November Update

November 2011

Well, I guess it's time for an update.  I asked Barbara not to do anything to my Blog until I was feeling better but I think this is as good as  it's gonna get!

 Here I am, showing Pat, the Chaplain from Hospice, how to play Angry Birds.

 I get my breakfast brought up to my room almost every day...I'm beginning to get used to Room Service!

 It's been really great...having old and new friends stop by...Dave and Kathy came by and had dinner with me one evening and then, just a week later, Dave, Kathy, Lauren and Kevin came by and brought Pumpkin Beer, ice cream, wine, Bailey's and even some Ensure!

 Barbara made ice cream sodas for everyone...it's been a LONG TIME since I had an Ice Cream Soda!

 Herb came to visit for a week...Brandon came down from Valley Ford and cooked dinner one night and a great breakfast the next morning.

Sometimes, when there are extra hands around, I make the trek downstairs to join the crowd for breakfast, dinner or drinks.  Barbara makes sure I have interesting dishes and silverware - just like Carl!

 Some days, I don't feel much like eating...so here's a treat...an Ensure Flight (similar to a Wine Flight but not as much fun!)

I still get called on to help with holiday treats...here are the pumpkin cookies with glowing eyes!  All set for a Halloween dinner party!

 Of course, Carl and Jelly went trick-or-treating...as a wolf pack!  Ray made both costumes...can you tell which one is which?

Wish I had thought to dress up like "grandma" in Little Red Riding Hood.  Imagine what I could have done when the "wolf" came to my bedside!

Here's Joanne...she's the nurse from Hospice.  She comes once a week to see me and calls more often.  Good thing all of the caregivers like animals...they never leave my side.

Here's Fatima...she comes every day, morning and night...and when Barbara is working, Fatima stays with me all day so I'm well cared for although I spend almost all of the time in bed.  Legs hurt too much to move much and my back is also hurting now.  Old age "ain't for sissies, that's for sure!  I take pain pills every 4-6 hours to keep the pain down to a dull ache.

So...as Thanksgiving approaches, I have turkey planter on my side table along with my "call bell".  Sometimes I ring it just to see how fast Barbara can make it up the stairs!

Barbara starts me off each day with a photograph of someone in the family in a frame on my breakfast tray.  I have to reflect on who it is and where the photo was taken.  So far, I'm doing quite well!  She also finds me quotes to put on my breakfast tray..."Have a Nice Day" was one of the short ones but here's a longer one I liked...

"Time is a traveler. Where did it go? It left, but it didn't leave you empty handed. No! It left you with the gift of beautiful memories, that you can keep in your heart for safe keeping, to cherish forever, and ever."— Jane Adams

I'm thankful for a lot of things.  Special thanks to all of you who have come to see me, sent cards, made phone calls, sent e-mails...it means a lot to me to hear from my family and my friends even though I do have a hard time hearing on the phone.  (But I'm REALLY good in person...just ask Herb or Brandon or Kathy, Dave, Lauren or Kevin!)  I try to keep up with Leah and Kyle and Rachel and Mike by checking on their blogs, too.  I check on Dave and Kathy's blog and also saw Lauren's!  I also appreciate the photos that Kerry and Rachel send to my e-printer! Ray, Siobhan and Carl come by frequently and Kerry and Rachel often send pictures of Caleb and Gunney.    Brittany has come up from Monterey several times and will be here again for Thanksgiving along with most of Barbara's family.

I'm spending more and more time in bed now...it's just too hard to try to get up and move.  TV is a great companion these days...if I sleep through a show, I just watch it at a later time.  Hopefully, I'll be up for a trip downstairs to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with everyone.  Barbara promised me a chocolate turkey if I do...and I still like my chocolate!

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!