Strange things!

A family friend brought her 4 week old son to visit my mother Wednesday night. My mother lit up like a Christmas tree and started talking about that baby in words that we could clearly understand. Yesterday, she didn't remember their visit until my brother reminded her. Again she started talking about that sweet baby. The brain is an amazing thing! Hers used to be more amazing than any of the rest of ours. She was so smart. In fact, she got married when she was 16 and continued to go to school and graduated valedictorian of her class. She never went to college, but she would have kicked butt if she had. She was thrilled that both her children got college degrees.

Well, it's official! Sunday, I am leaving for a few days to luxuriate at the Gaylord Texan. I told Mom that Stewart is going to forget to give her the coumadin every day at 4 because I have my phone set to alarm so we can remember to give it to her. He said he would have to figure out how to set his phone alarm. She knows I am leaving and she seems to be ok with it.

Thanks!

After the caregiver took Mom to get her hair done Thursday, she took her to the nursing home rehab section to see her sister. Her sister is now in the same rehab facility that Mom was in for so long. How strange that almost none of the same people work there! Her speech therapist heard she was there and she ran to the parking lot to see Mom before she got away. We are grateful to the caregiver for doing this. It made Mom and her sister feel better.

It's time!

Tomatoes, squash, bell peppers, cucumbers, egg plants. Potatoes are coming up. Got some corn planted today.

He's BACK!

My Bro is back and it makes me very happy. Well, he always brings me orange creams from the candy store! Soooo.....today, I don't have to rush and get things done at my house so I can head to Mom's to be there by the time the caregiver leaves at 3. Except the one day when that mean old lady kidnapped my mother, Mom did OK. She missed my brother like crazy. I asked her when I got there if she talked to Stewart yesterday morning. She started on and on about something which I could not understand and then just busted out crying! Oh, my! What have I started was all I could think about. Turns out she just missed him!

My brother is insisting that I take a little R & R as well. It's different when I do it because we have to hire someone to come in to help because he cannot take her to the bathroom. She only has to go one time while I am there, but someone has to be there to take her and I hate to have to pay a caregiver $10 and hour because I am gone. We are blowing through her money like crazy. I am thinking I may check in a couple of days at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas....just outside Dallas. Never been there, but I hear wonderful things and all I want to do is rest in luxury! Judging from the cost of the rooms, they damn sure better be luxurious!

Why?

My brother is in Branson this week. Mom did great the first day he was gone and walked with the caregiver. My brother walks her every day and he told her that she must walk with the caregiver. Everything was fine.  Yesterday, some mean old woman inhabited the body of my sweet mom. She refused to walk, refused an enema, shoved her lunch plate away...just all kinds of crazy, unusual for her, stuff. All I could do was apologize to the caregiver because I have no idea why she does this. She doesn't very often, but when she does, she is mean and rude. That is sooooo not my mother. Of course, I got angry with her and fussed, which she will not remember today. This will be my brother's last vacation until next December....thank goodness! I hate it when he is gone. Time for me to get out in my yard and relieve some stress!

Great Day!

After two days of enemas, Mom had a good day. The caregiver took her to the hairdresser, so she was looking all pretty. My brother called me and said he was going to bring Mom up to the hospital in my city to visit her sister. It was great! The sisters were so happy to see each other! They just held hands the whole time. One of our cousins was there, so we got to visit with her as well.

Ooops!

Didn't realize I had been missing in action for so long. Things with Mom are about the same. Her sister has had another stroke and is in rehab now. I think I may be looking into my crystal ball as far as genes and health goes. I am now trying to combat as much of it as I can. I know I can't change the genes, but I can change the way I take care of myself....which is poorly! Although I am not a Catholic, I decided that during Lent I would do some sort of exercise every day. I joined the ALL HOURS fitness because I certainly need access at all hours. So far, I have been to it every day except Friday and that was strictly not of my own doing. I had no control over my time that day...SO, I guess I have already failed, but I will continue until Easter and then I will probably tone it down to a few days a week. My workout usually lasts about an hour, which includes 30-40 minutes on a treadmill or other cardio machine and some upper body and lower body weight machines. I enjoy it.

The gardening season is upon us. It's always a time I look forward to. My brother does most of the work because I don't get to Mom's until just after 3 P.M. He has been taking her outside in her power chair so she can watch him work and he can watch her between the time the caregiver leaves at 3 and I get there. He got the potatoes planted. My contribution to that was to get the seed potatoes all cut up the night before because I could do that after Mom was asleep. He also got his sugar cane in the ground. We also planted a few tomatoes in a raised bed. Last night we had to cover them with buckets to protect them from the cold. Gardening is just therapy for me. My dad loved it, too!