Tuesday, May 24, 2005
No exercise session today, formal or informal...
...although I've promised her one tomorrow, which promise she greeted with a wry, crooked grin. Her knees were really bothering her today; from the session, I'm sure. Otherwise she seemed okay. She said her arms didn't hurt although she didn't use them much. She was not into moving, today. For the second day in a row, though, she didn't take a nap, which is amazing in itself.
I asked her today how she felt about moving more and getting stronger so she would feel like getting out, more. "Don't you want to go around with me?" I asked.
"Oh, sometimes, maybe."
"Does it bother you to spend so much time at home?"
She shot me a very surprised look. "No! Not at all!"
Whoops! I guess we're entering a somewhat more advanced state of advanced age!
"Well," I said, "you always seem to enjoy when we do get out together, like when we go for your blood draw or I pester you into going to the store with me."
"Well, yes, I do."
"Maybe you'd like to do that a little more. Maybe we could plan some outings just to get out. The Farmer's Market will be starting soon at the square, if it hasn't already started."
"Isn't that early in the morning?"
"Well, yeah, if you want to have the pick of the produce."
"Maybe we can get our produce at the store this summer."
Sly woman.
It's hard to tell. The more she moves the more energetic she feels. I know yesterday's session was a shock to her. She hasn't done anything quite that strenuous for a long time even when she has occasionally accompanied me to the grocery in the last few months. Could be we're past surprises but it seems that every time I expect no more surprises she has yet a few in store for me.
I was apparently an awfully busy bee today, so busy that she pleaded with me to "come sit down" a couple of times while she was watching TV. So I would, then I'd notice that the fan needed cleaning or remember that I needed to thaw the hunk of ham for ham salad, etc. We played a couple of games of Sorry which I suggested just to get her to move from one room to another and negotiate the steps a couple of times. For the most part, though, her body was incorporating all her work from yesterday, I think.
For the first time since we began getting her oxygen from a local supplier we couldn't wait for our regular Thursday delivery. I had to pick up some extra tanks at the office. I know I mentioned it in the post yesterday but I wanted to make sure that those of you who know my mother well know that this isn't cause for concern. We've been using very little tanked oxygen primarily because she uses it mostly when she's moving. Initially, the more she moves, the more we use, then after a certain period of lots of movement we begin using less, again, because her aerobic capacity increases. Although only yesterday's exercise session was strenuous, I realized, when I broke the seal on her last M-6 yesterday, that she's been moving more than I realized. I think the reason it hasn't been registering with me is that the more she moves the busier I become. Although she hates acknowledging this, her movement requires more strenuous vigilance on my part.
Before starting this post I checked into the essay section and realized that I have almost more drafts than published essays. Maybe this weekend I can spend some time finishing them. Lately, I find myself going to bed and finishing them in my head, so it's definitely time to flesh them out.
Our neglected, low growing cactus has burst into bright red bloom this year, just within the last 48 hours.
The a/c hasn't been necessary yesterday or today. Mom likes the warmth and I have a bit of a problem with moving from a/c to the outdoors; body shock, I guess. Tomorrow should be a repeat of today, then we'll be cooling down while the atmosphere prepares for thunderstorms this weekend. What a wonderful summer this is turning out to be.
To bed. I'm ready.
Later.
I asked her today how she felt about moving more and getting stronger so she would feel like getting out, more. "Don't you want to go around with me?" I asked.
"Oh, sometimes, maybe."
"Does it bother you to spend so much time at home?"
She shot me a very surprised look. "No! Not at all!"
Whoops! I guess we're entering a somewhat more advanced state of advanced age!
"Well," I said, "you always seem to enjoy when we do get out together, like when we go for your blood draw or I pester you into going to the store with me."
"Well, yes, I do."
"Maybe you'd like to do that a little more. Maybe we could plan some outings just to get out. The Farmer's Market will be starting soon at the square, if it hasn't already started."
"Isn't that early in the morning?"
"Well, yeah, if you want to have the pick of the produce."
"Maybe we can get our produce at the store this summer."
Sly woman.
It's hard to tell. The more she moves the more energetic she feels. I know yesterday's session was a shock to her. She hasn't done anything quite that strenuous for a long time even when she has occasionally accompanied me to the grocery in the last few months. Could be we're past surprises but it seems that every time I expect no more surprises she has yet a few in store for me.
I was apparently an awfully busy bee today, so busy that she pleaded with me to "come sit down" a couple of times while she was watching TV. So I would, then I'd notice that the fan needed cleaning or remember that I needed to thaw the hunk of ham for ham salad, etc. We played a couple of games of Sorry which I suggested just to get her to move from one room to another and negotiate the steps a couple of times. For the most part, though, her body was incorporating all her work from yesterday, I think.
For the first time since we began getting her oxygen from a local supplier we couldn't wait for our regular Thursday delivery. I had to pick up some extra tanks at the office. I know I mentioned it in the post yesterday but I wanted to make sure that those of you who know my mother well know that this isn't cause for concern. We've been using very little tanked oxygen primarily because she uses it mostly when she's moving. Initially, the more she moves, the more we use, then after a certain period of lots of movement we begin using less, again, because her aerobic capacity increases. Although only yesterday's exercise session was strenuous, I realized, when I broke the seal on her last M-6 yesterday, that she's been moving more than I realized. I think the reason it hasn't been registering with me is that the more she moves the busier I become. Although she hates acknowledging this, her movement requires more strenuous vigilance on my part.
Before starting this post I checked into the essay section and realized that I have almost more drafts than published essays. Maybe this weekend I can spend some time finishing them. Lately, I find myself going to bed and finishing them in my head, so it's definitely time to flesh them out.
Our neglected, low growing cactus has burst into bright red bloom this year, just within the last 48 hours.
The a/c hasn't been necessary yesterday or today. Mom likes the warmth and I have a bit of a problem with moving from a/c to the outdoors; body shock, I guess. Tomorrow should be a repeat of today, then we'll be cooling down while the atmosphere prepares for thunderstorms this weekend. What a wonderful summer this is turning out to be.
To bed. I'm ready.
Later.
