A week in the life of…

I’ve written this over and over in my head and not quite managed to get it to my laptop. I do have a few posts I’ve finger pecked on the iPad, I’ll add those later. I’m pretty tired. In fact, I was going to type this up and write emails in the early hours of Saturday morning, but managed to sleep most of the night. I’ve been doing a great deal of sleeping. I reckon it is a coping mechanism. Reading and sleeping. (I’ve been reading a great deal). Not much more has captured my interest. We’ve gotten snow and it has been stunning outside, chilly and stunning. I’ve stayed in.

We got back from the city on Wednesday and both Thursday and Friday I spent in the house waiting for phone calls about appointments (I did go out to get the paper, which was not in the box, and to see if the birds would eat from my hand. They didn’t.). Mum’s been in a lot of pain. Her world revolves around sports (thank you Winter Olympics!) and attempting to do small crafts and cleaning. She’s insisting her sewing machine is broken and wants the one in my room. Unfortunately, it is in a cabinet behind piles of totes and boxes. I would prefer help to get it out (or not to get it out at all!), but as with everything I do, I’ll manage. I need to go into town today and am going to move anything of mine so if she decides to do it, my stuff won’t be in the way. (She is not supposed to go down the stairs or move heavy things, she might anyway)

She has a pill box she fills with meds for the week. She took the ones for Mon and Tues. Wed-Fri were still full. The nurse who visited asked her why she’d not taken them. Mom proceeded to say she had been gone on Wed and sort of waved away the other days by saying she added another supplement. (trying to distract the nurse with a different topic). I had not realized she added more on her own. It won’t hurt her, but I was unaware of it. So, for the last week, she’s not taken two of her prescription meds and I’m surprised she’s not feeling it. Her pain in her abdomen is getting worse. The pain pump (seriously, if you have chronic pain, this is an incredible invention and the neurotransmitter one is fascinating!) will most likely be implanted in about a week. She has taken pain meds. A lot of them.

I’m glad there were so many amusing things that happened while we were north. I’ve not found much to laugh at since! Our first night, I managed to drop a ketchup covered pickle on my only sweatshirt (it took AGES to dry after I washed it in the sink and I needed my sweatshirt, it was cold! Next time we go up, I’m taking a zip up hoodie.) I finished the pickle by cutting it up and using a fork on small pieces! The doctor office seems to find food is a comfort. The channel they always  have on is about cooking and what not. I don’t watch food shows, but they are kind of interesting! (the oddest one was watching a chef add shredded parmesan to thicken stews. I had JUST read about doing that in a blog, so it must work!) I was also intrigued by a couple of men I witnessed wandering around trimming plants in the hospital. They had no boundaries and went everywhere there was a plant. (I kept thinking how easy it would be for one of them to be a spy or something. Too much NCIS-LA in my past!) The hotel we stayed at was nice in that there was a restaurant inside. It was easier on mom to choose her own meals and not have to go too far. It was annoying because it was in a location where there weren’t sidewalks and I wanted to go and get a diet Pepsi for under 4$. I walked on the side of the snowy road to get to cleared walkways. I felt a bit vulnerable and at one point was in snow to my knee. (I also ended up blazing my own trail because I somehow managed to get completely turned around trying to reach the hotel!) On the sidewalk, one of my steps slipped out from under me and I landed in a heap on the frozen ground. As I pulled myself painfully to my feet, I was thankful no one in the intersection seemed to notice! (I did think I should have gone out in daylight, it would have been really pretty!) The best part was the last morning in the hotel. I had a breakfast I’d only read about (for real!). In many of my books, characters eat chicken and waffles. When I saw it on the menu, I had to try it. It was interesting, I’d like to see how other people make it. (I did love their chicken!)

I’ll leave you with a purple finch. One of the many fun things to do in February is the Backyard Bird Count. I’ve not done it in ages, I might this year since we’ll be around. (I also should house elf and bring in my laptop. It appears the update I was required to do didn’t take. I forgot to leave it online while I was sleeping….)