Gold sunlight poured through my open slider door and across my desk. I shuffled through the stack of papers and receipts in search of the doctor's notes, leaflets, costs of Durable Medical Equipment for Mom. Found the folder! Let's see...over-bed table, no. Transport chair, no. I tapped my teeth with my pen and a receipt fluttered to the … Continue reading Mom’s Beauty
Poor Mom. Her back is giving her "fits." She's been resting in bed this past week. We've been doing everything we can think of to help her manage the pain. I entered her room with supplies, "Time to freeze yourself." Mom lay against her pillows in her queen size bed. "It's that time again?" It's been … Continue reading Mom Giggled
Our apartment complex provides bright green doggie doo clean-up bags for the owner's convenience, and for the neighbors' delight. Not always used by said owners, gag, but more often than not. The other day, Mom returned from her afternoon walk with a confession ready. Mom poured a cup of coffee, "I went into the office today." … Continue reading Mom Finds Doggie-Walk Bags
In our apartment's kitchen, Mom stood in front of the granite counter, near the sink. She poured her morning coffee. "When you get the chance, come and see something. I just found a jewel. I've never seen it before. It's really pretty, it looks like a diamond." "A diamond?" Did I lose a diamond? At … Continue reading Mom Sees Jewels
Mom returned from her afternoon walk in the complex and trash collecting with her reacher. Mom— "Look what I found. They were just laying around next to the sidewalk—.59 cents." My hubby's eyes widened, he tucked in his lips and his shoulders shook. Me— "Well, how nice." Mom— "I'd like to donate these coins to … Continue reading Mom Finds Change
Mom, a non-driver for her entire life, reads signs out loud to us—one of her favorite pastimes while riding in our car's backseat next to her walker. (My sweet mom's hearing is a little decreased, too). #caregiver Here’s a portion of our conversation on the way home from the restaurant tonight— Mom: “Pick and Pull? … Continue reading Mom Reads Signs
What do these daily life tools have in common? They require fine motor skills that may be difficult. Other daily life activities are called ADLs. If we can't use these simple little items with ease, they grow into a huge wrench of despair and frustration, when we have arthritis or other difficulties. Jar lid—we just tap … Continue reading On Jar Lids, Doorknobs, and Buttons
God bless William, Elmer, and Alfred—inventors of the *walker for mobility. I'm thankful for the one I used for about six months, and for my eighty-eight-year-old mom having freedom with hers. I think... Mom literally walked her first walker's wheels into shreds, down to the metal. I wished I'd taken a photo. It lasted for … Continue reading Walker and Reacher
Walking outdoors is Mom's main love. (Yes, I know, I encouraged the treadmill idea. She detests treadmills.) Her trash collecting mission branched from her love for green and clean living. She is an original environmental protector at eighty-eight-years old. On a mission one day, Mom fell into the gutter. Concrete gutter. Headfirst. A couple driving … Continue reading Concrete Gutter
For about one year, Mom was the neighborhood trash collector. She put on her hat and armed with her metal reacher, she executed her clean up mission in our apartment complex. Mom went as far as her legs and walker allowed. She eventually ventured into surrounding neighborhoods. I finally convinced her to stay near our … Continue reading Trash Collector-Part 1
E.V. Sparrow 