from the porches

The Plus of My Day

Well, hello there, azaleas!  You are a PLUS, even though only one of you are blooming in my yard this year. 

By the way, here's another PLUS. Mom is better.  In fact, she fired the Shands Home Health Care Nurse today.  Too bad I wasn't here.  I left Clay here with Mom. 

Mistake?  What do you think?  I just have too many people to take care of here and I didn't want to hear all the questions and Mom saying, "I'm fine.  Go find someone else sicky than me."  But, really Mom is much better.

Well, hello camellias! You girls are definitely blooming in my yard right now.  Thank you.  I need the color! 

So here's another PLUS.  Clay has been somewhat helpful, although, he has different priorities than me.  Music is Clay's first priority; however, if lunch is involved, Clay will willing drive with me and Truett.  And that means the world to me, Clay.  Thanks again for unloading that wheelchair as quickly as you can, and being as patient as you can be!  It takes courage, doesn't it, Son?

Another GREAT BIG PLUS  was me seeing ex-students of mine at the B&B when I ordered pizza for my family.  "Mrs. George!  Hey!  I miss you!"

I said,  "Tell me your names.  You've all grown up!  What grade are you in now?" And they told me they were eighth graders.  I taught them when they were nine years old.  But one special young man looked at me and I asked, "Mike?  Is that you?"

"Yes, mam," he answered.

 "Oh, my word!  You've grown up!  I'm Mrs. George.  Do you remember me?"

"Yes," he answered.

"How's your book coming along?"

"Well, it needs a lot of revision.  But, maybe it's on hold for a while because I'm involved in other things."

"Michael, you were a better writer than me.  You know that, don't you?"

'Yes, mam," he answered.

And folks, that was the PLUS of my day!

The Highlight of my Day

The highlight of my day was not doing three loads of laundry today.  Nor was it chasing the puppies who escaped from their pen.

The highlight of my day was not going to lunch with Clay and Truett and me ordering Nachos Supreme at El Toro in Alachua.  Just way too much food!

The highlight of my day was not me calling Mom's doctor to switch her antibiotic which after two days caused sores in the corners of her mouth.  Lord knows, since Mom had lymphoma in her mouth, that's the last thing that she wanted to have.  Couldn't eat so she's drinking Boost and potato soup for supper.  No, that's not the highlight of my day, but it's pretty darn close.

You all know the highlight of my day.  Yes, you do!

You guessed it! 

Going to Fort White Elementary School and seeing children.  Having children do a double-take and hearing a few say, "Hey, I know you, but I don't remember your name." 

"I'm Mrs. George and I used to teach writing here.  You were only in first grade then."

But, the very best highlight of my day was seeing my teacher friends and getting so many hugs!  I was introduced by one teacher as "The famous Writing teacher, Mrs. George!"  I was introduced by another teacher as "The Queen of Writing!"

Thank you guys so much.  I couldn't find all the friends I wanted to see; but, I got enough hugs to make judging Literacy Doors the highlight of my day.

And guess what?  The day is not over.  I'll be searching for NCIS tonight and that will complete the highlight of my day!

How a day collapses

Today I took Mom for a CT scan ordered by her Oncologist, Dr. Lynch.  Mom chatted all the way down to Gainesville:  "Hey fellow.  Use your blinker.  Mover over person. Hey pond.  I guess you were built for the deer to drink from.  I don't know why I keep coughing." 

Finally, we arrived at the Orthapedic Center and they took her back to the tube.  We had discussed where we would have lunch and I was looking forward to it.  She even said she was hungry.  Yea, Mom! So, I was anxiously awaiting a quick, but somewhat healthy lunch at a local restaurant.

 

But, somehow the day collapsed into a weeping woman. . . Mom. 

The nurses wouldn't draw blood from her port and that upset her because they couldn't find a vein, so they searched for more veins.  Finally, when Mom was rolled into the lobby after her scan, she was not the same "Chatty Kathy" as the woman that rode down to Gainesville with me.  I loaded her into the Acadia and she broke down crying. 

"I can't take it anymore.  I do not want to live another day!"  And she wept and she wept and she wept.  "And I'm NOT selfish.  No, I'm not selfish for wanting to die," she wailed. "Mom, if you say that enough times, maybe your children will believe you are not selfish.

 No good lunch today.  Just a quick drive through McDonalds for a strawberry milkshake for my mother and six chicken nuggets and water for me.  "Mom, please don't cry," I said.
  We finally made it home and Mom went immediately to bed.  But, then a phone call came about fifteen minutes later.  It was Dr. Lynch, her Oncologist.

"I have good news," he said.  "The CT scans look great . . . no lymphoma; however, she has a touch of pneumonia, so I've sent in a prescription to her druggist.  And, by the way, how are you holding up?" he asked. 

I must say that Dr. Jay Lynch is the most caring doctor I've ever encountered . . . well, except for Dr. Stalvey, Truett's doctor . . . or my daughter, Dr. Markham.  I feel so blessed to have my family in the University of Florida Shands health care system. (Thank you, Dr. Lynch for caring about me, too!)

Then I decided that Mom needed to know the good news, so I jostled her out of bed and pointed to her hearing aides.  Mom always looks like a startled animal when I touch her to wake her up; but I didn't care.  "Mom!  Put your hearing aides in!"  And she did. 

I told her what Dr. Lynch relayed to me and she thrust her hands to her face and wept and wept.  "Thank God it's only pneumonia!  I love Dr. Lynch so much!"  And she wept in joy rather than fear.

Oh, my!  My mama has always been so strong.  I've never seen her cry as much as she has in the past several weeks.  Hang in there Mom!

PS.  My twin sister, Sherry was with me today.  She called early this morning and said, "Visualize me being with you today. . . and I did.  Thanks, Sherry.

So even though the day began with tears of fear, it ultimately ended up with tears of "Thank God, it's only pneumonia!" 

And that's how a day collapses, my friends  . . with tears of JOY!

 

 

 

 

Only reflections

January 12, 2013 was unusually warm.  I remember freezing my fingers off in 2010 while on car rider duty.

Today Clay offered to ride with me and Truett to Rum Island.

That meant the world to me, Clay. 

Getting your father out in nature . . . in fresh air.  But, let's do overlook his recliner hair.

I was hoping to photograph birds, but I didn't see any.  So I photographed reflections in the water.

No birds.  Boo hoo!

Only reflections in the water.

Thanks, Clay for all you do for me.

 

Driving the Mayor

I have been burning rubber since 2011 when Truett had a tumor removed at Shands.  I have driven hundreds and hundreds of miles visiting my husband and transporting my mom to and from her doctors' appointments.  I have also driven Clay to and from his appointments.

I can put up with Mom talking to road signs and churches she obviously disagree in belief with.  I can put up with Clay riding with me, talking about his  pipe dreams.

But the one thing that drives me batty is driving Truett to lunch in either Lake City or Gainesville.  The Mayor of Fort White is incorrigible!

"What the h--- are you doing?" he shouts.

And I'm thinking, "I'm driving."

Oh, my word.  He is a true backseat driver without control of the wheel. 

I know it irritates him when I run over a curb; but, folks, I'm to0 short to see the curb.  I used to be tall, but not any more.  Too bad, Truett.  I'll give you this one.

If I didn't have to drive again, I would be one happy camper because I hate driving the Mayor of Fort White anywhere.

P.S.  I heard he cussed a Lion's Club member for his irradic driving in the dark. 

Scratch this person off of our list. :(

Driving the Mayor of Fort White is NOT driving Miss Daisy!

A First

I've done some pretty interesting things in my life: attended JFK's funeral, shook President Clinton's hand, had Johnny Mercer buy me a drink when we lived in Savannah, had Lester Maddox hold my baby girl for a photo op, got a job with American Airlines and sat beside the president of American Airlines on the way home from New York, thus, assuring me of a job. 

But today I did something I've never done before.

Today I went into a man's restroom because my name was being called.  Yes, Truett and I were at Books-A-Million in Gainesville.  Suddenly, he had an urge, so I opened the restroom door for him and waited outside by the religious books.  I think I might have said a quick prayer.  Then, I  heard him yelling my name. 

A man's restroom is certainly an interesting place and one I never want to go back in.  It seems this restroom had one urinal and one stall, while the women's restroom has four stalls. 

It appeared that Truett and his wheelchair were all tangled up in the stall and he couldn't maneuver his way out.

He unlocked the stall door for me and I squoze myself inside.  About that time I heard the restroom door open. "Uh, oh!"  I held my right index finger to my lips and whispered,  "Shhh!"  Then I heard a tinkling sound.  EEEW!  That man didn't even wash his hands.  He just left.  Gross!

Finally, I got Truett up after readjusting the wheelchair and was about to leave when I heard the restroom door open again. 

"Hey, is there someone in here?" I shouted.  "I'm a woman and I'm helping my husband  maneuver his wheelchair.  If you can wait a minute, we'll be out of here."

"No problem," an elderly man answered.  "I'll hold the door for you." 

"Thank you,sir," I said as the man held the door for us to walk . . .ahem . . ride through.

Did I mention men's restrooms are NASTY!  I hope I never have to go back in one again.  This was certainly a first for me.

 

In retrospect

In retrospect, I should have noticed a change in my Mom's eating habits. 

Every night after I settled Truett in, and when Mom waddled off to her bedroom, I retired to the kitchen computer. 

Forty minutes later, after Mom's sleeping pill kicked in, she shuffled to the kitchen and took a snack:  Nutty Buddy cookies, or cheese and crackers. 

Often times, Mom didn't even see me at the computer because of her Zolpidem; ie, sleeping pill.. 

Often times, I said, "Hi, Mom!" and she just shuffled out of the kitchen because she didn't have her hearing aides in and didn't even know I was there.

But, obviously, I haven't paid attention lately. 

I haven't noticed that Mom hasn't waddled into the kitchen area to get a Nutter Butter at 9:30 p.m.. 

I haven't noticed that she hasn't fixed  cheese and crackers for her nightly snack at 9:30 p.m. 

Nope.  I didn't notice at all; and now I feel real guilty. 

I should have noticed the change in her eating patterns; but, I didn't.

In retrospect, I should have paid more attention to my Mom.

Welcome 2013

I woke up this morning with my grandson, Oliver, sleeping in my bed.  I can't tell you it was absolute bliss when I woke up at 6:00 A.M.with his feet poking my ribs.  I removed his legs and he quietly whispered, "Nana, do we have six points?" 

I rolled over and whispered,  "Yes, Oliver.  You have six points and we have three hours to reach ten points and a gift." 

What a wonderful way to wake up in a new year . . . 2013!

And then my life became a whirlwind before the annual New Year's Brunch hosted by Barbara Knutson and Carl.  They are part of the "River People" and I feel very lucky to be invited every New Years Day.

So, from this point on, this was my life:  Feed Oliver.  Feed Maddie.  Feed Roger and Punky.  Feed Maggie and Lily.  Cut up the fruit, (which, by the way, will be already cut up for next year's brunch), give Truett a shower.   Slap Mom's jelly filled doughnut on the table. 

Oh, my word!  Welcome 2013! 

I'm ready for you.  Are you ready for me?

 Most of my Mexican Train Domino friends were there.

As Truett and I were about to leave, Clay called and asked, "Mom, can I go with you?" 

I said, "Clay, as long as you look decent.  We're leaving in ten minutes."

You know.  If I expect my son to fit in to society, I have to fit him in to society, so I said, "Okay, just look decent and you and come. "

Clay got wonderful praises from my friends.:

 "Clay, we've heard so much about you." 

"Clay, I've known you since you were two years old.  Thank you for helping your mother."

"Clay.  It is so nice to finally meet you! Your mother appreciates all that you do for her."

"Clay.  Thank you for helping your mother!"


Yep!  2013 began with my grandson waking me up and my son providing help with Truett.

Hello 2013!