Adjustments

My mother was released from rehab on Saturday. However, before she could return home, it was decided that she would have to sleep in the bedroom next to the bathroom. That bedroom had been my parents' guest room, but it happens to be right next to the bathroom--and my mother cannot walk very far right now. That bedroom is also small--too small to hold their usual bed. Nevertheless, the bed currently in the room was far too tall for my mother. She could not get in or out of it. Chopping off the legs of the bed was not allowed because my mother says the bed is an antique. Since my parents have been married for sixty years, everything they own is either an antique or collectible--or just plain old junk.

To solve the bed problem, we removed the boxspring, put a piece of plywood down on the bed slats and then put the mattress on top of the plywood. The bed was not as springy, but we figured it would have to do.

On Saturday, I made supper at my parents' house. We sat around the kitchen table (another antique, I'm sure), shared the meal, chatted and had a very nice time feeling far more relaxed than we had been in four weeks.

On Sunday, we went to see how my parents were doing again. They said they had slept for ten hours straight on the bed with the plywood beneath the mattress.

Going Back In Time...

I've been converting all my old home videos into DVDs. I bought a small, portable DVD player and I've been taking it when I visit my mother so that she can view the good times we've had--the birthday parties, the graduations, the recitals. Some of the videos are truly funny. There's one of my nephew playing a trumpet while his dog howls in harmony. And the videos I took at the beach are delightful--it's almost as good as being there.

Mom is in rehab once more, but she is very depressed and having a much harder time than she had after her stroke. Watching the DVDs helps. I think. At least it gives us something to talk about that isn't related to medicines or her condition or how mean the physical therapist is. :^)