Laundry!
Hi Friends,
Before I forget, look back at Halloween's posting...I threw in a cute picture taken by Lilly that day. ;)
I had a great time with mom today. She is the cutest ever, and I am so thankful I still have her to visit with and laugh with and hug. As hard as this whole process has been and continues to be, I thank God everyday that she is still with us and am continually amazed at how much of her is returning day by day. Her sense of humor is completely intact, as is her loving spirit. I have always known that she and I have a special bond that is unique and wonderful and rare, and I am so thankful that it is still able to manifest itself so well.
I received a phone call early this afternoon, and the caller ID on my cell phone said it was RIC room 1042! I answered right away, and almost fell on the floor when I heard mom's voice...she sounded exactly like she has always sounded on the phone...I just hadn't yet talked to her on the phone since the accident, so it was a little disconcerting, but wonderful! It completely caught me off guard, and I immediately began to cry...mom of course wanted to know what was wrong, and I assured her it was just that I was so happy to hear her voice, and then I quickly pulled myself together! She was with Laura, her occupational therapist, and she wanted mom to call and tell me what she did today! She told me she took a shower standing up (sounds like not a big deal, but she hadn't done that yet, she's been sitting in the shower chair!) and she helped do her laundry! She told me she poured in the detergent and everything!!! Laura told her to tell me she'd have a great report for the care team tomorrow when they have their weekly meeting! :)
She did pretty well at dinner tonight...she still needed prompting to keep taking bites, but this time she didn't complain about it and try to get out of it, and she's offering her food to me a LITTLE bit less than she was before. We had a little discussion about how when she leaves RIC that she will go to another place for a little while before she gets to come home, and that I don't know specifically where yet or for how long, but that it was just the next step in her recovery process. She took it as well as could be expected...not thrilled, sad, but I told her she needs to trust me that I love her more than anything and that I wouldn't make any decision without her safety and best interests at heart, and she said she knew that, that she trusted me, but she was still very sad about it. I assured her we'd get through it together, just like we've gotten through everything else thus far, together.
After dinner, we went back to her room and I discovered her laundry was still in the dryer, so we went in to get it. I started to fold it right out of the dryer, and mom actually initiated helping me fold!! She turned a couple shirts outside in, and then folded them, and a couple pairs of pants, too! Granted, she did it pretty slowly and I got most of it done before she finished, but I didn't ask her to do that or tell her that's what was to be done...she just offered to help and did it!!! And then she offered to carry some of it back to her room, so she kept a pile on her lap for the walk back to her room! :) Leaps and bounds. We looked online at some pictures for a bit, and I showed her this blog, as well! She likes the title, and the picture of the water lillies. :)
A short word to those who have left such wonderful, sweet comments on the blog these last couple of months, and especially of late...THANK YOU. Your entries truly bring me to tears, and it means SO MUCH to me that you are offering your support and love to me so openly and publicly. I'm not so sure I agree with your praise of me...I'm just doing what must be done...but nonetheless, it REALLY encourages me to continue in the fight and keep the faith. You'll never understand how what may seem to you like such a small offering (don't get me wrong...in some cases, the offers you have made are HUGE...I simply mean the words themselves) makes such an enormous impact on my morale and psyche. Your warmth and love truly shine through to me in my darkest of moments, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and can only hope I am lucky enough that you will continue in this. Until tomorrow, peace.
Before I forget, look back at Halloween's posting...I threw in a cute picture taken by Lilly that day. ;)
I had a great time with mom today. She is the cutest ever, and I am so thankful I still have her to visit with and laugh with and hug. As hard as this whole process has been and continues to be, I thank God everyday that she is still with us and am continually amazed at how much of her is returning day by day. Her sense of humor is completely intact, as is her loving spirit. I have always known that she and I have a special bond that is unique and wonderful and rare, and I am so thankful that it is still able to manifest itself so well.
I received a phone call early this afternoon, and the caller ID on my cell phone said it was RIC room 1042! I answered right away, and almost fell on the floor when I heard mom's voice...she sounded exactly like she has always sounded on the phone...I just hadn't yet talked to her on the phone since the accident, so it was a little disconcerting, but wonderful! It completely caught me off guard, and I immediately began to cry...mom of course wanted to know what was wrong, and I assured her it was just that I was so happy to hear her voice, and then I quickly pulled myself together! She was with Laura, her occupational therapist, and she wanted mom to call and tell me what she did today! She told me she took a shower standing up (sounds like not a big deal, but she hadn't done that yet, she's been sitting in the shower chair!) and she helped do her laundry! She told me she poured in the detergent and everything!!! Laura told her to tell me she'd have a great report for the care team tomorrow when they have their weekly meeting! :)
She did pretty well at dinner tonight...she still needed prompting to keep taking bites, but this time she didn't complain about it and try to get out of it, and she's offering her food to me a LITTLE bit less than she was before. We had a little discussion about how when she leaves RIC that she will go to another place for a little while before she gets to come home, and that I don't know specifically where yet or for how long, but that it was just the next step in her recovery process. She took it as well as could be expected...not thrilled, sad, but I told her she needs to trust me that I love her more than anything and that I wouldn't make any decision without her safety and best interests at heart, and she said she knew that, that she trusted me, but she was still very sad about it. I assured her we'd get through it together, just like we've gotten through everything else thus far, together.
After dinner, we went back to her room and I discovered her laundry was still in the dryer, so we went in to get it. I started to fold it right out of the dryer, and mom actually initiated helping me fold!! She turned a couple shirts outside in, and then folded them, and a couple pairs of pants, too! Granted, she did it pretty slowly and I got most of it done before she finished, but I didn't ask her to do that or tell her that's what was to be done...she just offered to help and did it!!! And then she offered to carry some of it back to her room, so she kept a pile on her lap for the walk back to her room! :) Leaps and bounds. We looked online at some pictures for a bit, and I showed her this blog, as well! She likes the title, and the picture of the water lillies. :)
A short word to those who have left such wonderful, sweet comments on the blog these last couple of months, and especially of late...THANK YOU. Your entries truly bring me to tears, and it means SO MUCH to me that you are offering your support and love to me so openly and publicly. I'm not so sure I agree with your praise of me...I'm just doing what must be done...but nonetheless, it REALLY encourages me to continue in the fight and keep the faith. You'll never understand how what may seem to you like such a small offering (don't get me wrong...in some cases, the offers you have made are HUGE...I simply mean the words themselves) makes such an enormous impact on my morale and psyche. Your warmth and love truly shine through to me in my darkest of moments, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and can only hope I am lucky enough that you will continue in this. Until tomorrow, peace.
Comments
Sorry I have not been able to visit Bev this week. I was out of town for a couple of days. Please tell her I said HI! and I will stop in again soon to visit. You have been doing an amazing job and I know everyone is proud of you and your mom. Take Care.
Lauren
Tracy