Role Reversal

I am finding it very difficult to find much to blog about as each day is so full, busy, and tiring for all of us at the Addis convalescent home. Mom continues to be a good sport and trying hard, especially around her friends. She had some very special visitors this week and made several special visits too. Yesterday, I took her to Caldwell to play bridge with the bridge group. It was very interesting for me. What a hard, thought processing game! Mom really did great but was tired from all the thinking. We stopped in Cambridge to surprise her special friend, Laura Belle, with a visit, then met Mark and Irene at PizzaHut for dinner. It was a long day but a good day. It also gave Mom and I opportunities to talk and share our feelings. Unfortunately, she doesn't remember that today! She remembers parts of yesterday but ... I have found several times this past week that I have become the mother and I don't like it. I never wanted to be anyone's mother! Fortunately, I had a wonderful role model and am trying to be very patient and follow training from the therapists and what I feel is also needed to help Mom be independent and successful. For those of you with children, it is very similar to dealing with a 4 year old at times and a teenager at other times such as easily distracted, not following through, constant reminders to get ready for bed, shower, go to bed, time to eat, wash hands... you get the idea. I am banning tetris (a handheld game). I love her so much and really am enjoying the time spent together and keeping her safe. Friends have commented that they barely notice a difference. Well.... you would have seen it here today. Ishcabibble, the mouse, became more important again today and he now has a lovely little handkerchief in his pocket. Mom also shared three ways that he is related to my Grandma Addis -- you really don't want to know! She is really hilarious at times. I finally drug her away from the computer to watch some of the OSU game. Most of you know that an OSU game commanded all of her attention previously and we planned our Saturday around not missing a minute. We planned our day around it today but... Now she is really into the Penn State game. My new word for things that happen -- "whatever."