Monday, June 25, 2007
Ah! Well, I didn't get back to the library book...
...before I needed to turn it in. I replaced my name on the hold list. I am now 13th. Popular book. I got it right after the library received it...the first borrower. I like that almost as much as getting an autographed first edition...particularly with reader notes and highlighting.
So, I may buy the book, but I'm not sure. More likely that I'll buy the other library books which are in service as read-out-loud books, mostly. I tend to read ahead in them.
I'm catching up on some old business, this morning. Mom was up, again, until 0200 this morning. You could say she had two naps. She "went to bed", outfitted and everything, at 2300, then was back up at 2330, ready for company. We watched something on TV...we thought it was interesting, at the time, and were glad we watched it, but I can't remember, now, what it was!
I noticed that she was particularly ruddy yesterday. This week would be a good week to do a blood draw, see what's going on. I think she'll end up right in the middle of everything. I hope her hemoglobin is at least holding steady above 10.0 I know it dips...I know the signs, and it's a good idea to have a history for comparison, but I like to have "good" blood draws, now, too, and getting stuck really irritates my mother, anymore. So, as long as nothing seems emergent, I don't push.
She's having a few more problems with her back than previously, but she isn't moving much, right now, either, so it's no wonder. We treat it as easily and lightly as possible. At least once a week, now, in the morning, I substitute a 350 mg aspirin for her usual 81 mg tablet. It seems to help. A couple of times I've substituted 200 mg ibuprofen, too, for the day's dose of aspirin. Although Mom hates to admit it, that helps even more. When she assents to taking ibuprofen, I know what level of discomfort and pain that translates to.
I continue to think about issues addressed in Mothering Mother; in particular, speculating about what it might feel like, to my mother and to me, if she's gets caught up in an "active dying phase". I'd much rather she'd just check out. I get sense she feels the same. From what I've read, though, most people die slowly. I swear, I already see death sign posts and I'm figuring we may be as much as a few years away from approaching serious death issues. But, you never know.
Mom really seems to be enjoying this particular year of her life. Sometimes she's not interested in admitting she will turn 90. But, sometimes, she's interested in sneaking in a few more years. For some reason, I now recall expecting, in the past, that she would be gaunt and frail. She's frail, yes, although she doesn't necessarily look it, but she's also round and hearty looking and mostly peachy. She's just sleeping a lot. Insisting on it, now. I'm not fighting her. I think she'll rev up the closer we get to seeing extended family. She's stoked for that.
Which reminds me, I should check in with MCS. It's been awhile.
Later.
So, I may buy the book, but I'm not sure. More likely that I'll buy the other library books which are in service as read-out-loud books, mostly. I tend to read ahead in them.
I'm catching up on some old business, this morning. Mom was up, again, until 0200 this morning. You could say she had two naps. She "went to bed", outfitted and everything, at 2300, then was back up at 2330, ready for company. We watched something on TV...we thought it was interesting, at the time, and were glad we watched it, but I can't remember, now, what it was!
I noticed that she was particularly ruddy yesterday. This week would be a good week to do a blood draw, see what's going on. I think she'll end up right in the middle of everything. I hope her hemoglobin is at least holding steady above 10.0 I know it dips...I know the signs, and it's a good idea to have a history for comparison, but I like to have "good" blood draws, now, too, and getting stuck really irritates my mother, anymore. So, as long as nothing seems emergent, I don't push.
She's having a few more problems with her back than previously, but she isn't moving much, right now, either, so it's no wonder. We treat it as easily and lightly as possible. At least once a week, now, in the morning, I substitute a 350 mg aspirin for her usual 81 mg tablet. It seems to help. A couple of times I've substituted 200 mg ibuprofen, too, for the day's dose of aspirin. Although Mom hates to admit it, that helps even more. When she assents to taking ibuprofen, I know what level of discomfort and pain that translates to.
I continue to think about issues addressed in Mothering Mother; in particular, speculating about what it might feel like, to my mother and to me, if she's gets caught up in an "active dying phase". I'd much rather she'd just check out. I get sense she feels the same. From what I've read, though, most people die slowly. I swear, I already see death sign posts and I'm figuring we may be as much as a few years away from approaching serious death issues. But, you never know.
Mom really seems to be enjoying this particular year of her life. Sometimes she's not interested in admitting she will turn 90. But, sometimes, she's interested in sneaking in a few more years. For some reason, I now recall expecting, in the past, that she would be gaunt and frail. She's frail, yes, although she doesn't necessarily look it, but she's also round and hearty looking and mostly peachy. She's just sleeping a lot. Insisting on it, now. I'm not fighting her. I think she'll rev up the closer we get to seeing extended family. She's stoked for that.
Which reminds me, I should check in with MCS. It's been awhile.
Later.
