Chapter 24 - Gradual Changes

Her alarm sounded at 6:30am. I rolled over to peer through the gloom to see her partially raised in her bed taking her meds. I wasn't awake when she came to bed last night. As I dozed off again she called; she needed her legs pulled over the side of the bed; I helped her stand; she went to the loo unaided. For some time now, weeks at least, this has become our routine. I may get up in the middle of the night but I usually don't recall her doing so. As I snuggled back into bed, thinking I should go for a walk, as I exercise so little, the thought dawned on me that she has not asked to go for a walk lately. Perhaps we just lost the habit while I had two weeks of 'flu. Thinking along these lines I asked as she came back to bed "You haven't needed to go for a walk lately?" "No," she replied "I don't seem to get that tension feeling when I have to move." Interesting I thought to myself. She awkwardly kneeled her way into bed. I watched. "This knee still hurts. It's as slow to get better as the ankle was." As she settled back into bed, needing no help, she said "The tremors seem to be less. Although they still happen an hour after meds and then 3 or 4 hours later. But not as much. And between 4pm & 6pm remains my worst time of the day." Are we seeing a trend here?

Easter is gone. We didn't attend Good Friday services because a disturbed night kept her in bed till 11am. On Saturday we had planned to visit her sisters who, with other couples, pilgrimage each Easter to a small town an hour up the highway from here. We usually make a day visit since we moved to this part of the country. Our Saturday visit was cancelled because the cold wet weather would have meant her sitting inside caravans most of the day. She finds enclosed spaces uncomfortable, even our own caravan. Sunday, a fresh & bright day, we drove to be with the others. A pleasant day sitting in the sun. Although we had her raised toilet seat with us, she did not bother to use it at the park toilet. Fortunately her sister went with her. She was unable to rise sufficiently to reach the latch of the door behind which she had locked herself in. The sister handed a wet mop over the top of the cubicle and the mop handle was used to unlatch the door. It's the simple things in life that trip you.

We thought of joining the others for an evening meal at the local club. But her uncomfortable meds time was upon her so we left for home a little after 4pm. As we came into the north end of town we stopped at McDonald's, no crowd, a quiet corner for 10 minutes of wholesome junk food.