Monday, Nov. 14

Up at 6:30 this morning, so I could get Mother settled, we could all have breakfast, and then I could get ready to go to water aerobics.

What a warm morning for November! The water in the pool, though, was much chillier than it was last Friday. But once I got used to it, it was fine. Seventeen of us enjoyed the session.

Funny story from the pool: the lady who stands next to me during aerobics commented that her son has worked for a phone company for nearly 30 years. Recently, the company required all of its employees to have smart phones. The problem? Her son didn't know the first thing about how to use it, and had to get his daughter to teach him!

Back home, after a couple of cups of coffee, I called the scrapbook club members to remind them of our Thursday meeting, and request that we meet at our house this month, because Mother is unable to get out right now and wants to participate in making Christmas cards for Caring Hands.

By the time I did a few other tasks and then got ready for day, it was time to fix lunch...Ramen noodle soup for Mother, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for Hubbie and me.

While I was getting ready for the day, the therapist called. Hubbie took the message that she'd be here after lunch (but no specific time). I helped Mother change clothes, and then we waited, and waited.

By 2 p.m., I decided I'd put together a casserole for supper. I took my cue from Sis's casserole that she made for Mother and herself while Hubbie, Daughter, and I were in Branson. I used whatever I found in the refrigerator...chicken, rice, gravy, peas, green beans, and glazed carrots, and added chicken broth, baby Swiss cheese, and crushed salt-free soda cracker.

I put the casserole in the refrigerator until later. Finally, around 2:30, the therapist showed up. She assessed Mother as she used her walker to go from the rocking chair in the den to the front door and back. Then she provided her with a resistance stretch band and worked with her in exercising her arms and legs. This first session was short, of course, but the therapist provided Mother with print material illustrating the exercises, so Mother can do them between therapist sessions.

Mother, who has been unable to go to the bathroom for the past five days, finally got some relief today, and she felt so much better afterward. I've been diligently giving her Miralax daily, as prescribed by the doctor, but today I also gave her four ounces of prune juice.

Naturally, Mother got the urge around 2:15, and was going to hold off until after the therapist left, but I wouldn't hear of it. I felt that if the therapist could keep us waiting, then she could just wait until Mother was ready. As it happened, Mother was back in the den before the therapist arrived, anyway.

After the therapist left, Hubbie went shopping for groceries. I had planned to go with him to run a couple of errands for myself, but since it was nearly 4 p.m. by now, I decided I should stay home and get the casserole into the oven.

While the casserole baked, Mother went to the kitchen and diced carrots, celery, and onions for a pot of veggie soup. She returned to the den after she finished that task, and I sauteed the veggies in olive oil, then added a couple of cans of sodium-free tomatoes, garlic and various spices...sodium-free seasoning, pepper, paprika, basil, bay leaves, parsley, and a little sweetener...and then let the mixture stew for a little while. To this I added a can of low-sodium chicken broth, and a can of low-sodium beef broth. Then I added a variety of leftover veggies I'd accumulated in a container in the freezer, plus a package of store-bought frozen veggies. I let the soup simmer for a few hours. There's enough soup for two or three meals.

The house became positively uncomfortably warm with all that cooking, so I actually had to turn on the air conditioner...in November!

The casserole for supper was very good, and there's enough for another meal. We have a busy week coming up, so I'm glad to have a few meals prepared ahead.

After supper, it was TV time, as usual. This was the first day Mother didn't nap in the afternoon. So she was ready for bed around 7 p.m. Hubbie and I watched the 2006 movie, "Net 2.0." A young woman systems analyst goes to Istanbul for a job, but promptly finds herself in mortal danger as she is chased by bad guys and then thrown in jail. Her identity is stolen, her bank account is drained, and her credit cards are useless.

In the middle of the movie, I remembered that Hubbie had received a phone call from the man who is advising us on building a ramp for Mother. I meant to tell him as soon as he got back from the store, but it slipped my mind. Hubbie, a tad annoyed, called the man immediately, and then went to his house (he lives in the neighborhood).