Friday, March 26, 2004
It seems I forgot to mention...
...that she twisted her back again Tuesday night in bed. I think the reason I didn't mention it is that it's part of the two steps forward, one and a half steps back that we've been going through since her back injury. Yesterday, if I hadn't known, I wouldn't have guessed that her back had been giving her trouble on Wednesday except that I've been here, I do know, and I can see the increments, however small (or large), in her progression and/or regression. We've had a couple of these, the most surprising of which was the first when she twisted her back in bed (it always seems to be in bed) the day after a Christmas weekend of company which had gone so incredibly well. At any rate, I take these minor setbacks in stride, now. It's sort of like limping for a day on a trick knee that popped out and in.
The reason I'm remembering to record this is that the company we were expecting are coming next weekend instead, which will work better for us. Although I had high hopes, I wasn't sure Mom would be up to even going outside and visiting on Sunday. She might have wished to remain in the house, so I would've done the same.
I'm still not expert at this, but there is a trajectory that her relapses/rehealings seems to follow. I think Sunday will be on the low end of the spectrum.
She will be going to physical therapy today. I haven't yet awakened her. This morning I've checked in on her twice and she is snoring, which is unusual for her but fine. This means she was exhausted when she retired last night. Although she seemed game to remain awake and really didn't do much, what she did, I guess. gave her back a work out.
I think a lot about time, the way time flows here in our lives versus the way it flows around us in the business world. I sometimes wonder, however unusual it is, if it is really much of a benefit to Mom to have someone (me) taking care of her who can spend long periods in her time zone. It is not uncommon for me to lose track of days of the week, days of the month and, sometimes, which day I'm still occupying. I do this because it is easy for me to do, I get a kick out of being flexible in time and it makes it easier for me in my dealings with Mom to be where she is. I know, though, that if, for instance, it was necessary for me to be working a job, well, at this point, she may have just emerged from temporary skilled nursing home care, I would probably have sitters lined up for her, I would also probably be relatively aware of her physical, emotional and spiritual condition but not in detail and I would be relying heavily on professionals for my sense of her self. This is not to impugn any of these caregiver strategies. As well, her social contacts would be very high, she may even be enjoying and benefiting from this in ways that would render her, hmmm, well, more able to deal with less primary involvement with me. Then again, if I had not had the time and energy to put into energetic management of her medical care and health needs, she may very well have been scoped from end to end to no avail and with some debilitation. She may have already died due to medication mismanagement and/or complication from one of many anesthesized procedures.
She's up. Immediately. Later.
The reason I'm remembering to record this is that the company we were expecting are coming next weekend instead, which will work better for us. Although I had high hopes, I wasn't sure Mom would be up to even going outside and visiting on Sunday. She might have wished to remain in the house, so I would've done the same.
I'm still not expert at this, but there is a trajectory that her relapses/rehealings seems to follow. I think Sunday will be on the low end of the spectrum.
She will be going to physical therapy today. I haven't yet awakened her. This morning I've checked in on her twice and she is snoring, which is unusual for her but fine. This means she was exhausted when she retired last night. Although she seemed game to remain awake and really didn't do much, what she did, I guess. gave her back a work out.
I think a lot about time, the way time flows here in our lives versus the way it flows around us in the business world. I sometimes wonder, however unusual it is, if it is really much of a benefit to Mom to have someone (me) taking care of her who can spend long periods in her time zone. It is not uncommon for me to lose track of days of the week, days of the month and, sometimes, which day I'm still occupying. I do this because it is easy for me to do, I get a kick out of being flexible in time and it makes it easier for me in my dealings with Mom to be where she is. I know, though, that if, for instance, it was necessary for me to be working a job, well, at this point, she may have just emerged from temporary skilled nursing home care, I would probably have sitters lined up for her, I would also probably be relatively aware of her physical, emotional and spiritual condition but not in detail and I would be relying heavily on professionals for my sense of her self. This is not to impugn any of these caregiver strategies. As well, her social contacts would be very high, she may even be enjoying and benefiting from this in ways that would render her, hmmm, well, more able to deal with less primary involvement with me. Then again, if I had not had the time and energy to put into energetic management of her medical care and health needs, she may very well have been scoped from end to end to no avail and with some debilitation. She may have already died due to medication mismanagement and/or complication from one of many anesthesized procedures.
She's up. Immediately. Later.
