Chapter 243 - Postponed Posts
Once I used to post here weekly, hardly ever these days, nothing to write about I tell myself, perhaps I'm just bored, although nothing momentous or frightening has occurred. I make mental notes "mention that in the Blog" then by day's end I forget. Also, I used to get up early on Sundays to post while she still slept, but now she tends to rise before me, while I snooze, listen to RN on the on-line connected T-hub, recovering from reading an eBook into the small hours.
Then again, she seems not to have so many problems lately. Her pains I measure by the amount of Ice-Gel she rubs (or has me apply - yucky mentholated stuff) to her lower back, shoulders or calves. This morning, her legs on the floor, seated on her bed, she rocked back & forth attempting to gain sufficient momentum to rise sufficiently to grasp the handles of her walker, I asked "Are you having problems Dear?" as she accomplished her task, pushing the walker towards the door "My back hurts." "The new mattress overlay isn't helping?" "It helps a bit" she says as she shuffles through the doorway. About a month ago she forwarded some junk mail from our ISP advertising a good plonk offer which I was not interested in, yet noticed a discount offer for a mattress overlay full of "micro balls" (or somesuch psuedo techo waffle) that I encouraged her to buy. She seems to be happy with its effect. All our efforts at sleep comfort for her "work" initially, like a sugar pill.
She travels around the house, stooped, pushing her walker in front. Outside, her back straightens, her stride increases, she experiences freedom. A few days ago she attempted to take a number of her meds whilst standing. Stooped and standing, she tilted her head back attempting to have water flow from her re-cycled plastic water bottle (she has a stock of them, always a partially filled one with her) and as she sat she said "I just can't take pills standing up, I have to sit down."
I think I previously mentioned that when she told the Day Respite people she didn't wish to attend on Fridays that they talked her into Tuesdays? The fewer numbers present on that day seem to suit her, also, they re-arranged the room of clutter so she thinks she has more space. Tomorrow, there is a bus outing in which she will not participate, remaining at the Centre with others who "don't like getting in & out of the bus either." She seems to be taking on a role of un-official crafts demonstrator, each week taking a plastic bag of sewn items for showing or completion. A zip bag of pin cushions, in the shape of hats (using our old CD/DVD's as brims, suitably covered, plus other nick-nacks will be taken to grace an upcoming craft stall at a fete.
I watch her pinning, hand sewing, machine sewing, gluing, cutting pieces of fabric, cardboard etc. and am amazed that her efforts turn out so well, while her head moves sideways, back & forth as if she is taking a better view of what her hands are doing (I know that is not the case) and as she is seated each foot, in turn, steps forward then back, at a regular pace, maybe every 5-10 seconds. She will be lost should she ever be unable to steadily hold small items.
I broached the subject of my attending a lecture down in Hot Air City, at night, in the near future. That would mean an hour's drive each way. Her reaction was quite neutral. I won't go.
She told me as we drove to see our sick friend in a southern town that she is always having hallucinations while we are driving, although she has largely learned to disregard them. I imagine these to be light flashes, shadows perhaps, that her mind interprets as moving objects. Coupled with her active imagination about life's dangers must make life very stressful for her.
We saw "The Iron Lady" last evening (from the very front row where she was not confined) then our regular super market shopping, she pushing, I pulling, the trolley. Quite often she is unable to tolerate standing stationary in a queue, needing to pass through a check-out to a seat outside. Even though pill time was approaching, a seat was not needed last night.
Then again, she seems not to have so many problems lately. Her pains I measure by the amount of Ice-Gel she rubs (or has me apply - yucky mentholated stuff) to her lower back, shoulders or calves. This morning, her legs on the floor, seated on her bed, she rocked back & forth attempting to gain sufficient momentum to rise sufficiently to grasp the handles of her walker, I asked "Are you having problems Dear?" as she accomplished her task, pushing the walker towards the door "My back hurts." "The new mattress overlay isn't helping?" "It helps a bit" she says as she shuffles through the doorway. About a month ago she forwarded some junk mail from our ISP advertising a good plonk offer which I was not interested in, yet noticed a discount offer for a mattress overlay full of "micro balls" (or somesuch psuedo techo waffle) that I encouraged her to buy. She seems to be happy with its effect. All our efforts at sleep comfort for her "work" initially, like a sugar pill.
She travels around the house, stooped, pushing her walker in front. Outside, her back straightens, her stride increases, she experiences freedom. A few days ago she attempted to take a number of her meds whilst standing. Stooped and standing, she tilted her head back attempting to have water flow from her re-cycled plastic water bottle (she has a stock of them, always a partially filled one with her) and as she sat she said "I just can't take pills standing up, I have to sit down."
I think I previously mentioned that when she told the Day Respite people she didn't wish to attend on Fridays that they talked her into Tuesdays? The fewer numbers present on that day seem to suit her, also, they re-arranged the room of clutter so she thinks she has more space. Tomorrow, there is a bus outing in which she will not participate, remaining at the Centre with others who "don't like getting in & out of the bus either." She seems to be taking on a role of un-official crafts demonstrator, each week taking a plastic bag of sewn items for showing or completion. A zip bag of pin cushions, in the shape of hats (using our old CD/DVD's as brims, suitably covered, plus other nick-nacks will be taken to grace an upcoming craft stall at a fete.
I watch her pinning, hand sewing, machine sewing, gluing, cutting pieces of fabric, cardboard etc. and am amazed that her efforts turn out so well, while her head moves sideways, back & forth as if she is taking a better view of what her hands are doing (I know that is not the case) and as she is seated each foot, in turn, steps forward then back, at a regular pace, maybe every 5-10 seconds. She will be lost should she ever be unable to steadily hold small items.
I broached the subject of my attending a lecture down in Hot Air City, at night, in the near future. That would mean an hour's drive each way. Her reaction was quite neutral. I won't go.
She told me as we drove to see our sick friend in a southern town that she is always having hallucinations while we are driving, although she has largely learned to disregard them. I imagine these to be light flashes, shadows perhaps, that her mind interprets as moving objects. Coupled with her active imagination about life's dangers must make life very stressful for her.
We saw "The Iron Lady" last evening (from the very front row where she was not confined) then our regular super market shopping, she pushing, I pulling, the trolley. Quite often she is unable to tolerate standing stationary in a queue, needing to pass through a check-out to a seat outside. Even though pill time was approaching, a seat was not needed last night.
posted by Kilpike | 9:46 am
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