Mom & Me Three Archive

    I've got a few moments (which haven't been plentiful, lately). Following is a list of topics upon which I've been meaning to write, but I haven't had much time to get back here; over the next few days, I hope to complete those I don't get a chance to complete at this writing; check back for links to further material on those that are barely more than a title:

1. I think I have a type of Seasonal Affective Disorder but it's different than the usual.
2. Happier Holidays than Usual:  I've been doing much better at the holidays this year than in years past but not as good as I intended. Once I went to the shed and viewed the work involved in simply dragging a 75 lb box stuck in the back and surrounded by other boxes out and into the truck, not to mention finding all the boxes marked "X-mas" and hauling those out, as well, I decided, nah, I'm not into that this year, we'll use the small fiber optic tree; which, as of this writing, I haven't yet displayed. Maybe tonight.
3. This Isn't Your Mother's Caregiving:  I overheard a conversation at Walmart about a week ago that's been haunting me since. The chattier of the two participants was the married-with-children sister of a woman who, according to the conversation, is taking care of her the two siblings' mother. The conversation involved the listener commenting to Ms. Chatty that, despite not knowing her, she admired Ms. Chatty's sister for "taking on" the care of their shared mother. Ms. Chatty responded, "I don't know if she deserves to be admired. She's not doing anything more than our mother ever did for us when she was raising us." This reminded me of something I read on a website set up by another caregiver who admonished ALL caregivers to consider themselves "heroes", with which I initially took issue and still do but with modifications since overhearing this particular conversation. I'll write on this later.
       Linked to essay on December 21, 2005.

    For those of you who haven't been keeping up with the minor detail of our lives over at Mom's Daily Tests & Meds, in brief:

• We're both doing well;
• Holiday baking has dwindled but is picking up again, now that the weather is more to my liking;
• Mom still isn't getting out much but it would be inaccurate to say that she's hibernating;
• We'll be going in for her December blood draw tomorrow, which will include a BMP and a CBC, both of which I expect to be within her normal ranges;
• I've definitely decided, no traveling over the holidays. Despite the promises of felicitous get-togethers, I simply can't face another intense up-and-down trip, right now and don't even want to try;
• Our yard is tucked in for a winter that I despair may not appear this year;
• My networking effort has been only partially successful but I'm still working on it and hoping for the best;
• The TOC is languishing while I spend most of my "free" time on the details of networking the way I want to network.

    I'll try to check in a bit more often than I've been doing, lately.
    Later.