Mom likes to call the rehab/nursing home food slop. I can’t think of any other name for overcooked frozen veggies; noodles and whatever leftovers the cook finds; and cold Tater Tots. Their only gastronomical redemption comes in the large dispensers of fruit-infused water set up in the central hallway. I guzzle a glass of lovely…
Baby brother and I visited Mom, as usual, in the evening. We had been talking about our ancestry when the conversation turned, as it often does, to words – both their spelling and derivation. I smiled and enjoyed the discussion, a typical conversation when you grow up with two English majors for parents. The folks…
As usual, I opened the door to Mom’s apartment, where I am staying, and found the local newspaper on the floor outside. Today, the newspaper headline shrieked: “Vote Delayed on Troubled Health Care Bill”. For once, some good news. I have insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and I love it. The system is…
For now, my strolls on the beach with Tango, hikes in the mountains, wanderings in the meadows, and interactions with bison: gone and replaced by wheeled adventures with Mom to assorted doctors. Next week, the podiatrist for a toenail clipping, eye doctor for an assessment, and primary care physician for a routine, long-scheduled visit. The…
Mom developed a serious infection in one eye after receiving routine shots in her eye for macular degeneration. Her doctor (who comes to Akron once a week) runs the retina clinic at the Cole Eye Center, which is part of the renowned Cleveland Clinic. I took mom to the Akron clinic when it was clear she…
Each day I see another Midwestern icon that brings back memories of my childhood. This morning on my way to mom’s room, I saw a perfectly preserved, 1970s convertible with the top down – mom and dad in the front, two boys in the back. I swear they wore vintage garb. When the stoplight changed I…
Mom cannot get up into my van, so I drive her car, which has a handicapped hang tag. When I schlepp Mom to doctors or the grocery store, I have no qualms about parking in handicapped spots – she has the tag to help her navigate more easily. Now that mom is in rehab, I…
When Grandma Alice was in the apartment I kept busy all day, protecting her. I was a paragon, a perfect 4-legged granny nanny. I slept under her walker and by her bed. I followed her to the bathroom and shower to make sure she stayed safe. One night she got up and headed to the…
Both elderly parents still live in the rehab center. I am camped out in their apartment, and I will confess to enjoying the quietude – nothing but the sound of urban traffic speeding by and the hum of hundreds of air conditioners. It is not the quiet of my little campground near Yellowstone; however, compared…
As children, many of us had imaginary BFFs. As adults, we take the game to a new level with magical thinking. In the broad sense, magical thinking occurs when we believe that our thoughts extend into and/or can change the external world. Praying for rain, for example. I have also seen magical thinking applied to…