Been thinking about Grandma Alma again. Alma had a husband who made her promise to keep the family together and then died leaving her with eight small children, no money and a mortgage she couldn’t pay, and then people bought her farm stuff for pennies at auction and some of them never paid her. I … read more Big booties to fill
Tag: Tom
Packing it out
I already had tears in my eyes when the big box truck backed into the driveway. Every time I walk into my house since the tree fell on it, the sight of the damage makes me cry. We loved this house so much from the moment we first walked in, nine years ago. The open … read more Packing it out
Sunday therapy
Finally, a day off. Slept in. After I made coffee and brunch I was free for a few hours to write while Tom was reading. Like a normal Sunday. We came up with an ambitious agenda for the afternoon and evening. We wanted to go to the playfield so that Tom could walk on the track, … read more Sunday therapy
A helping hand
The wooden stairs in the physical therapy room at the rehab hospital were on a platform, with a landing in between two sets of steps. About six steps on the steep side, and maybe ten on the set with a gentle slope. The handrail was wood, on both sides of the stairs within easy reach. Tom used these … read more A helping hand
Fill in the blank
Because Tom can’t write much yet, I’m filling out his medical forms. It’s bad enough doing these stupid pieces of paper for myself; doing them for someone else is a real pain in the arse. First of all: Why the hell are these forms still on PAPER? The big advance for medical offices has been … read more Fill in the blank
Just another morning
[Thursday Aug. 11] Today, Dad would have been 96 years old. I begged him to help me get through the day. It’s been a week since the tree fell on our house, and six days since Tom got out of rehab. The days are too long, and not long enough. I usually wake up at … read more Just another morning
Fitbit cheats
With all the schlepping I am doing lately, I figured it would be nice to get at least some kind of credit for it. So I donned Tom’s cast-off first-generation Fitbit. It’s great to get that little party on your wrist when you’ve taken 10,000 steps in a day. In the past couple weeks, I’ve been … read more Fitbit cheats
The homecoming
Tom got to come home today – and boy, was he ready. He’s now marked “independent” on getting in and out of bed and chair, showering and going to the toilet, and running around in his wheelchair. He has progressed so fast that I can’t keep up, and his therapists are truly impressed. He can … read more The homecoming
Taking a shower
Tom startled me by confessing he’d taken a shower. By himself. Those of us who haven’t had a stroke take a shower every day, without thinking about it. For Tom, this accomplishment is real cause for celebration. It’s made up of so many individual accomplishments, each of which took hours of therapy and exercise to perfect. First, being … read more Taking a shower
Natural aids
Awake before 5 and my restless mind couldn’t get back to sleep. When I tried to get up at 6:30, I collapsed into anxiety. I sobbed at the thought of having to leave this beautiful home in the mountains in just a few hours. I begged the universe to come to my aid. Is anyone out … read more Natural aids