Tuesday, September 13, 2005
One good day of movement deserves another...
...good day of rest. Some of Mom's day is described in today's posts over at Mom's Daily Tests and Meds postings for today, primarily the Breakfast Stat post.
I'm not at all disappointed with today, even though I was looking forward to another day of movement for Mom. It's been awhile, though, since she's gotten out. Once I realized that she was going to need some recuperative space I was okay with this.
I made sure I acquired several spirit lifting treats for her and Costco cooperated: I was able to find another light, cable knit sweater shirt in brown in her size, the only one, which I snatched. She'd mentioned, when I told her about the set of Joan Crawford movies, that she'd like to pick up a set so I did. I noticed there were some very light weight fleece pullover sweaters with hoods that I thought she'd appreciate so I picked up two of those. She was thrilled. Lastly, as I was heading for the check-out I noticed the flower stand and decided, yes, that's what she needs, flowers all over the house. I purchased a two dozen bunch of extraordinary cream colored roses and a large bunch of colorful varietals featuring orange, purple, light yellow and rust to highlight the roses. By the time breakfast was over I had distributed the flowers, broken into three arrangements, throughout the main rooms of the house with the largest arrangement situated close to her rocker area in the living room. She touched and commented on them all day.
Knowing that she was going to be fairly immobile for the day I suggested a "movie day" which I expected to feature the Joan Crawford set. We watched The Women, a movie both of us have seen and enjoyed, especially poking extra fun at the already heightened satire in the film and admiring the clothes. For some reason, though, it didn't do much for Mom today. Luckily, the first season of Roseanne, which I'd ordered a little over a week ago, arrived this afternoon. This was exactly what the avocational doctor ordered. Aside from the fact that we both enjoy the show without end (except for much of the last season), she was ready for some laugh-out-loud family comedy. She mentioned after the first episode, "That's what family life is really like." From that point on (we watched all of the first disc and half of the second) we talked about our own family in comparison with each episode and decided that "real", "enjoyable" families are families that operate out of "controlled chaos". All quotes except the last are my mother's. I provided the last when she was looking for "the right descriptive phrase".
Something peculiar has been happening to me lately that I want to mention, just to see how long the phenomenon lasts. For the last more than a couple nights, four that I can remember but I think it's been going on longer, about 10 minutes after my mother retires, while her light is still on and she's still reading, I've thought I heard her voice calling me and headed into her room to see what what she needs. Each night when I enter her room she's been peacefully involved in her book. Before I ask her if she called out for me I know that she hasn't. The voice I hear sounds far away but clear and is faintly recognizable as my name. Tonight when I entered and asked if she called for me she said, "You've been doing this a lot lately. Are you worried about something?"
Good question. I don't know. I joked with her and said it's either my "guilty conscience" or "the devil" calling me. I don't have any idea why I'm doing this to myself. It doesn't seem as though I'm overly concerned about my mother's and my life at the moment. If anything I feel unusually secure and upbeat about our conjoined lives, much more accepting of all sorts of circumstances than I've felt for a long time.
Oh well. We'll see what develops. Maybe I'll discover its source. Maybe the source isn't me. Maybe the call will stop without me ever having solved the mystery, whether it's internal or external. Just thought I'd mention it, primarily for my reference.
I think I'll do a little more TOC cataloguing before I retire.
Later.
I'm not at all disappointed with today, even though I was looking forward to another day of movement for Mom. It's been awhile, though, since she's gotten out. Once I realized that she was going to need some recuperative space I was okay with this.
I made sure I acquired several spirit lifting treats for her and Costco cooperated: I was able to find another light, cable knit sweater shirt in brown in her size, the only one, which I snatched. She'd mentioned, when I told her about the set of Joan Crawford movies, that she'd like to pick up a set so I did. I noticed there were some very light weight fleece pullover sweaters with hoods that I thought she'd appreciate so I picked up two of those. She was thrilled. Lastly, as I was heading for the check-out I noticed the flower stand and decided, yes, that's what she needs, flowers all over the house. I purchased a two dozen bunch of extraordinary cream colored roses and a large bunch of colorful varietals featuring orange, purple, light yellow and rust to highlight the roses. By the time breakfast was over I had distributed the flowers, broken into three arrangements, throughout the main rooms of the house with the largest arrangement situated close to her rocker area in the living room. She touched and commented on them all day.
Knowing that she was going to be fairly immobile for the day I suggested a "movie day" which I expected to feature the Joan Crawford set. We watched The Women, a movie both of us have seen and enjoyed, especially poking extra fun at the already heightened satire in the film and admiring the clothes. For some reason, though, it didn't do much for Mom today. Luckily, the first season of Roseanne, which I'd ordered a little over a week ago, arrived this afternoon. This was exactly what the avocational doctor ordered. Aside from the fact that we both enjoy the show without end (except for much of the last season), she was ready for some laugh-out-loud family comedy. She mentioned after the first episode, "That's what family life is really like." From that point on (we watched all of the first disc and half of the second) we talked about our own family in comparison with each episode and decided that "real", "enjoyable" families are families that operate out of "controlled chaos". All quotes except the last are my mother's. I provided the last when she was looking for "the right descriptive phrase".
Something peculiar has been happening to me lately that I want to mention, just to see how long the phenomenon lasts. For the last more than a couple nights, four that I can remember but I think it's been going on longer, about 10 minutes after my mother retires, while her light is still on and she's still reading, I've thought I heard her voice calling me and headed into her room to see what what she needs. Each night when I enter her room she's been peacefully involved in her book. Before I ask her if she called out for me I know that she hasn't. The voice I hear sounds far away but clear and is faintly recognizable as my name. Tonight when I entered and asked if she called for me she said, "You've been doing this a lot lately. Are you worried about something?"
Good question. I don't know. I joked with her and said it's either my "guilty conscience" or "the devil" calling me. I don't have any idea why I'm doing this to myself. It doesn't seem as though I'm overly concerned about my mother's and my life at the moment. If anything I feel unusually secure and upbeat about our conjoined lives, much more accepting of all sorts of circumstances than I've felt for a long time.
Oh well. We'll see what develops. Maybe I'll discover its source. Maybe the source isn't me. Maybe the call will stop without me ever having solved the mystery, whether it's internal or external. Just thought I'd mention it, primarily for my reference.
I think I'll do a little more TOC cataloguing before I retire.
Later.
