a large assortment of home-cooked foods which is very close to the surgery center.
November 9, 2000 - Looking back I see where I was extremely long-winded yesterday. I wrote over eight hundred words for my journal entry. Today was more on the normal side of life. After missing two days, I made it to my water exercise group. With the rain it seems there were many who didn’t want to come out in the weather to workout today. There were only six of us which provided plenty of room without having to watch out for those around us. Afterwards, I stayed in the steamroom for nearly a half hour and would love to have stayed longer except I was steamed well-done and didn’t need to push my luck at over doing a good thing.
Two trips to the nursing center took a large chunk out of the day and I can already see Mother wanting me to keep it up indefinitely. She got a good report from the doctor this morning and everything is looking good. The patch dressing is off for good, and we had to get out her new sunglasses for her to wear to discourage so much rubbing with her hands. At night she has a protective covering to use, but it is not prescribed for daytime use and being that she is at the nursing home, they can only do what the doctor has written for them to do. Last night she ended up with mittens on both hands to protect her eye. It may be that she will have to wear them some more with her determination to have her own way.
I returned home this evening to find a package at the front door. Seems the mail lady must have come by blowing the horn of her car and I didn’t hear it. I had to be home resting when she delivered the mail, but she had put the package behind the storm door since it was raining. It was a new monitor for me to try out for the group that furnishes my testing supplies for diabetes. They called me earlier and asked it I was willing to try out a new one at no expense on my part. Now to read up on the directions for use and give it a try. I already think I may like my first one a little better. It is easier to regulate and use according to the quick glimpsing through of the booklet.
The rains have come. The fires are being controlled and a lot of firefighters have already returned Westward to their homes. However, many ads are asking people to be especially careful and not do a long list of things in order to help prevent another flare up of fires. The drought conditions will continue through the winter it sounds like. There is mention of trees and yards dying because of lack of water. Some towns are having to ration water, wells are still going dry and for this time of year it is most unusual. It sounds more like a long hot summer dry spell.
November 10, 2000 - Some weeks breeze by at a brisk pace. Some weeks drag by slower than the slowest snail. This week whizzed by like a flash of lightening. Yesterday was Sunday and here already it is Friday. I’ve had a problem all day believing today is Friday. Today has been about as busy as any of the other days with me beginning the day with my water workout.
I decided I had time to make a quick tour of Wally World and pick up a few items. Wrong! It took only a few seconds to pick up some candy to refill Mother’s stash for the staff since it was on sell on shelves along the aisle walking into the store. I took time to choose some suckers and hard candy to mix with it so it would last a little longer. A couple of things that lady needed from the cleaning section and a bag of dogfood for Charlie and Oreo and I was right on schedule.
Something about the Toy Department called out to me, “Come, look around. You will find some things for your Mother to use.” First instinct is to wait and see if she would feel like working with anything. Second instinct is somewhat stronger. It answers back to the beaconing, “Yes, there will be something along the shelves that will help Mother with recognizing by touch and sound. Something to do will make her days pass quicker.” So, I was drawn into the packed aisles and shelves with all the electronic products and mechanical objects to choose something that would appeal to a nearly eighty-eight year old in her second childhood.
Many of the choices were eliminated because that relied on choosing colors and other sight needs. Some were crossed off a to keep list because they would not appeal to her. Some were too loud. Finally, I managed to maneuver a filled cart to the checkout counter and learned that I had spent nearly a hundred dollars.
Not to worry. All the things were ones that were needed and could be used. Toywise, there was a box for feeling the shapes and placing the objects into the correct shape. This will be a real challenge for Mother to work with. She enjoys music, so I bought her some toy musical instruments to finger and play around with. There were eight of them in a set. Then I also picked up a tom-tom drum set which she can hold in her hands and by pushing a series of three buttons with each hand (six total), she can make rhythms of her own. There was a plastic airplane with moving parts filled with small candies. It is a replica of Snoopy and his Red Baron plane and also has an open, close lever to move to get the candy out.
All said and done, I was late getting to the center to help Mother with her lunch and only took in the candy and some Cokes. The rest went in with me at supper time. BingoKid and BusyKid came in to visit and tried out all the new toys to make sure they worked which got Mother’s interest raised. So far, the guitar, drum and airplane are the most favorite closely followed by the shape box ... Now, let the fun begin.
November 11, 2000 - All the leaves had been swept up by Allan with the mower and its attached leaf catcher. He even cleared the driveways all the way out to the neighbors. The rains came and a mirage of leaves floated, glided, twirled and chased from the tree limbs to the ground covering all the earth. Even the roads were covered making it difficult to drive on some of them and my carport was not exempt.
This afternoon BingoKid came over to visit a while and decided to take out the hand-held leaf blower and play around. He got quite a bit accomplished around the front of the house and blew leaves from the driveway as well. It is surprising how many leaves there are already strewed across the ground and the amount yet to fall. It probably will take two more rounds of collecting leaves before the yard is fairly cleared of them. Strangely, there are about as many pine needles as any of the other leaves and they stick to the roadway refusing to be knocked off by passing cars.
Silly me! I forgot that today is a Holiday. I wasn’t even aware that the banks were closed yesterday. I asked BingoKid to bring in the mail for me and his Dad reminded me that the mail was not delivered today.
This morning I made a trip to Quest, but not to workout in the water. Special sessions were held throughout the morning with different blurbs of programs now available or some that may be planned for the future. Tbird had one of the half hour sessions and did a demonstration on Brain Gym. This was the first time I’ve really had an idea of what it’s all about and found it to be just an enjoyable and understandable as the others attending. We all enjoyed taking part. Basically, the program is built on a very simple idea. I would not attempt to go into any details of it, but I jotted down the acronym on which it is built.
| 4 | P | Positive | | Hold positive points |
| 3 | A | Active | | Cross/cross |
| 2 | C | Clear | | Brain buttons |
| 1 | E | Energetic | | Water |
Because of the crossing over of feet, bending and such, this was an activity that I sat down to do and I was able to do it all. I was excited to learn that many of the things included in the Brain Gym program were exercises I am already doing in the water. There are many good reasons for me to continue them.
Being all enthused about Brain Gym, there was nothing doing, but to stay for the next session on Tai chi. This is an art I’ve been interesting in doing because it is done according to your own skill and speed. The slower each part is done, the harder it is to do. I only tried the very first step and sat out the rest. In order to do the steps, one must be able to bend and turn the knees. OOPS! A problem ... my knees don’t like the command to bend and turn. I can bend them to a small degree, but not anything like the instructor was expecting and demonstrating. If I improve in this area I shall try again, but for now it is definitely on hold.
November 12, 2000 - Breakfast was served in bed this morning. It was simply a bowl of instant grits. However simple it may have been, it was very special for me because my grandson prepared and served it with a proud smile. He chose to spend the night with me when it came time to go home last evening. This is becoming a regular weekend event for the two of us.
After watching the morning worship service on television since my aunt is still at the beach, I drove over to help Mother with her lunch. The CNA had nearly completed feeding her by the time I arrived so I sat on the bed and visited while they finished. I promised her that I would come back at supper time if no one else was with her. There she sat in the dark waiting with her tray in front of her when I arrived at supper time. I’m always turning on her light over the bed in the evenings. Brother was concerned about my feeding Mother so often and talked with his daughter. She called the nursing center nurse’s station last night and talked with the nurse on duty about them feeding Mother each mealtime. This upset Mother to know that since she doesn’t like to bother the nurses. Now she is more intent on having me to come and be there at mealtime. Seems she has the idea I know better what she likes and how she likes to eat.
My excuse for leaving the center early this evening was that Tbird and the boys were at church in choir practice. Dad had brought Giggles to the house to wait for the boys to finish since they get out earlier than Tbird. He planned to pick them up and take them home to get in bed earlier. Father and daughter were here when I arrived and Giggles had already begun to move the dogfood one handful at a time. For some reason she likes to strew the dogfood around over the house feeding the dogs along the way. BusyKid is the opposite. He likes to get all the dogfood up and in one place. I need him to come visit right after she leaves and all would be well. Dad took time to sweep up the loose bits of food this time.
Three washers of clothes were washed and dried today. I kept putting off doing the laundry until finally I had nothing left to wear that I wanted to wear. There are plenty of clothes around here and there which I opt not to wear for one reason or another. Much to Lady’s dismay I have ordered some more things so I won’t fill that I’m running out of anything to wear. She battles for space to store things already when she helps me with the laundry.
November 13, 2000 - If I were superstitious and believed in bad luck on Friday the thirteenth, I would probably think that today was Friday. My luck was not bad, but I really have felt bad all day. It was a struggle to get myself up and going this morning. Determination got me out of bed and the trash carried out for the trash man today. I failed to get it out last week so today there was no choice, but to get it outside today. Surprisingly enough I gathered up an extra bag full from the wastebaskets throughout the house and the litter left from a few packages opened. Once in the car, it took a minute or two to decide to turn the key and start the motor. Finally, I had backed out of the drive, stopped to pick up my Monday morning paper and was on my way down into the valley.
Turns out that plenty of others were in slow mode this morning. I was not alone in wanting to remain in bed and miss our exercise session. We moaned and groaned to each other, but continued on our pathway to the water. Thank goodness, the water was on the warm side today. It proved to relax our tight and painful joints, making it easier for us to move around. My own workout was on the light side as I decided to step out and in rather than do jumping jacks, along with taking it easy on some of the other. About thirty minutes in the steam room to allow the heat to soak into my muscles and joints and I was ready to go home.
Mother’s friend came this morning to spend some time with her. She stayed through lunch which gave me a welcomed break. In fact, I came home, went to bed, and stayed all afternoon because I didn’t feel well. I would have stayed in bed longer, but I struggled up in time to go over for supper time to help Mother. Me being a bit on the mean side, she had to feel around to take off the cover on her plate for herself. Then she felt across her plate to find her piece of sausage. The gravy and biscuits were cut up and mixed together and she was able to feed herself about half of it and the potatoes before she got too shaky to find her mouth. I finished up by helping her to eat some more of her gravy and the stewed apples. Kiddingly I mentioned to her that I would like to know that she could feed herself in a crisis. As I left, one of her favorite granddaughter’s was coming in to spend some time with her. We had a changing of the guards.
November 14, 2000 Sleep was sporadic last night. My stomach was acting up and would not allow me to find a comfortable position to relieve it. Finally I reached over for a handful of tums to see it they would subside the upheaval taking place. Seems like my stomach was having a huge party that got out of hand and disturbed all the neighbors. Even the puppies took off for quieter spots in the other room. A trip to the kitchen cabinet for a pack of cinnamon gum and a stick of it to hold in my mouth got me through to morning.
Deciding to go and not to go to Quest kept me in a query until the phone rang. I had promised Ms. Jay to take her over to the groomer’s so she could leave her daughter’s Pomeranian for a shampoo helped me decide. I fixed a cup of drink to carry along with me and a pack of saltine crackers to munch when I felt queasy and we were off. Even though I felt bad the trip through the country back roads livened up the day somewhat. Some trees are still changing colors along the hills and vales.
It didn’t take the girls long to figure out that I was not up to par. As Allie mentioned I was not even making an attempt to get a word in edgewise while we sat in the steam room before our water workout. I took my security cup with me to the pool so it would be close by on pool side but exchanged the crackers for some cherry lifesavers. Afterwards we came home to change my car for Ms. Jay’s car so she could drive the roads back to the groomer and be able to remember the crooks and turns there and back.
After getting the puppy, we stopped at Subway for a sandwich and I got some tea to sip on and we got to Mother’s just in time for dinner. She enjoyed having some new company while all the folks that saw the dog had a fit over her and had to stop to pat her head and talk to her. I thought I had someone that would help Mother with Bingo later in the afternoon, but that didn’t work out. The Community College class of Nursing Students is practicing at the center for six weeks of hands on experience and one of them offered to take her. It didn’t work out that way and Mother was not a happy camper. In her words, “I’m not going back to play Bingo unless you are here to go with me. I couldn’t even see the card.” She still won a quarter.
November 15, 2000 - I had an experience going over to the nursing center yesterday evening that has really bothered me a lot. Yet, there was nothing that I could do to help at the time or have been able to change in any way. People should be careful with their animals. I know from past experience that pets get loose and that is probably what happened yesterday.
As I pulled up to the boulevard to cross over on the way to feed Mother her supper, I noticed a black and tan hunting dog - about half grown - running along the side of the roadway. Suddenly, it darted out into the road, but made it safely over, then it decided to head back to the other side. Traffic was heavy and fast because of the time of day. By this time I had made it to the middle median area which is wide enough for us to wait for the other two lanes of traffic to clear and I heard the loud thump! I knew what had happened. In spite of myself I had to turn and look as the dog soared up through the air and landed on the pavement with a bounce. There were three cars on the opposite side of the road waiting to cross as well. I looked toward them and one young girl looked like she was in shock and didn’t know what to do. I had no choice but to get out of the middle of the highway, but I thought as I went along about whether the dog was dead or badly injured and glad that the girl was making a right hand turn and would not have to drive past the dog in the middle of the lanes behind me. It always bothers me to see so many animals that loose their lives to the roadways, but it is even worse when I have to witness or be a part of it.
The stomach is still not up to its usual self today. I opted not to get up this morning and use today to rest and see if I feel better. Mother was understanding when I called and told her I was staying in bed today. I mentioned to her that Allan said I may have picked up the bug that’s going around now and I may have given it to her ... She said, “What bug? I feel fine. I don’t get bugs.” She has never in her lifetime admitted that she may have the flu no matter how sick she may get. There is always another explanation. She hasn’t been feeling well for several days. I may have picked it up from her and the center, in fact.
I found two boxes that mysteriously appeared at my front door yesterday. Both boxes had been opened and there were no names or marking of any kind on the boxes. I felt that a person other than the postal service or one of the mail deliveries had put them there because they were in the middle of the little porch. The other workers would have placed them at the door, on the little table beside the door, or on the bench as they always do.
Looking inside the boxes were two more boxes with my name on them. I wondered who would have left them. There was not a note or anything to let me know where they came from. When I opened one of the boxes, I recognized it as a present I had ordered for Christmas. I had been looking for them to come and wondered why they were late. There are several other things I have been looking for that should already be here. This makes me wonder what is happening to my mail, especially since I didn’t receive my invitation to the Q4L Christmas Party either. I had to pick up a form to fill our and return from Quest for the party.
Continued Page three
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©2000 by Stormy Jeanne
