On Dad's birthday, last Thursday, Mom decided that she wanted to drive Dad into Austin to have a change of scenery. So she and Dad picked up Ollie and me and we met Danny and Jean and Jimmie and their grandsons Randy and Bradley at Red Lobster. We had a great time visiting with each other and enjoying some good seafood! Mom and Dad came to our house and Dad headed straight for the comfy chair in our living room for a quick nap!
While Dad napped, Mom and I visited at the table about a story from her childhood that I am intending on writing at least an article about for the Wild West Historical Assn's newsletter. When my Mom was 9 years old, someone mistakenly shot my Grandma Grohman when they were intending on shooting my Grandpa! I am in the process of gathering all the information I possibly can, which will take me a while! Not that I have time for another project, but this is one I just can't resist!
Dad was ready to go home immediately upon waking from his nap!!! I helped him up from the chair and, with his hemi-walker, he went through the dining room, motioned to Mom that he was ready to go and that was that!
We all met at Glenda's house this past Sunday to celebrate Dad's birthday all of his kids and most of his grandkids and great-grandkids! He came into the house using his hemi-walker! Mom didn't even bring his wheelchair!!! That's the first time that happened! Dad's balance is so much better and his legs get stronger and stronger! That's why it's such a shame that Medicare has a cap on therapy. About the time Dad was really making progress, it ended. However, Mom said that Dad is faithfully exercising daily on the handrail that Jimmie installed in the hallway.
I also noticed that Dad was more involved with us that day. He attentively listened to our conversations and laughed and played with the little kids more than usual. I don't know if sometimes he isn't feeling well and that keeps him from participating in our visits. Often he just wants to nap most of the time we're together. We all talk to him and try to involve him, but he makes it pretty clear when he is or isn't interested! We were all happy that he wanted to "play" with us!
Erma Bombeck said, "The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together." Well, our family knows what binds us all together, it's how Mom and Dad taught us to love and appreciate each other!
It is my understanding that the speech therapist was able to get authorization for Dad to have more visits with her, which we are incredibly grateful for! Mom said that he now has speech therapy every Tuesday and Thursday morning. We are still waiting for the machine to come that will help him communicate. We knew it would take at least 6 weeks to get it. I'll let you know as soon as it comes!
I think Mom is getting a little restless! She and Dad were leaving a restaurant in Marble Falls recently and there was a motor home parked outside. It was small but had a bathroom inside and had the ability to "expand" on one side where the "living room" would be. She was telling me about it and said she told Daddy that they should buy one of those! She said Dad just grinned at her! I'd love to know what he was thinking!!!
I hope and pray that each of you is having a wonderful summer! In our area, we have been so blessed with milder temperatures and abundant rain! It's ust now getting to be 100 degrees, whereas last summer we had well over 100 degree temperatures in early June! Stay cool and don't let the heat get you down! Instead of warm hugs, I'll send you cool ones!!! Talk to you soon!
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