Friday, September 04, 2009

THE CHANGES

If someone had said to me two months ago that I would sit down with my mother for two hours and have an enjoyable conversation, I would have laughed in their face. But that's what I did yesterday and probably I'll have the same conversation tomorrow since the short term memory isn't getting any better.

She's smiling, not a vicious word leaves her mouth, well except about the Bouvier sisters neither of whom are bothering to visit and the nurses love her. They washed and cut her hair yesterday and she looks ten years younger. The good food is doing wonders for her skin but I think it's more the movement of people in and out of the room all day. Sometimes she goes to the dining room for lunch but not if she's in pain. Yesterday she managed to stand up for a few minutes but it took an effort so the physio's hopeful yet that she might be able to walk a little bit.

I'm walking more than ever and it's killing me. The getting up and down bus steps if it isn't a lowrider is murder. Dragging myself past cake shops is a battle of extreme willpower that I regularly lose. As for the obesity crisis in our teenagers well I can't see how any of them could be overweight carrying those enormous bags on their backs full of school books. I can't believe how heavy they are and I should know since one got plonked on my foot last night. The kids get on the bus, drop the backpacks and immediately straighten up and add 6 inches to their height.

Another week or two and this blog might get back to posting something interesting. Great post coming up about the Hope Diamond, a post that's been 4 weeks in the reading about let alone posting about.

8 comments:

Armagny said...

Breakthroughs in relations with parents are not without interest!

And yes, those bags are HUGE. Now I"m a cranky old man I see them and assume "drugs, guns, p*rno"...

In fact, probably textbooks too complex for me to get my brain around.

JahTeh said...

Somehow ADaddy, I don't think there will be a breakthrough with yours for a long time. Probably with me it's more like a weight off my shoulders but I did make one mistake, I gave her a notepad and pen.
They wouldn't need the other stuff, one whack with the bag would do an oldie in. A noticable absence of fag smoking at the bus stops from a few years back.

River said...

Marvellous how a haircut can take years off. Sad abou the short term memory, but at least you can have conversations now.
Those school backpacks ought to be banned. The American system where the students only carry a folder with loose papers given by each teacher and one or two text books is much better. Our poor kids have to carry the entire text book for each subject plus exercise books and/or folders of A4 papers, as well as personal items, lunchboxes etc. No wonder so many are seeing chiropractors at much earlier ages.

Anonymous said...

Professional care in a good place. Just what she needed. The school bag thing is absurd. Their postures are going to be badly affected. Carting a laptop alone in a backpack was hard enough for me when we went to Sydney, never mind heavy books as well.

Middle Child said...

So good Jahteh - has to ease things all round

Jayne said...

It's amazing the difference it makes when someone moves into a nursing home - the ripples of change are remarkably far-flung, too.
Take a tape recorder in and start taping things you talk about with your mum, like recipes, gardening, etc, and then tuck it away for 'ron.

As for those bags - the text books come complete with a CD which (in theory) is supposed to let the kids leave the text books at school and just lug the CDs around with 'em....in theory, I said!

Kath Lockett said...

This IS interesting! Having a conversation with your mother is huge news.

As are the school bags. Sapphire is only ten but already walks like an old crone looking for dropped coins.

JahTeh said...

River, it amazes me when the obesity experts complain about school kids not walking enough. Any more books and they'll have to start using those trolleys that solicitors have.

Cameraface, start looking for a good place now and sneak your Mum's name on the list. She doesn't have to know and it will save a heap of trouble later.
I can't believe you had trouble carrying a laptop, you poor old thing.

Therese, it's a lovely place and thoroughly clean. The birds in the garden this afternoon were a delight.

Jayne, I walked in today and she was reading a book, something I haven't seen her do for years. I had her favourite Cartland's in my bag, the ones they'd made into movies, and she made me put them on top of the pile.

Kath, the doctor was right at the hospital, we've become her family again and she's so much improved.
I suppose the bags are heavy but at least they go over both shoulders, I remember carrying my books on one and it was only a thin strap. I'm still lopsided on the left.