Mom gets an "A": brief notes before I sleep

Mom's Saturday was eventful and momentous.

1. Mom sat in a chair twice, the first time thanks to the help of a physical therapist in the morning.

2. Mom was more verbal than she's been, often making sentence-length utterances. She has a long way to go, though, as she's still fighting aphasia and is often unresponsive to questions posed directly to her.

3. Cheong Burns came to visit, very kindly bringing Korean food for Mom and a wad of cash for us guys to use for meals. Mrs. Burns fed Mom lunch and talked with her, even staying a while to watch over Mom after she had fallen asleep in the afternoon.

4. Mom insisted on walking to the bathroom, and despite a shaky start, she made the round trip under her own power as we walked alongside her, ready to catch her if she collapsed. Her knees, though wobbly, never once let her fall. We're very proud of Mom for this.

5. Pastor Jeri arrived in time to see Mom eating dinner, which she ate ravenously (Mom, that is, not Pastor Jeri). When Pastor Jeri said "I love you" to Mom, she replied very clearly, "I love you, too."

6. David came by in the early afternoon and stayed until 6PM or so. He prepped Mom's dinner, then had to leave, but we were all witness to the extraordinary fact that Mom took her fork and began actively feeding herself.

7. We were all disappointed that the plastic surgeon didn't come by to look at and redo Mom's head dressing. We were told that he might come by during the night or the following day (i.e., Sunday). The nurses put on a temporary dressing for Mom's leg to prevent to much seepage, and Mom got pain meds throughout the day to ease the discomfort of all those bandages and punctures up and down her poor body. Her endurance is something to behold.

I also need to add two notes of thanks-- first to Mom's friend and NALC coworker, Donna Brandes, who gave us some excellently made moussaka. Secondly, we need to thank the Bennetts (fellow congregants) for their scrumptious lasagna, salad, and brownies. And as always, we're thankful for the cards and the many other kindnesses that have come our way. We're fortunate-- and humbled-- to have so much support.


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