Make more time for Mom

after Thanksgiving I made time to go over and help her finish putting her garden to bed for the winter and bring in her Christmas trees & decorations and start setting them up.

I would have stayed longer and helped more, but she is funny – she is so very zealous about not being a burden that she sometimes kicks me out when I’m not even ready! I love her so much. :)

had cataract surgery yesterday, so I got to spend plenty of quality time with Mom. :) Love her!

was the first cataract surgery, so I was able to spend lots of time with Mom! I even watched her surgery (they have a camera and microphone set up). Which made me squirm in my chair intensely, but was fascinating, nonetheless. Dr. Lisa is great, and Mom was the perfect patient and is healing nicely. I’m very thankful!

been spending a bit more time with her lately, and last Thursday left work early to accompany her to the eye surgeon’s for a pre-surgical consultation with various people in their staff. She’s having cataract surgery soon, and her surgeon is Dr. Joyce Brothers’ daughter, Lisa. :) She’s a top-notch surgeon and a very nice lady. I’m so glad I was able to be there; Mom was really not with it enough that day to give good medical history, and there are a lot of scheduling things I was able to put on my calendar to help her with the surgery, preparation, and post-surgical check ups.

was planning on going to the family Easter dinner, I kind of pushed most of my somewhat-reluctant family out the door Sunday so we could see her.

mostly just phone calls, but the conversation of a couple of days ago had great news – her blood sugar levels have been reduced to an almost non-diabetic level, thanks to diet changes, etc. Yay!

has been made with this; though the “more time” often consists of time on the phone, rather than in person. I’ve offered to scan and print duplicates of old family photos so she can share some with my aunt, and this tickles her. I also gave her more money than usual for Christmas so she can afford to go on a trip with her friends this year.

talked on the phone, after her doctor’s appt. She was diagnosed with diabetes, but hopefully she’ll do a good job of controlling it with diet.

I had dinner with Mom at Miss Mamie’s. Her choice of restaurant (it’s a rather geriatric place), but I have to admit the food was great. Great spinach salad, tilapia and crab cake, garlic mashed, and a birthday desert of bread pudding with a lit candle in the cinnamon ice cream – mmmm! She showed up early, which is definitely a minor miracle – I don’t remember that ever happening before, ever, for any event!

It was very good to see her. And we are very fond of each other. But we have never truly been on the same wavelength, and last night was a little bittersweet for me, as it made me realize again what an awful time we have trying to step into each other’s world.

for the telephone! This is how we’re staying in touch, and she is so busy gardening, I think that’s fine with her, too.