Better!

Good morning to all of you! About 10 p.m. last night Jerry arrived! The Home Care Assistance had appealed to him to come help with Dad during the night and he readily agreed to come! God bless him! Mom and I had a very restful night, once we got settled into our beds.


Jerry and Dad had, what is now, a "usual" night, in that Dad is up and down a lot going to the restroom. However, he is not in pain, which is excellent, praise God! As in the past two days, the Tylenol seems to be all that he needs to keep him comfortable.


Mom and I sent Jerry home (fortunately, he lives in Granite Shoals, which is about 12 minutes away) about 8:30 this morning and she and I are taking good care of him! She keeps reminding me that she took care of him all by herself for a long time. When I start to feel badly about that, I make myself remember that she refused to let us get her any help, and I praise God that she finally gave in. Now she sees how much help they are to her!


Dad seems so much better to me! Only through the grace of God! His color is real good this morning and he ate the whole egg I cooked for him for breakfast! He still wants to remain in the hospital bed rather than come to his living room chair. I plan to try to get him to get up a little bit this afternoon in an attempt to start rebuilding his strength. He is still very strong on his left side though. One of the days Danny was here, he and Dad were holding hands and Danny commented to Dad that his grip was still strong. Dad bent his arm and kind of arm-wrestled with Danny, showing him how strong he still was! Dad can swing his legs out of the bed and turn himself over from one side to the other using the bed rail. His left leg is weaker from lack of exercise, butm now that he is feeling better, maybe we can gradually get him to get up a little bit more and use his legs more. I certainly am not going to push him, but I think it woudl be good for him to be up a little bit. Mom's roses and bluebonnets are absolutely gorgeous and I would love to take him out for some fresh air and to see the flowers. It's awfully windy this morning, so I will wait until that calms down.


The Hospice nurse is here checking Dad's coumadin level, vital signs, etc. and a Hospice aide is due here at 12:45 to bathe him. Mom and I are doing a little laundry. She's so adorable! She watches over every piece of clothing I put in the washer! I respectfully asked her if she would rather do it herslef and she laughed and left the room saying she'd go "put on her face." Well, that lasted about one minute and she was back!! I told her I know how hard it is to let someone else do the things she has done for herself for so many years and she said it really is! So, I will gently do as much as I can!


Mom is going out in a little while to run some errands, go to the bank and the grocery store, etc. Glenda is coming out today so I suggested Mom take her time, piddle around in Wal-Mart, which is one of her favorite passtimes, and go have her favorite chicken marsala at Francesco's in Marble Falls. She seemed pleased to be able to do that! It will be good for her to get out of the house!


For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night, Hill and vale,
and tree and flower, Sun and moon, and stars of light.
For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight.
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,This our hymn of grateful praise. Amen