What a "Do" can Do

By Belinda

Continuing the adventure of Mum's new life from my journal...

Tuesday, February 10, 2004

Another busy day is past, but not as exhausting as yesterday. We already knew Tracy and Karen, at the morning and bedtime visits. I left a long note for the "lunchtime lady" whom I hadn't met, because I was away at that time at a funeral with our friends, Chris and Eileen.

Unfortunately Mum was not impressed with her and said that she was "rather inexperienced." Well, I will meet her tomorrow and we'll see. There were signs that Mum was right, but after all, this is the way "experience" is gained, so if I can help, I will.

Note: When Mum used the words "rather inexperienced," this was her communication of "something" but we didn't know exactly what. Her stroke had left her with aphasia, i.e. word finding difficulties. She knew what she wanted to say, but was no longer able to put together sentences to express herself, or to participate in a flowing conversation. But she still managed to express herself; sometimes by a comical facial expression that said more than words; a raised pair of eyebrows, the shrug of shoulders, or a grimace of disgust; and sometimes by just two words, such as "rather inexperienced," that told us everything we needed to know.

Tracy, whom we had seen two days in a row, was rather inexperienced, in fact. The day before when she showed up at Mum's house, it was her first ever day on a job she had never done before. The agency was new and she had not been trained. She didn't have a uniform or log book--nada! We were both newbies to this whole thing. But Mum would not have called her "rather inexperienced!" :)  

Back to the journal...

I got home in time to see Charlotte (the young hairdresser who was to do Mum's hair for the next 8 years every two weeks) pulling up in her car to do Mum's hair. When it was done, Mum looked lovely! So much more like her old self.

It was the day for people to leave things behind it seemed. The noon Helping Hands lady--the "inexperienced one," :) left behind a battered pair of sunglasses. Chris left behind his college scarf and Charlotte left behind her hairdryer. I made three phone calls to let the owners know that we were holding their belongings here!
Apart from the mid-day not feeling good to Mum, and her being a bit overwhelmed around tea time (supper time, I should say,) the day went well.
I am a bit worried about Mum at the end of the day actually putting herself to bed, but the alternative, going to bed at 8.00 p.m. isn't very good at all, so we will keep working at it.
Thank you Lord, for your presence and power.

More tomorrow!