Reduced to Crawling
    As I begin this, it is 0301. I just maneuvered Mom back in bed after a fated bathroom trip. I guess I was so deep into sleep that I didn't hear her go to the bathroom. Thus, after she finished her toilette, she rummaged through the house looking for me (turning on most of the lights on the upper level), finally headed back down the hall, bypassed her bedroom, shuffled into my room, tripped over my futon on the floor as she entered my room (I'm still sleeping right at the door), and fell forward, approximately, anyway, onto my bed, just to my side. This, of course, awoke me...as well as her frantic calling, "Gail? Gail? Gail?"
    We were a little stuck as to how to get her up. It's becoming apparent to me that, for some reason I can't quite figure out, I'm not able to lift her off the ground as easily as I used to. I feel as strong as previously and haven't forgotten the former technique, so it could be that she isn't able to "help" as she used to and more strength is required by me. She didn't fight, this time, but simply wasn't able to offer any assistance, even grabbing onto a heavy, sturdy piece of wooden furniture. As I lifted, from my usual squatting position, from behind, she pulled for purchase on the small cabinet...but it just didn't work.
    She suggested that she crawl into her bedroom up to the edge of her bed and we take it from there. I wasn't sure she'd be able to crawl on her hands and knees, but she did, without a problem. Then, we repeated the procedure we devised on Christmas, although much more elegantly this second time. Instead of shoving her, we kind of up-rolled her onto the bed. After she was in a full sitting position on the bed, she burst out laughing. "That was easier than I thought," she exclaimed.
    That set me to laughing. Her wry expression in response to my laughter told me that she understood the qualitative difference in our shared response.
    I performed a quick survey of body parts, as usual, had her stand up, which she did with surprising ease, and side step closer to the middle of the bed. No problems. She sat back down easily, as well. Then we talked.
    "Well, Mom," I said, "it looks like the time has come for us to move into the same room."
    "I think you might have something there," she agreed.
    "We'll work out the details tomorrow."
    She looked at the clock. "It is tomorrow," she said.
    We laughed again. I can't quite put my finger on why she found this funny, but I can tell you why I did...she rarely knows what day she's in...and, yet, a half hour ago, she "knew" that, according to the last time we were conversing, it damn well was tomorrow. Something about falling and crawling clears the mind, I guess. Good thing to know.
    She's settled in bed, now. We talked, briefly, about how the new arrangements were going to have to take into consideration that I am only comfortable sleeping in a temperature significantly cooler than her preference.
    "I know, I know," she said, giving me that "you and your dad" look.
    I'm concerned that switching her bedroom to the shared master bedroom may disorient her. Maybe the solution is for me to sleep in the hall just outside her door all the time. This way, her room orientation won't change, I'll be able to sleep in cooler air and I'll be easily alerted when she begins to rummage in her room. Sounds like a plan, anyway. I'll work more on it later.
    I'm expecting, of course, that she will be stiff here and sore there when she awakens in the morning, although, well, who knows. We'll see. Yesterday we accomplished an entire day without the wheel chair, then, this evening, after a half day without the wheel chair, her right hip (not a hip affected by her previous fall) was "acting up" (her words). Could be because she's been compensating in internally significant but barely detectable to this "outsider's" (outside her body, that is) gaze for continued "iffiness" with her left hip. Before her initial bed time, tonight, I gave her two extra strength Tylenol to see if we couldn't waylay that iffiness. Considering the extent of her shuffling through the house before she feel onto my bed, it must have worked.
    I've definitely got to find a local doctor for her, and soon. I've been taking care of a matter of personal family business that's required quite a bit of attention over the last week or so and put the doctor business aside, but I see I'm going to have to double up on priorities. The other matter is just about addressed, anyway, so that's good.
    A small adjustment today, another tomorrow, I'm not sure whether I prefer incrementally increased intensity or an all-at-once large increase. Oh well. Doesn't matter, really, which I prefer. You do what you have to as life changes.
    Better try to get more sleep before the alarm goes off. Night, night. Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite.
    At least she had a very, very soft landing!
    Later.
    I think I'm settled down, now. I've got to get back to bed.
- posted by Gail Rae @ 03:01   email  this post