Mom in North Dakota, Sept. 2010
Mom has been given the go-ahead to move out of the rehab hospital and take the next step toward her recovery.
On Sunday she will move in with Bill and I for about a month. I am so excited I can’t stand it. I can’t believe she will be right here in our house, having easy access to company if she wants it, or a quiet room if she just needs a nap (you know hospitals are noisy and bright, 24/7. I can’t imagine how good it will feel to her, to be able to sleep in quiet and darkness). I’m eager to see her sit out on the patio and watch the trees bud out on the fairway. She’ll get to eat “normal” food (her word.) Bill wants to grill fillet mignon for Sunday dinner to celebrate her arrival. I asked her if it was too heavy after the “S.L.O.P.” she’s been eating (that’s what the lady calls it), and she grinned and said, “I can just have a small piece.”
I think about how far she has come. When the staff at the rehab hospital used to ask how she was doing, her eyes would well up and she’d say, “not that good.” Now she’s like the personification of sunshine. When I arrived around 11:30 this morning, she was sitting on her bed doing a craft project (the materials were sent to her by one of her friends in the high desert); the window shade was all the way up and she grinned when she saw me and was 100% upbeat. As I wheeled her outside to feel the unseasonable warmth and fill her lungs with the clean air (you could practically see every tree on Mt. San Jacinto), she touched a couple of workers as we passed and said cheery or encouraging things to THEM. I am sure they really do wish, as one nurse told her recently, that they had “twenty more like you.”
Tomorrow the “team” comes to our house (the therapy leader, one assistant, and Mom) to evaluate the environment and train Bill and I as to how to help her, and lastly have her get into and out of our car to be sure she can be transported on Sunday. We’ve rolled up all the rugs, moved an extra chair into the living room, and made other changes to enable her to have as much independence as possible while she’s at our house. Everything is ready except the steaks.
Mom will be with us until the end of April, at which time we’re going to Atlanta to visit family. At that time she’ll go back to her beloved home in the high desert, accompanied by my sister, who has kindly agreed to fly down from Idaho to help.
That’s as far into the future as I can see right now, but I wanted to tell you she’s getting better, and it’s a team effort. Mom has been strengthened by all of your calls and cards (she got so many she rotates them so as not to appear boastful to folks at the hospital – how typically self-effacing.) Your love has been CRITICAL to her recovery. Thank you.
Kindle readers can email me at Lmspreen@yahoo.com.
I’m so glad your mom is out of rehab and with you. It’s great you have enough family to help out. Keep up the good work!!
Oh Lynne, I’m so happy for you all as you bask in the glow of every precious moment together. I actually wept tears of joy for you when I saw the title of your post! Yes, let Mom’s beautiful spirit shine on as her body continues to heal. I truly am feeling your joy and wishing I could give your Mom a big hug right now- do it for me. In fact, you three do a “jelly roll” hug for me where you wrap your arms around each other and hug 🙂
I sure will, Kathy! She’ll be here in a couple of hours for the “audit” and I’ve been rearranging furniture and knick-knacks all morning. Can’t wait for the team to say “good to go”. Only hard part will be when they take mom back to the home for two more days 🙁 but soon, soon.
Congratulations to your mom on her progress! Recovery takes time and lots of hard work — sounds like she’s made good use of both. This new stage of her healing should be good for all of you. May it be everything you dream!
“good for all of you.” Debbie, I never thought of that, but it strikes me as true – I always (over)identify with my Mom’s pain, because we are so much alike and I usually know what she is feeling. So this will truly be healing for me, too. Thanks for raising that idea.
Yayyyyyyyyyyy!!! It’s coming up sunshine and roses all over 🙂
How wonderful the next few weeks will be for you both. Glad for you.
When you visit Atlanta, would love to meet up if you have the time…
Arlene
Arlene, I would love to make that happen. What a treat to be able to meet you in person! I’ll email you directly so we can set something up.