Saturday, October 25, 2008
A Little Off, Again
Movement for 10/24/08:
- It happened just before bed. Mom was very tired, again, tonight, even though her up time hadn't been unusually prolonged, like yesterday. Still, she opted for the wheelchair on the way to the bathroom for bed prep. Surprisingly, too, although she stood for teeth brushing, she decided she wanted to use the wheelchair into the bedroom. I thought maybe she was having a back ache, which sometimes happens as a result of the way she bends over the sink to brush her teeth. Although she agreed with my suggestion a few days ago that we switch, at night, to spit bowl tooth brushing, since this is the way she does it mostly in the morning and she doesn't complain about that, I haven't actually been able to get her to do this, yet. But, she said her back didn't hurt, she just didn't feel like walking into the bedroom, which is fine.
Leveling Off, Again
Movement for 10/23/08:
- Typical "plateau" day; walking and walkering as usual except from the rocker to the foyer steps and vice versa; no problems, two exercise sessions, one of which included extra ankle rocking because Mom said it "felt good".
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A Little Better, A Little Worse
Movement for 10/22/08:
- The little "better" is that, because she was up so much, we managed to get in three full exercise sessions and, for one of them, the middle one, Mom was enthusiastic rather than lackadaisical. The "worse" was that she stayed up so long (for her) before her nap that she hadn't the confidence to walk up the foyer steps, so I wheeled her into the bathroom for nap prep. She walked into the bedroom, though, for her nap. We had a good evening, although she was very tired and really pushing herself at the end before going to bed. For some reason, she just had to stay up an extra 10 minutes, here, an extra 15, there...so I let her, of course. What else is there to do? She walked from the foyer steps into the bathroom, though, and from there into the bedroom. Just one of those days, I guess.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Still on the Level
Movement for 10/21/08:
- Mom performed at plateau standard, today, although she was slow and tired and iffy on her feet. I think we're going to be switching over to spit bowl teeth brushing completely and permanently, because she always gets a lower back ache when she brushes her teeth at night standing at the sink. It was especially obvious last night. Although she usually hates to do this at night (this is how she brushes her teeth in the "morning", though), when her back was obviously bothering her last night, once she was sitting on the edge of the bed I suggested that maybe it was time to forget about standing at the sink at night. "I think you may be right," she said, rubbing her lower back. I imagine, during evenings when she feels especially good and strong, she'll insist on standing at the sink, but I'm thinking those evenings will be fewer and farther between, from now on. Got in only 1.25 exercise sessions; which means, at night, I was only able to coax her into doing the ankle rocking, nothing else.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Leveling Off Again
Movement for 10/20/08:
- Although she sneaked in a few more hours of sleep this "morning" than I found comfortable, we were back to the movement plateau, except for one aspect: Only one exercise session today. I'm trying not to be an Exercise Nazi about it, but it's hard. It's obvious to me that the ankle rocking, at least, actually help and when we slack off her feet begin to swell, again, as they have over the last few days. And yet, and yet, I have to remember, it's up to her. At this point, I can't, anymore, get away with telling her, "But you've got to, it keeps your health up." Her health profile is, now, largely beyond her efforts or my harassment.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Turn Down Day
Movement for 10/19/08:
- The day started promisingly enough, but I think she may have overstayed her first-half-of-the-day welcome, even though she was in good spirits when she went down for a nap. When I awoke her from her nap she was clearly ready to awaken, but was unsure of herself on her feet. I asked her "what is wrong" and, instead of saying, "nothing", which is usual for her, she said, "I don't know." I took a survey of all possible pain points. None checked in. I asked her if she felt as though she had a cold. Her first response was, "No." Upon further thought, though, while I was changing her underwear, she said, "Maybe that's it. Maybe I picked up something."
At any rate, we proceeded, the rest of the evening, in the wheelchair.
I, frankly, think my own turned down mood is affecting her, even though I'm working hard to disguise it. She can usually see through my disguises, though.
In any event we got only one exercise session in today. I didn't bother to suggest any more.
Despite not feeling sure of herself on her feet, she transferred well in the evening.
