Visitors, Adventures and a Week of Appointments

Last week my husband gave me a wonderful idea - to look up some old friends from their beloved church, Grace. I had heard them talk about David and Valley Head for years and had been meaning to call them and finally did so when Dad seemed like he could really use a friend. Am I ever glad that I did! They came last Friday and it was such a delightful visit. I loved hearing them reminisce and seeing Mom perk up (as well as Dad). It was fun to play hostess and Hallack made some really tasty blueberry scones. Since they now know where Mom and Dad are (it turns out they'd been trying to locate them for over a year) I'm sure that we'll have more visits from them and other members of their small group.

Then on Saturday, Greg and John came to visit. I know how much it means to them to have their children visit - so they perked up that day as well. This is what I really hoped would happen when they moved in with us - life. Regular visits from friends and family and the sense that they belong in the middle of things - not parked away in a gilded cage.

On Sunday we were able to make it to church and left from their to head up to Adie's house. We stopped to pick up Subway's $5 footlongs so that we could all make the drive and it was so pleasant (albeit rainy!) The folks hung out with Adie while I worked in her garden (a long overdue birthday promise) and it was nice for me to have that change of pace and for them to see Adie's sweet cottage and be able to visit with her. The drive home was uneventful and we were all ready for a good night's sleep.

This week has been less visits and fun adventures and full of tasks and appointments. We went in for Mom to have a banding procedure on her hemorrhoids - not her idea of Halloween fun but it was fairly frightening! I discovered that she needs to have more fiber in her diet so off to the store I went for Benefiber and Tucks medicated pads. Yesterday we had a follow up appointment to check on her coumadin as well as give a urine specimen for both Mom and Dad to make sure their bladder infections are gone. Having to urinate on demand is very stressful for Mom and yet I battled her to drink enough water because she's always afraid that she'll have to go unexpectedly. I can't seem to convince her that the Depends are dependable! While sitting in the doctor's office she said to me "I'm so tired of all this," and I know how hard this is for her. Today we have a mammogram and bone density appointment and I'm not thrilled about having to put her through these latest torturous tests. I know that I need to take care of her health and it had been a long time since she'd had a mammogram but...well NOBODY enjoys that test and really...is it absolutely necessary? I find myself weighing how important all these procedures are and the benefit of doing them. It was so freeing to tell the eye doctor that I wasn't going to bring her back after her near panic attack. I wonder about all the tests that their primary care physician orders so blithely (and the toll it takes on our medicare system as well as my parents mental state). This is where I wish I had a glimpse into the future and could see how much longer she has and then I come back to reality and know that I don't want to know that! I want to take each day as a gift and celebrate the life we have today. So...I guess we'll go to the appointment and then we'll find a way to enjoy life as well. I think we'll stop at the coffee shop housed in a church that we pass every time we go to an appointment. That will give us all something to look forward to!