A pretty Merry Christmas
Hi Friends,
First of all, I hope everyone's Christmas was great, wherever you were for the holiday. Hard to believe it's over, eh? As I said, it didn't really feel like Christmas entirely, but it was better than I thought it would be I guess. I woke up and wasn't quite as sad as I thought I would be, probably because it didn't exactly feel like a holiday anyway. Talked to mom on the phone and she sounded like she was doing okay, so I got ready and got everything together and got to her around 10:15am or so. She had been working on a present for me, and was finishing it up when I arrived, so she left the room and wouldn't let me see what she was doing. She completely took the initiative herself, and knew enough that it was Christmas and she didn't have a present for me so wanted to try to make me something. :) She opened her presents from me, mostly clothes and a pair of new shoes, and she loved everything. Then she gave me her gift, and I burst into tears...she had found a blank certificate of completion somewhere (I think it must have been on one of the bookshelves in the dining room) and had filled in the blanks with her own thing...the first blank had a name I didn't recognize that she made up on it (she said it could be anyone I wanted), and then the blank that was for the "supervisor name" said "Amanda Smarter!" She explained that because she thinks I'm so smart, she wanted to put that by where the supervisor's name goes because she's proud of me. :) It was a simple piece of paper that had nothing to do with anything (in fact, it was a certificate for having completed some nursing competency for "end of life care," of all things...kind of sad when you really think about it), but she wanted to make something for me, and that was the only thing she had access to, and she did it all by herself...thought of the idea and executed it. She also must have asked the nurse about a picture frame or something, because while I was there, the nurse brought into the room for her a picture frame with another blank certificate in it, and said "This is what you asked me about earlier." Mom was very secretive about it, so I'm not sure what it was all about, but she's really really thinking. Wow.
We went to a Christmas carol sing-along before lunch, which mom really enjoyed, and there was a dog there who she really loved seeing too...so much so in fact that she now wants to get a dog when she gets out of there. :) Had lunch, and then went back to the room to try on the clothes I got her to make sure they fit, and she ended up changing her outfit to look more Christmas-y. She layed down for a small amount of time (maybe half an hour at most), and then we went down and played "Christmas bingo." She won twice and got two prizes...a pair of socks and a hat...and she had fun with that too. I really think she's starting to get really bored being there, so these were some good diversionary activities. Shortly after we got back to the room after that, Lilly arrived!!! We did another round of presents while we drank cocoa and ate cookies that Lilly made and brought to share. She also brought her little CD player and speakers, and we listened to a Saratoga Christmas album while we did that. It was a really good time, even though the roommate was there.
When it was dinnertime, mom made a beeline for the dining room (she must have been hungry!) and Lilly and I walked down the street a bit to see if we could find a place to get some food for ourselves, but to no avail as nothing in the neighborhood was open. By the time we got back, mom had finished her food and was just hangin' in the dining room. We stayed in there the rest of the evening and chatted and had a good time, called the family back in NY and talked to everyone there (they were all together at Aunt Linda and Uncle Tom's house), and Lilly played some Christmas carols for us on her guitar that she'd brought. :) It was beautiful, and we both loved it.
Of course, we had to leave at 8pm, but I really think mom had a good day overall despite not being able to visit home. We made the best of it, and we were all three of us together which is what really mattered. It was much better than I thought it would be, thankfully. After we left, Lilly and I were hungry so we went to a Mexican restaurant she knew would be open, and had dinner. She'd actually been there once before on Christmas, so now I have been initiated...definitely a different kind of Christmas than I've ever had before, but it was pretty okay for the circumstances.
Tomorrow is another first...I have to work, and because the visiting hours are only until 8pm, I won't be able to visit mom AT ALL tomorrow. I have visited her every single day at least for a little while ever since the day of the accident, and it will be very weird and so sad not to be able to see her. Thank goodness she is now able to talk on the phone well, and so we'll chat on the phone, but it will be very strange and I'm sure I'll be very anxious. I hate that. Ugh.
Well, wish me luck that I don't have a breakdown tomorrow...I'll need all your thoughts, love and prayers as usual. Thanks for getting us through the holiday...I know you were all sending love and thoughts our way, and I'm sure that helped get us through. Peace to you all.
First of all, I hope everyone's Christmas was great, wherever you were for the holiday. Hard to believe it's over, eh? As I said, it didn't really feel like Christmas entirely, but it was better than I thought it would be I guess. I woke up and wasn't quite as sad as I thought I would be, probably because it didn't exactly feel like a holiday anyway. Talked to mom on the phone and she sounded like she was doing okay, so I got ready and got everything together and got to her around 10:15am or so. She had been working on a present for me, and was finishing it up when I arrived, so she left the room and wouldn't let me see what she was doing. She completely took the initiative herself, and knew enough that it was Christmas and she didn't have a present for me so wanted to try to make me something. :) She opened her presents from me, mostly clothes and a pair of new shoes, and she loved everything. Then she gave me her gift, and I burst into tears...she had found a blank certificate of completion somewhere (I think it must have been on one of the bookshelves in the dining room) and had filled in the blanks with her own thing...the first blank had a name I didn't recognize that she made up on it (she said it could be anyone I wanted), and then the blank that was for the "supervisor name" said "Amanda Smarter!" She explained that because she thinks I'm so smart, she wanted to put that by where the supervisor's name goes because she's proud of me. :) It was a simple piece of paper that had nothing to do with anything (in fact, it was a certificate for having completed some nursing competency for "end of life care," of all things...kind of sad when you really think about it), but she wanted to make something for me, and that was the only thing she had access to, and she did it all by herself...thought of the idea and executed it. She also must have asked the nurse about a picture frame or something, because while I was there, the nurse brought into the room for her a picture frame with another blank certificate in it, and said "This is what you asked me about earlier." Mom was very secretive about it, so I'm not sure what it was all about, but she's really really thinking. Wow.
We went to a Christmas carol sing-along before lunch, which mom really enjoyed, and there was a dog there who she really loved seeing too...so much so in fact that she now wants to get a dog when she gets out of there. :) Had lunch, and then went back to the room to try on the clothes I got her to make sure they fit, and she ended up changing her outfit to look more Christmas-y. She layed down for a small amount of time (maybe half an hour at most), and then we went down and played "Christmas bingo." She won twice and got two prizes...a pair of socks and a hat...and she had fun with that too. I really think she's starting to get really bored being there, so these were some good diversionary activities. Shortly after we got back to the room after that, Lilly arrived!!! We did another round of presents while we drank cocoa and ate cookies that Lilly made and brought to share. She also brought her little CD player and speakers, and we listened to a Saratoga Christmas album while we did that. It was a really good time, even though the roommate was there.
When it was dinnertime, mom made a beeline for the dining room (she must have been hungry!) and Lilly and I walked down the street a bit to see if we could find a place to get some food for ourselves, but to no avail as nothing in the neighborhood was open. By the time we got back, mom had finished her food and was just hangin' in the dining room. We stayed in there the rest of the evening and chatted and had a good time, called the family back in NY and talked to everyone there (they were all together at Aunt Linda and Uncle Tom's house), and Lilly played some Christmas carols for us on her guitar that she'd brought. :) It was beautiful, and we both loved it.
Of course, we had to leave at 8pm, but I really think mom had a good day overall despite not being able to visit home. We made the best of it, and we were all three of us together which is what really mattered. It was much better than I thought it would be, thankfully. After we left, Lilly and I were hungry so we went to a Mexican restaurant she knew would be open, and had dinner. She'd actually been there once before on Christmas, so now I have been initiated...definitely a different kind of Christmas than I've ever had before, but it was pretty okay for the circumstances.
Tomorrow is another first...I have to work, and because the visiting hours are only until 8pm, I won't be able to visit mom AT ALL tomorrow. I have visited her every single day at least for a little while ever since the day of the accident, and it will be very weird and so sad not to be able to see her. Thank goodness she is now able to talk on the phone well, and so we'll chat on the phone, but it will be very strange and I'm sure I'll be very anxious. I hate that. Ugh.
Well, wish me luck that I don't have a breakdown tomorrow...I'll need all your thoughts, love and prayers as usual. Thanks for getting us through the holiday...I know you were all sending love and thoughts our way, and I'm sure that helped get us through. Peace to you all.
Comments
Love,
Tracy