Aunt Lou's New Digs

...or should I say her old digs, as I believe she's been here at least once or twice before.

Blaine, Joy and I went to see Aunt Lou today. We used her for the pick-up place for the Boy. She enjoys being in the loop.

It's true that she's "stuck" in her bed for the moment. However, she's only been there about 24 hours. The weekday staff will get there tomorrow and get things going, I'm sure. She doesn't have a wheel chair in her room yet and she couldn't push herself around if she did have one right now anyway. She's still weak as a kitten and keeps her eyes closed most of the time even when she's talking to you.

Jimmy and Maria were there today before us, she said. They're still on the ball with everything she wants and needs, even though I'm quite certain they're physically and emotionally spent. She had on a clean cotton house dress and had her hair back in a hairband. She's using her call bell and they answered it while I was there and they don't even know to be scared of me yet ;)

She ate breakfast and didn't eat lunch because she didn't like it (it sounded like it was a cup of Alpo). She said she'd eat a little supper even if she didn't like it. We talked about how she has the swimmy head from lying around so much and not eating and she agreed that after she gets settled, she'll be feeling better in that regard.

She said she had another "spell" today. Apparently, her rommate went to the hospital or somewhere after having perhaps a heart-related situation. This was Aunt Lou's guess. She said she was panting because they were moving her and her roommate around, out of her room, etc. "so fast" and it sent her into a panting spell. She has a new roommate now and all is well again.

She's still disoriented to what day/time it is, exactly when people have come and gone, how long she's been where, etc. She's not disoriented in a crazy sort of way but in an I've been really sick for a while way.

To say that she's better would be to say that she's on the mend, which I'm pretty sure isn't the case. I'm not sure how much her body is planning on mending or what is going to be the new normal but she's been in the same state she's in now since maybe last Wednesday or so.

I continued to ask her if she wanted us to leave, if I could turn the lights down and leave so she could take a nap before dinner, etc. and she said no, she wanted all the company she could get and didn't want to be left alone. We stayed and chatted about everything for quite a while and she still wasn't ready for us to go.

I'm not ready for her to go either. Not even a little. Pray for peace, acceptance and healing for us all. Especially for Jimmy & Maria. I can't even imagine but I know many of you have been there and know their feelings exactly. If that's you, do for them what you would have wanted done for you.

Meanwhile, she's here for however God wants her to be and wanting to see everyone. So, like Hilly, I ask for Aunt Lou that you go see her if you at all can. She needs us.

Enough soap-boxing, back to crying.

Ann-Marie