Yesterday was better. I got to Northwoods about 11:00 and on the way in spied an adorable stuffed bunny with a light green bow around one ear and a light green, chenille dress with pink flowers embroidered on it. I bought it and took it in to Mom. She loved it on sight. I wasn't sure she would take to a stuffed animal but she petted and hugged it. It will have to be a substitute for her cat, Diana, for awhile.
Mom was awake when I came in and she hasn't been quite this awake in weeks, so that was better. She has lost her roommate, Clara. Clara's hip replacement convalescence was done and I was so sad I missed saying goodbye to her. She had been a good source of information about how Mom had slept. Clara told us that she often called for my brother during the night. Mom told me immediately that she had taken a walk with a different physical therapist that morning--a man. She said they had a good conversation and it was nice to talk to a man. She described him as tall and dark haired--good looking, of course. I saw on the "therapist list" for the day that his name was Jeff. I asked around and identified him as one of the therapists I'd seen in the gym, the one who looked like Tom Selleck looks now, though not quite as handsome as Tom. He has short dark hair and a mustache. No matter where Mom is she finds handsome men to pique her interest.
My brother came about 45 minutes after I got there and we both accompanied Mom to lunch. I was able to talk to the speech therapist and to the occupational therapist who are working hard to make Mom's food palatable to her and easier to swallow. The lunch was Ground Meat of the Day in Gravy (looked better than it sounded), Fortified Mashed Potatoes (huh?), cut up string beans and Lemon Merengue Pie. Before Mom saw the pie, she dug in to her gravied ground chicken and mashed potatoes. But when she spotted the pie, that's all she wanted. I asked the OT why elderly people (and I mean people 20 years older than me) like sweets so much. She explained that the taste buds for "sweet" are the last to go, especially in people with dementia. Why dementia has anything to do with taste buds, I don't know. I might have to Google it.
I had lunch with an alumni friend after visiting Mom and it was an enjoyable, refreshing break from all the medical issues. I thought I might dump all my stresses on my friend, but I didn't, only a few of them. We talked about lots of things and that's what was so nice about it. My spirits were already better, but talking with a friend is a good way to feel normal again.
And the day was beautiful, too. Sunny and warm. It felt so good to feel the sun on my face and to get to open the windows of my car because the car was so warm and the air was so fresh. I went to Target and got a birthday card for my son and got accosted by two make-up sales people. I think the Mary Kay woman was probably not supposed to be giving out samples from her purse in a Target Store, but she hooked me by complimenting my on my "cute earrings". She gave me a plastic Easter egg with a chocolate egg in it, her address and a sample of blush. When she asked for my contact information I refused her and ran like the Easter Bunny. Not 5 minutes later another, heavily made-up woman (it must take her a half hour to get it all off and an hour to put it all back on) approached me asking if I was looking for a particular make-up (because I'd made the mistake of stopping at the aisle) and then she proceeded to lay on the compliments as heavy as her make-up, about my "great glasses". Aha!!! Another one! I fled! It's a wonder I got out of there without encountering someone else who "just loved my pink shirt". Does Target know how irritating this is? If this happens in Target again I will complain, because it will make me not want to shop there again.
Later, at home, I picked up two messages about Mom changing rooms. Northwoods needed a two-bed room for two men coming in and could they move Mom to a private room? I called back and said it was okay with me, except that her roommate had helped her numerous times to find her call button, so they needed to make sure it was where she could see it. They told me when they couldn't reach me they asked Mom if a private room was okay. She said yes. I'd bet that when she heard of "two men coming in" she was thrilled, wondering if either or both of them might be good-looking.
No comments:
Post a Comment