Mom & Me Three Archive

...on statting but I'm getting everything in without having to search my memory for what we ate for dinner three nights ago.
    Last night's dinner stat review also includes a run down of our evening which included yet another trip involving both getting out and walkering. I'm so surprised, and pleased, that the activity in which I thought she'd indulge during the summer is happening now. She's, as usual, taking well to walkering, now that she's doing it every day. I make sure, too, that she wears the elastic knee brace all the time, now.
    Something I want to mention regarding elastic knee braces. I discovered that the size that is supposed to fit her, "Medium", is too tight for her. It irritates her skin and is too small to put over her pants in order to keep her skin from being irritated; I'm assuming this is more true for the elderly than those not yet elderly. As well, when she was using the "Medium" brace her right foot swelled a little more than I'd like every time, which means it was restricting fluid flow throughout her body from her extremeties. So, we use the "Large" (there is also an "X-tra large", which is much too big). When fitted over her pants over her knee, it provides exactly the right amount of support and neither irritates her skin nor promotes foot swelling. The funny thing is, her knee measurement comes in right in the middle of the "Medium" measurement but for her this wasn't adequate. If you're dealing with an Ancient One who needs elastic extremity support and you're having trouble with sizes, try to find braces that come in at least four sizes and try the size larger than the one indicated by measurement. As well, putting it over clothes sometimes works better than placing it brace-on-skin.
    All arrangements that need to be made for our trip to The Valley next Tuesday have been made. I've decided to try this trip without renting a hotel room for the following reasons:

• Because her appointment is set for 1400, we'll be leaving a little later than usual. Thus, I'm planning that we'll simply stop for lunch (and a bathroom break) immediately upon arriving in the Valley. As well, she and I both are interested in visiting Ulta. There's a shampoo I use that can't be ordered from their internet site on which I need to stock up and Mom always likes to peruse their Christmas displays. We'll probably purchase one of their super-duper manicure kits for her, too, since she eyed those the last time we were in The Valley but didn't think she "needed" it at that time. Since then, a couple of her manicure tools have broken so I've insisted that she does, now, "need" a new manicure kit and we may as well get the one she likes.
• By the time we're finished with the above, it'll be about time for her appointment. She'll be able to refresh herself at the doctor's office and routine doctor's appointments with this PCP always energize her, primarily because this PCP is so respectful of her.
• The last time we performed this doctor's routine followed with plans to visit MCF after the appointment (which we'll be doing next Tuesday), she was completely uninterested in taking a nap at the hotel. In fact, she didn't take a nap all day; she was primed for all aspects of tripping. So, I figure, we'll just go directly to MCF's from the doctor's office and spend the evening in excellent company. I'll bring along a plastic sheet if she decides to nap but she I doubt we'll use them.

    The nice thing about not getting a hotel room is that our traveling supply inventory will be cut in half, thus cutting my prep time by about as much.

    I love these "health honeymoon" periods she experiences. I hope I can keep this one going as long as possible, at least through the holidays. At my mother's suggestion, we're going to be doing some holiday baking experimentation this week and weekend before the trip. She wants to be able to present MCF's family with a holiday treat tray when we visit. Although she doesn't directly "help" when I cook and bake, now, she loves to supervise, especially when it involves sugar.
    Except for minor errands that apply only to me, like having my hair trimmed, which I did early this morning, I'll be taking her on all necessary errands from here on out, too, without giving her a choice (unless she is clearly under the weather on a particular day). This should help keep her going, as well, and she seems to be able to take it right now. As well, if we're able to procure an Rx for a cane this will probably involve some visits from the Assistance Device company to determine which model would suit her, probably some adjustments and hopefully a session during which she (and I) will be educated in how to use the cane to her best advantage. This will perk her up. She always enjoys the attention these appointments allow.
    I attempted to rouse her a little over an hour ago and she wasn't having any. That's fine. She was up late last night: We both got hooked on a couple of programs on PBS that lasted until midnight. After that, I noticed that her light didn't go out until 0030. So, I'll let her sleep in while her muscles reconnoiter from yesterday evening's activity.
    I'm doing pretty well. I had a short, mysterious "Ohmygod, I can't seem to find any time for myself right now and I need it" period, yesterday afternoon but it dissipated quickly and I was more than rewarded by the very successful evening trip Mom and I had and the extra energy it catalyzed in her. Well, maybe not so mysterious: My birthday is Monday and, once again, I'm feeling particularly uncelebrated. I'm still debating whether I'm going to even remind Mom of my birthday and/or suggest that we go out to eat; I'm again feeling pretty much the same way I felt last year about celebrating by going out. We'll see. In any event, it looks like I can get in a little self time today.
    In case you're wondering about the much spoken of index, it's been almost two weeks since I've had the time to get back to finishing off the cataloguing process. I'm hoping to pick up on that soon.
    Whoa. The Mom's up.
    Later.