Monday, January 10, 2005
"I don't know, Mom. Sometimes I think old bodies...
...when they're just hanging around with nothing better to do, go, 'You know, we haven't fooled around with her sodium level lately. Can't remember what that's like. Wanna have a little fun with this old woman?"
My mother laughed and gave me The Sly Eye. She likes to discuss her health, why things might be happening, why I sometimes change her medications or habits. Today, since I spent a lot of time observing her elbow water retention bulge and talked to her about what it was and what I know about the last time this happened to her (when she had a drop in sodium level) she asked me why I thought this might be happening. Some of that speculation is in today's Mom's Daily Tests & Meds Dinner Stats post. I had to conclude with her what I quoted at the beginning of this post. Sometimes the reasons are obvious and sometimes they seem whimsical, as though old bodies take a hankering that can't be explained and sit around thinking, "Ahh, let's do something different today, just for fun. It'll drive her daughter crazy!"
She retired about half an hour ago. Nap and early bedtime, tonight. She reads for awhile before turning out her light. I'm planning on an early retirement tonight, too. I'm taaarrrd. I decided to have a small cup of raspberry cocoa just to settle myself down so I could get some good sleep before tomorrow. I banged the cocoa spoon on the side of the cup without watching what I was doing and dropped it and the can of cocoa, which was right next to my cup on the floor. Within less than a minute my mother was right there, checking to make sure "every was all right. I thought you might have fallen," she said.
After I thanked her I thought about how she continues to be the mother in the house. A lot of times she'll check the locks and turn off lights before retiring. I let her do this even though I have turn the lights back on for myself. I like the fact that she considers herself the mistress of her household. I think it contributes to her longevity to be able to do this. It occurred to me that if I actually did fall and had difficulty getting up she'd spring into action, emergency procedures would suddenly come to the fore of her memory and I could count on her to call 911. I hope, and try to make sure, that this never happens. My confidence in her and her confidence in herself from the perspective of such a situation, though is, I think, definitely a plus as far as her life span is concerned.
Time to set up pills for tomorrow and hit the sack. Tomorrow will no doubt be a Costco day. It'll be raining so I'm looking forward to getting out in it.
My mother laughed and gave me The Sly Eye. She likes to discuss her health, why things might be happening, why I sometimes change her medications or habits. Today, since I spent a lot of time observing her elbow water retention bulge and talked to her about what it was and what I know about the last time this happened to her (when she had a drop in sodium level) she asked me why I thought this might be happening. Some of that speculation is in today's Mom's Daily Tests & Meds Dinner Stats post. I had to conclude with her what I quoted at the beginning of this post. Sometimes the reasons are obvious and sometimes they seem whimsical, as though old bodies take a hankering that can't be explained and sit around thinking, "Ahh, let's do something different today, just for fun. It'll drive her daughter crazy!"
She retired about half an hour ago. Nap and early bedtime, tonight. She reads for awhile before turning out her light. I'm planning on an early retirement tonight, too. I'm taaarrrd. I decided to have a small cup of raspberry cocoa just to settle myself down so I could get some good sleep before tomorrow. I banged the cocoa spoon on the side of the cup without watching what I was doing and dropped it and the can of cocoa, which was right next to my cup on the floor. Within less than a minute my mother was right there, checking to make sure "every was all right. I thought you might have fallen," she said.
After I thanked her I thought about how she continues to be the mother in the house. A lot of times she'll check the locks and turn off lights before retiring. I let her do this even though I have turn the lights back on for myself. I like the fact that she considers herself the mistress of her household. I think it contributes to her longevity to be able to do this. It occurred to me that if I actually did fall and had difficulty getting up she'd spring into action, emergency procedures would suddenly come to the fore of her memory and I could count on her to call 911. I hope, and try to make sure, that this never happens. My confidence in her and her confidence in herself from the perspective of such a situation, though is, I think, definitely a plus as far as her life span is concerned.
Time to set up pills for tomorrow and hit the sack. Tomorrow will no doubt be a Costco day. It'll be raining so I'm looking forward to getting out in it.
