Val's weekend report

Mom was on her way to the restroom to perform her evening ablutions when I arrived Friday evening. Wheel of Fortune was on the TV, but I think Mom is more fond of Jeopardy and chose to miss some of the former so she could watch the latter. I freshened her flowers with some additions from my yard, and watched Jeopardy with her and Sylvia (still can't believe I got the final jeopardy question wrong), then around 8 p.m. left with some shirts to wash.

Both ladies looked tired, but why wouldn't they be? I've had to remind myself that Mom customarily took a nap (she might not call it that, but that's what it was) most afternoons before her hip broke, and she really hasn't been able to do that while at Heartland because of the rigorous physical and occupational therapy. When my cousin Maggie and I showed up Saturday afternoon around 1 p.m., both ladies were doing the head nodding thing as they sat in their wheelchairs, Mom with Barbara Walters' autobiography, Audition: A Memoir in her lap. That didn't last for long, though. We got her up and walked to the refrigerator to put some treats we brought -- Oberweis ice cream from Maggie, the last of the Michigan strawberries from me (plus the freshly laundered shirts). Then we went to the internet room so she could see pictures on Flickr from Jeff, Amy, and Nick Robbins' recent trip to England (they're Maggie's son, daughter-in-law, and grandson).

Mom is understandably anxious about going home later this week. It's hard for her to comprehend that it's unlikely she will regain the same level of physical ability she had before her hip fracture. That and changes in her house -- kitchen rugs absent, more grab bars installed, her bedroom furniture rearranged, no going down to the basement -- will require adaptation. Plus there are more changes that need to be made, notably rearranging her kitchen cupboards. Considering she's had her cupboards the same way for 60 years, it will be a major shift for her. It would be a major shift for anyone! Fortunately Dave will be there to help her get settled and get used to the new way of living on Meadowlark.

Before I left late Saturday afternoon, we briefly discussed the merits of assisted living. I think she's warming up to the idea, but I also think it's important for her to spend some time at her house, if nothing else than to say goodbye.