GI Jane
Hi friends,
Well, today Pam and I made some executive decisions regarding mom's new look, and decided she had to lose the nasty, matted crusty hair on the right side of her head, and that we were just the ones to do it. We felt a more flattering and user-friendly look would be the GI Jane cut, which as you may know is sort of like Britney circa earlier this year. ;) When we got to her room today after stuffing our faces at IHOP a little too full (ugh), she had her helmet off airing out her head for a bit. That's when we knew what our mission would be. With the help of the nurse who got us our supplies and encouraged us, we gathered all the tools we needed as amateur barbers. We used the suture removal kit scissors to trim up all the longer hair nice and short so as to be easy to shave. Then we shampooed her up, and away we went with the razors...with a little doing, we were able to do a fairly decent job, and even got the back when we lifted up her head. Poor mom, she was a passive victim to our fashion sense, but in the long run I'm sure she'll like it. We'll laugh about this later. Man, I never imagined I'd ever shave my mom's head...nor did Pam I'm sure. Couldn'ta done it without her though! :) After we did that, we just got her all settled and tucked in, and left to let her rest after all the shaving...it had to have been stressful. She is now prepared as GI Jane to face the battle ahead.
I spent the afternoon not doing any of the things I should have been doing (like unpacking), because to be honest I didn't sleep much last night and so today I've been exhausted. So I mostly putzed around on the computer and watched TV. The only productive thing I did was pay a few bills, which I guess is something. But the apartment (aka The Homestead as Lilly and I refer to mom's and now my place) is still a mess and filled with boxes. Maybe I'll get to that tomorrow.
As the evening dragged on, I of course began to get lonely and anxious again, and Nikki and Jamie came to my rescue. They met me at the hospital where they allowed me to compose and medicate myself before heading up to the room with me. There was my lovely mom, helmet back in place but looking radiant simply because I knew here head must be feeling less itchy and gross with her new 'do. She has a calming effect on me even when she is not participating. She really gave her eyes a workout today...they were both wide open more often than other days before. She is still kicking that leg quite a bit, and she bends it more everyday and it gets stronger. Her right arm likes to stay bent, and when we try to straighten it, she gives quite a bit of resistance, and my hope is that her arm is gaining strength as well.
One thing she did today that was new was when she started to get agitated, she really seemed to want to tell us something she wanted, and would scrunch up her face and move her leg and grab her left hip with her arm. Then she'd look toward me and reach up with her arm and out to me. One time she grabbed at my stomach and rested her hand on my belly while she felt the fabric of my shirt between her fingers. Another time, I was bent down looking at her and talking to her, and she held my face in her hand...it made me cry. She was looking at me as she did so, and I don't know if she understood what she was doing or who I was or that I was crying, but she moved her thumb back and forth a few times as though she were stroking my face, and felt my tears. Then she got tired and slowly fell asleep for a few minutes. I have to believe she was doing these things purposefully because if I don't, I just don't know. I need them to have been purposeful. That would be the first contact between my mother as my mother and me as her daughter, and I've been waiting for that for what seems like forever. I really hope it was.
Until tomorrow, friends. Wish me luck once again sleeping tonight...night #2 without a sleepover partner hopefully will go better than #1 did. ;) It might be the big day where we find out the destination of mom upon discharge. Please, pray for RIC harder than ever. I know you will, so thank you all. I love you.
Well, today Pam and I made some executive decisions regarding mom's new look, and decided she had to lose the nasty, matted crusty hair on the right side of her head, and that we were just the ones to do it. We felt a more flattering and user-friendly look would be the GI Jane cut, which as you may know is sort of like Britney circa earlier this year. ;) When we got to her room today after stuffing our faces at IHOP a little too full (ugh), she had her helmet off airing out her head for a bit. That's when we knew what our mission would be. With the help of the nurse who got us our supplies and encouraged us, we gathered all the tools we needed as amateur barbers. We used the suture removal kit scissors to trim up all the longer hair nice and short so as to be easy to shave. Then we shampooed her up, and away we went with the razors...with a little doing, we were able to do a fairly decent job, and even got the back when we lifted up her head. Poor mom, she was a passive victim to our fashion sense, but in the long run I'm sure she'll like it. We'll laugh about this later. Man, I never imagined I'd ever shave my mom's head...nor did Pam I'm sure. Couldn'ta done it without her though! :) After we did that, we just got her all settled and tucked in, and left to let her rest after all the shaving...it had to have been stressful. She is now prepared as GI Jane to face the battle ahead.
I spent the afternoon not doing any of the things I should have been doing (like unpacking), because to be honest I didn't sleep much last night and so today I've been exhausted. So I mostly putzed around on the computer and watched TV. The only productive thing I did was pay a few bills, which I guess is something. But the apartment (aka The Homestead as Lilly and I refer to mom's and now my place) is still a mess and filled with boxes. Maybe I'll get to that tomorrow.
As the evening dragged on, I of course began to get lonely and anxious again, and Nikki and Jamie came to my rescue. They met me at the hospital where they allowed me to compose and medicate myself before heading up to the room with me. There was my lovely mom, helmet back in place but looking radiant simply because I knew here head must be feeling less itchy and gross with her new 'do. She has a calming effect on me even when she is not participating. She really gave her eyes a workout today...they were both wide open more often than other days before. She is still kicking that leg quite a bit, and she bends it more everyday and it gets stronger. Her right arm likes to stay bent, and when we try to straighten it, she gives quite a bit of resistance, and my hope is that her arm is gaining strength as well.
One thing she did today that was new was when she started to get agitated, she really seemed to want to tell us something she wanted, and would scrunch up her face and move her leg and grab her left hip with her arm. Then she'd look toward me and reach up with her arm and out to me. One time she grabbed at my stomach and rested her hand on my belly while she felt the fabric of my shirt between her fingers. Another time, I was bent down looking at her and talking to her, and she held my face in her hand...it made me cry. She was looking at me as she did so, and I don't know if she understood what she was doing or who I was or that I was crying, but she moved her thumb back and forth a few times as though she were stroking my face, and felt my tears. Then she got tired and slowly fell asleep for a few minutes. I have to believe she was doing these things purposefully because if I don't, I just don't know. I need them to have been purposeful. That would be the first contact between my mother as my mother and me as her daughter, and I've been waiting for that for what seems like forever. I really hope it was.
Until tomorrow, friends. Wish me luck once again sleeping tonight...night #2 without a sleepover partner hopefully will go better than #1 did. ;) It might be the big day where we find out the destination of mom upon discharge. Please, pray for RIC harder than ever. I know you will, so thank you all. I love you.
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Monica and Tim