Taking care of crabby elderly parents is tough, physically and mentally. Healthcare system workers – even docs – can be grumpy and uncaring. The senior care system is abysmal. One night last week the dinner menu: bologna and cheese sandwiches (I eat with Mom every night). Add to that, parents always saying “WHAT” because they cannot hear. Add to that, people who are not close to the situation who give me inappropriate advice or call too often for updates. Ohio is hot and muggy and most of the day I can’t run the AC because my 130-pound step-dad is always freezing. Very few people offer me encouragement. No news there; everyone who gives daily care to elderly parents knows the deal. Everyone else has heard the horror stories.
All of this slowly wears me down, so the greatest challenge is to keep myself sane and grounded. I will be leaving Aug 20, which is an important benchmark now. Otherwise, I would take long walks several times a day but the humidity wears me down further. Now, sewing = sanity for me, especially tailoring little things for the first grandbaby, due in October (another key benchmark that helps keep me sane).
My birthday arrives tomorrow, so I am taking off two full days, more or less. I will walk in the late evening when things cool down, but otherwise, I will sew, sew, sew. And sew some more. Also, tomorrow, I am driving about an hour to a quilt show.
The sewing machine calls to me. Stepdad is leaving soon on an outing with a friend and I will turn on the AC! Simple delights matter now more than ever.
Copyright: Jane Willis, 2017
