Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Greetings from El Reno

I have been in El Reno, Oklahoma for seven days taking care of things for my mom, who is in the skilled nursing facility for awhile. She is doing much better, but not well enough yet to live alone in her house, even with visiting nurses. She is well enough that she wants to write her own letters, read her mail, take care of "business" and paperwork, AND she is mad today at the therapist who gave her questions to answer about presidents and capitols of states, and things she said were "third grade stuff". She has a bone to pick with them about several things. She wants juice with her pills and will NOT accept water. I say? I say, "give 'em hell, ma." She is funny, cute, smart, determined, and practices standing straight and decided that one doesn't have to lean over the walker to walk, but can just touch it a little for a assistance. She is one wonderful lady.

The weather is 80. I enjoy it while I'm driving my brand new Buick Lacerne (s?)which is about as close to a Lincoln as I can imagine. I have decided that you know you are in a small town with you get to your destination before the seat belt alert starts ringing. My mom is blocks from her home, her church, and Wal Mart, and one block from her doctor's office and the hospital. Amazing. My cousin Gene from Minnesota was visiting here for two days, happened to come to see mom and found me here instead. We had two lovely dinners out and I really enjoyed the company. He helped me buy a new stove for mom's house so we won't have to use matches and gas ever again. Thank God. Lots of steps forward we have taken since January when she was sick in the hospital!

I am on first name basis with the clerks at Wal Mart while I lay in supplies into my mom's drawers. I will be back in a month. She misses me already. And I wish I didn't have to go home tomorrow morning at dawn. But I do. Life must go on.

Have a great day!