Foggy Today

Hey, Y'all,
It is foggy today in more ways than one. Ha. Foggy in my head and outside the house. Ha ha. I got to thinking this morning while still abed about how we will transport Gramps to Texas and of course, if he lives to do so, about his identification papers when flying. I had gotten up about 5 a.m. and after my visit to the John, I decided to stay up awhile and check my e-mails and blog comments. Well, when I went back to bed and tried to sleep again, there was where the wondering began. I finally got up at 6:15 and went into the kitchen and checked his billfold for his non-driver's ID and found it, so that little problem was solved.

I made my breakfast and ate it, then thought about if he passed away, I might need his birth certificate for something and I knew we had a copy of it somewhere, so the hunt began again. I found them (his and mine) while ago, and now I am just waiting for some of the fog to lift outdoors, so that I can do the ten or eleven mile drive to the nursing home and begin the rest of our day there.

Yesterday Gramps had had his shower and then lunch came, so I wheeled him down a couple of doors to eat there in that day room. We could sit there and look outside while he ate, or we could watch a tevee that was up in front, suspended from the ceiling. After he finished his lunch, I took him back to the room. The wheelchair he is using belongs to the nursing home and is too short for his long legs and has no foot rests. I have to get him to lift his feet and the message to do so doesn't always get from his ears to his feet, so I have to repeat it over and over. I know it gets boring to him (as it does to me. ha).

We got back to his room and the physical therapist came in soon after. In the meantime, Gramps asked to be taken to the bathroom, so the CNA (Rick) took him in there and told me that Gramps had stood up on his own and got on the commode with little help. So, Rick brought the wheelchair back out into the room to give Gramps some room. Soon after, Sam (the Therapist) came in and he and I were discussing Gramps' condition and we heard the doorknob to the bathroom rattle. OOPS! Gramps had gotten up and moved enough to reach the doorknob. Sam immediately went in and helped Gramps walk to the wheelchair in the room. I know you may be saying, "Wonderful!" but it is actually very dangerous.

Gramps' legs almost gave way several times while he was getting to the chair. It would be extremely dangerous for him to think he could just get up and walk without his walker to support him. In fact, a lady down the hall from him fell three times yesterday in her room. One time right after the other.

I left when Sam took Gramps down the hall to the therapy room so I could meet a dear friend, Carolyn, for lunch at the Minnis House in New Market. We had a lovely lunch and I so much enjoyed talking to her. Both her parents are in another nursing home in Jefferson City. She is having a rough time with them and my heart goes out to her and her husband. Thank you, Carolyn, for the very enjoyable lunch we had together. We compare notes and commiserate with one another.

Yesterday afternoon, I took Gramps down to the dining room for supper and I talked to him while he ate. Earlier yesterday morning, I asked if he wanted me to read his Bible to him and he said yes, so I began reading to him. After a few minutes he went to sleep and his roommate (with the salty language) said he enjoyed the reading, so I went over and read to him loudly enough for both he and Gramps to hear me. I read several pages from the Psalms to them both and I noticed a lady in a wheel chair stopping in the doorway to listen. I realized that these dear people are hungry for the Word.

Well, it is time for me to hit the road and head to Dandridge. Thank you all for your words of comfort and encouragement. I so much appreciate them. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. Much love to each of you, my friends. Bye for now. More later.