Alarm goes off at 7:15, but I am already awake--for the past five months, I have gotten used to getting up early. Granted, not as early as when I was working, but hell, I am retired! I selfishly just want to sleep in. But, I am up, put on my flip flops, and herd all four dogs, including my mom's poodle, downstairs and outside to do their business. I let them back in, one at a time, rinsing their muddy paws in the dog shower downstairs, and then they all clamor up the stairs, ready and raring to go. And hungry. But they are going to have to wait a couple minutes while I pee, brush my teeth, and wash my face.
Next I heat up the coffee, and get their food bowls ready, making sure to add their vitamin powder and a little water to each bowl. I fill up their water bowl, pour my coffee, and sit down to say a couple short prayers. By now it is almost 8 am, and I am streaming my favorite radio station, Spirit FM from Tampa, on my iPhone over the apple TV device. I check my FaceBook messages and posts about various items I am selling, and get ready to do my errands. I do a quick once over in the bathroom, and make the bed, and make sure the floor is clear of obstacles that might trip up the little robot vacuum that runs daily. I wash the dogs' bowls, get my list for the day, and grab Benji, Mom's dog, to go to the groomer. I get a text from my daughter that she is having contractions, but she is not dilated at all, so I say a quick prayer for her.
At 9 am I drop Benji off at the groomers, then head over to the gym to sign up for a 16-week fitness challenge. After that, I stop over at the Oaks and drop off a critical healthcare form with the social worker there, pop in to see Mom for about 30 minutes, then I am off again, promising to return with a groomed dog later that day. Next stop is the little store where I volunteer, and I spend about 2 hours helping clean, price, and post items for them on FaceBook.
After two hours at the store, I head out to Toxaway to the storage unit where Mom's furniture has been sitting since October. I load up my car with Mom's Christmas decorations to store in our attic and head back towards town at 1:20 pm--the dogs have not been outside for four hours, so I am in a hurry.
I get back home by 1:45, let out my dogs, then grab one of them to go to the vet for a nail trim. I get there by 2:10 pm, Haley gets her pedicure, and then I am off to the SavMor to deliver something to someone. A quick text to the groomer lets me know Benji is ready for pickup, so I stop by the ATM, get some cash, and head out the opposite end of town to get him and also to pay the pet sitter for three nights this past weekend. By now it is 3:30 pm, and I have not eaten anything all day other than a candy bar and coffee, but I head back to the Oaks and take Benji in to visit Mom. I explain I need to eat, so after a brief visit, I leave the dog with her, and take my dog back home, stopping at Arbys on the way home for some "lunch".
At 4, I sit down and go over my mail and bills, and figure out the schedule for the next 24 hours. The tags and laundry markers I ordered came today, so I begin the tedious task of marking Mom's clothes and belongings. I pack a suitcase with some tops, pants, underwear, and essentials, and by 5:45 pm I am ready to head back to the Oaks. I deliver her clothes and listen to her talk about her day some more, touch base with the nursing staff, and after about an hour, I head back home to drop off Benji. I call Becky to see how she is doing, cheer her up, and say another prayer.
At 6:45, I am back out the door on the way to CVS to get something for this irritating cough I have, and call my friend Marianna to plan for tomorrow. While at CVS, I pick up some snacks and Boost for Mom, then I go BACK by the Oaks, drop off her snacks, and make sure Mom's chart has a code on it. When I get home, I talk to my brother in law on the phone, then some friends show up and visit for an hour or so.
At 9:30 I strip all the beds upstairs and throw the sheets in the wash, and then carry the Christmas decorations I brought out of storage up to my attic. I let the dogs out one more time, wipe their feet, and then head back upstairs, grabbing Mom's checkbook on the way. I eat a mango and a bowl of dry cereal, and spend the next hour checking FaceBook posts and balancing Mom's bank accounts. I make my list for tomorrow, and realize I have barely spoken to my husband today--my husband who is dealing with his own "day in the life" while he and his brother make decisions for their parents, 800 miles away.
It is now nearly 11 pm. I set my alarm for 7:15 am, and head off to take a nice warm bath.
Earlier I was angry with my sisters again, for them not supporting me. For daring to accuse me of overreacting, of making all this up. I could stay angry. But,
No comments:
Post a Comment