A Little Red Chair

I was exhausted when my head hit the pillow last night. The day had been full lots of emotion with work issues, the separation of two colleagues, a quick movie and then dinner. Plus my little brother came into town and yesterday and my mom got her motorized wheelchair. I think I am beginning to physicially debilitate. I woke with, not a sore throat but some going on in then back of my throat along with seems some sinus distress.

I think I slept well and I think I basically slept through the night which is rare for me. Waking this morning at 7:00 when my brother, Paul, called. I am usually and going by 7:00 brewed and well into my first hour of NPR. This morning I was sleeping deep with a scratchy throat as well. I called my brother back and we figured out the day meeting up at my mom’s at 11:00 for the arrival of the new chair.

Today is a cold Saturday: gray skies and rain. It’s not snow cold today but cold enough to wear a jacket and a hat. We met my brother and his family at a place not far from my mom’s place( euphemism for Long term care facility, i.e. nursing home) I am finding it difficult verbalize where she is. My brother spent the night at his daughter’s inlaws place all the way across the valley. But we all arrived at the restaurant with no one problems what so ever. It’s the weekend an like night waiting for dinner there was a bit of a wait for breakfast after all we needed a table for six. My older brother Carl his wife Jeane, my brother Paul and his wife Connie and daughter Brenna and her husband Cameron joined Dianne at the table. Good, hot food, hot coffee and conversation mandatory pictures and then off to Mom’s.

Mom may have known we were coming but I don’t know if she was ready for us, ALL OF US! She is in a single room with one chair. One of the kids grabbed some chairs from the solarium(sp). We were crowded but seemed fine. Mom did have the heat cranked up in her room( which felt fine to me) but put some of the other to sleep. But think we had a good visit. Round noon the wheelchair guy came bringing mom’s power chair. A small mid-wheel drive power chair with surprisingly good speed and should be just the thing mom needs to navigate the quite spread out halls of the care facility.

Carl helped my mom into her new red chair, showed her the control and explained to basics then turned chair to it slowest speed and let mom start learning the chair. I bet with in five minutes my mother was getting the hang of the chair and was cruising the halls. Soon after she started getting tired; She needed to rest. We all backed away the room. We struggled trying to agree on a place to meet for dinner. We still have not and have to see if mom will join us or not. Dianne is sleeping and I am waiting for the call for another meal at another restaurant. My throat is still a little tender but I feel I am getting a little of a second wind and I am looking forward to an interesting night.