Yesterday Mom started work on stair steps...
...and did better than I expected. Out of a desire not to disappoint myself, I was preserving an "against hope" position that she may not be able to negotiate those, again. She'll need further work, as she tired easily and was able, I think, to complete only one round, but she did that one without a hitch. The entire therapy process is proceeding more slowly than in August of 2004, but that's to be expected and hasn't bothered me...except that both Mom and me are getting tired of her not being at home. Still, I haven't yet judged that she can do without the daily therapy she's getting there. Neither has the facility.
    I'm running a little late and a little slow today. I'm thinking of taking tomorrow "off". I need an uninterrupted stretch of time in order to restore my Mac and I'm anxious to do that. Trying to keep track of the restoration process at the facility and Mom, as well, just didn't work. Taking a day off is going to be tricky because I feel an obligation to leave notes everywhere and inform as many people as possible at the facility that I won't be there (which may even mean going in early in the morning to make sure the message gets around) so that people won't be waiting on me to do things that they'll need to do. So, I don't know...my "day off" whether it happens tomorrow or another day this week, may be modified by a few pertinent visits to the facility just to make sure that Mom's facility day is proceeding on schedule and that she knows she hasn't been abandoned.
    In the meantime, I'm discovering that, even with good sleep and good meals (my own, not the facility's), I'm also crashing...not emotionally but physically. This is a personal surprise. Here at home I take it for granted that Mom's motivation depends on mine. Over the years I've incorporated dual motivation into everything I do. Now that I have to do everything differently and all of Mom's motivation takes place outside of our home, I'm discovering how much of Mom's motivation depends not only on me but on where she is. The facility isn't good at providing native environmental motivation. I'm trying to substitute extra personal motivation into my presence at the facility, but I guess my motivation muscles aren't yet developed to where they do this easily.
    Yeow! Look at the time! Better down my yogurt, take a quick shower just to wash the sleep off and hit the road.
    Later.
- posted by Gail Rae @ 07:02   email  this post