Seems like I’m always complaining so I want to take a minute to say what a good day we had on Sunday. The weather was nice and Lynn was feeling pretty good for the third day in a row (that in itself made it a good day).
A former co-worker of Lynn’s was coming over at noon to finish up some of the detail work on the device Lynn is having built that will allow his legs to move while he is resting. (Lynn is really blessed that many of the guys he used to work with keep in touch and any one of them will help us out at the first hint that Lynn needs something. He worked with a great group of guys.) The project this day was to cut out any unnecessary wood around the device so that it would be lighter for me to lift. Not only is this gentleman a talented carpenter but he is also a great friend and Lynn really enjoyed the “virtual” carpenter experience through working with him.
While the two of them were working on the leg motion device, his wife kept me company while I took down Christmas decorations. My son had already put many of them away in the attic on Friday from where I took the outdoor items down last week. Since then I had been steadily working on taking down the rest. Not long after getting started on Sunday, my brother and his wife called to say they were bringing me a Christmas tree they had bought for me for next year that already had lights on it so it would be easier for me to decorate. Wasn’t that thoughtful of them? When they arrived, they stayed and helped me finish un-decorating and putting things back in the attic plus they shared a video they took the day before of a surprise presentation of a TV to our parents for their anniversary.
Sidebar: I can no longer travel to my parents house due to caring for Lynn. It’s just too difficult to go somewhere that is not handicap assessable and he’s just not up to long trips anyway, but I managed to be a part of the surprise anyway. While my brothers sneaked to the house with their families and the TV, I kept my parents occupied on the phone so they would not expect anything. It worked like a charm and was fun for us all. My family is so thoughtful to find ways to include us with our limitations. Just another way we are blessed.
Later after everyone had left, I had to work (office work) for a few hours. Then my daughter and her husband brought over some medications for Lynn they had picked up for us saving us a trip into town. We had a nice visit, though short. Afterwards, I gave Lynn a shower, we had dinner, and got to bed around 1:30 a.m. as usual. I was exhausted but I felt a real sense of accomplishment. I’m someone who needs closure so taking down decorations and getting them all put away provided me with a lot of peace. Walking around I was filled with awe at how open and tidy it all looked (at least for a few minutes anyway).
Though receiving the Christmas tree as a gift was nice, the present of help from my bother and sister-in-law and Lynn’s coworker not to mention my daughter and son-in-laws help too, is a gift more precious than words can say. We are so truly blessed by so many people who care. I just don’t know what we would do without them.
So Sunday was a good day…a very good day. Just wanted to share the good along with the trials. I hope you have your good days too. They help to make the more difficult ones easier to handle.
Becoming A Family Caregiver
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN HEALTHCARE AND HOMECARE