Lest You Think We Haven't Been Busy... - Sat., December 30, 2017

...here's a blog to help dispel that thought.

After the Volksmarch in Southside Lions Park on November 25, I worked Sunday through Wednesday in the RV park office. Thursday, November 30, I was off work. That gave me time to pack for the trip to Oregon to be with Mom who was in Marquis Skilled Nursing Facility.

On Friday night, December 1, I flew to Portland, Oregon, via Phoenix, Arizona. No flight problems or delays were encountered on Southwest Airlines (my favorite). My son, Michael, picked me up at Portland International Airport around midnight and gave me a ride to Mom's house. Her house is very lonely without her in it!

On Saturday around 11:00 a.m., I went to visit Mom at Marquis. It is a very nice facility. They had her pain under control and she was doing pretty well.

Frank and Gina and Michael visited a few times. We worked on jigsaw puzzles and walked the halls. Janyce was there frequently and had dinner with us most nights. (Jan and I ate in the dining room with Mom many times. It was $7 per meal.)

Dec. 2 - Mom in front; Jan, me, and Michael in back

Michael and Jan

Mom, Frank, and Gina

Mom, me, and Frank

The facility has a lot of activities (kind of like summer camp). We played Bingo a couple of times, a make-shift Wheel of Fortune game (more like Hangman), Scattergories, helped make a gingerbread house, did jigsaw puzzles, went to concerts in the big dining room upstairs, and petted the therapy dog.

Other puzzles we worked on:

Hardest jigsaw puzzle we've ever done...
it took us most of the week to finish it!

Box for the above puzzle

My favorite concert was Festival Brass, a local, seven-piece brass band that has been playing together for 27 years. Two of their unique instruments are a euphonium and a triple French horn (most French horns are doubles). 

Euphonium and triple French horn

Festival Brass in concert

Triple French horn (made in Germany)

Being that it was December, I was very surprised to see fall color still on the trees and ground. The Portland area must not have had a big wind storm yet to blow down all the leaves. 

Sweetgum tree or maple?

Pretty leaves - Bi-Mart parking lot

Pretty contrast against the asphalt

While visiting mom at Marquis, I got to go to Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy with her a couple of times. She progressed very well from the wheelchair to the walker. The day she started with the walker, she learned how to transfer to the Explorer. Jan and I took her to the movie theater to see "Wonder." She seemed pretty happy to be out of the facility for a while. 

Mom with the walker at Marquis

December 7, I was checking Facebook and saw posts of snow in San Antonio! OMG, it hardly ever snows in San Antonio. 

I called Bob and said, "How do you like the snow?" 

He said, "What snow?"

I told him a number of San Antonio Facebook friends had photos of snow. He had been watching sports on TV and was totally oblivious to the snow! He then went outside and took a few photos in the RV park for me. We had only a light dusting. Farther north in San Antonio, they had about 4".

Our place and my Escape pod.

The solar lights looked like mushrooms.

On Saturday, before I left Oregon, I really wanted to do a picnic with Mom. We planned it a couple of days ahead of time and told her we'd be having it inside because it was too cold outside (45 F). 

When I drove up to Marquis on the day of the picnic, Mom was waiting outside in her heavy coat, purse in hand, ready to go to an outside picnic. When she saw me park and get out of the car, she went back inside. It broke my heart. She REALLY wanted to go out to picnic. 

Jan and I brought in the food. We had egg salad sandwiches, a veggie tray, Caesar salad, Fritos and Sun Chips, pistachio salad, banana walnut muffins, hot tea, and a pomegranate.

Me, Jan, and Mom picnicking in the Bistro at Marquis

After using the walker about four days, they had Mom progress to walking without the walker. I had already flown home by then (December 10). Next thing I knew, they were discharging her to home (December 19)! This concerns me quite a bit because she lives alone. 

Update on Mom, Saturday, December 30: 
Mom has been home for over ten days. My sister Jan has been wonderful: She cooks dinner for Mom some nights (with extra food for a couple of nights), goes grocery shopping, and visits frequently. We are so happy she is nearby. I plan to go back to Oregon as soon as I can (probably May when I'm off work for the season). 

Mom cannot drive (per doctor's orders to the DMV) so we have to look into Tri-Met Lift or maybe the bus in her retirement community to help her get around to doctor's appointments, grocery shopping, and the hairdresser. So much to think about. 

Jan got all the utilities turned back on when Mom went home. There was a slight glitch in getting internet and TV turned on, but Jan got that straightened out too. Thank you, Jan!

Mom's neighbor, Merilee, invited Jan and Mom over for Christmas dinner. She made a roast beef dinner which Jan and Mom loved. Merilee, if you're reading this, thank you so much!

I call Mom every day to see how she's faring. One day she made chocolate chip cookies. Another day she dust-mopped her linoleum floors. Mostly, she watches TV, reads, or gets on the internet. I think she's getting cabin fever. 

It sounds like her pain is under control. The main problem seems to be a seriously swollen left foot. She has a doctor's appointment on Wednesday for that. On Thursday afternoon, Jan. 4, she has an appointment for an X-ray at Meridian Park Hospital, immediately followed by an appointment with Dr. Simpson who did her hip surgery.

There are still a lot of logistics to take care of for her to be at home. We're thankful she's home, though, because that is where she wants to be.

All for now.