Doing What's Right!

Entering the world of a rehab center is brand new to me, and from what others have said, and I witnessed for myself at "Terror" Vista, it can be a pretty scary, and awful, experience. We got so very lucky that Maureen has not had to experience such awfulness because the folks at Solaris have a logo, and for the most part, they live it.

From the moment I come in the door, greeted warmly by Stacy, on the left, I feel good about where Maureen is learning to walk all over again.

The girl in the background is who showed me around more than two weeks ago, and one of the things she said is that the employees like working there, which is always a good sign. I'd not had the pleasure of meeting the girl on the right before, however, while taking the photo above, unprompted, she said "we love our jobs!" Well, if a CNA can say that, I'm in!!

By day, I was trying hard to get better quickly, by night I was out with Bruce and some folks who had come to town for his job. Zarita, is his kitchen designer from Vancouver.

Jesse, standing on Bruce's left, is from St. Louis, and works for a company called Edward Don that provides said kitchen equipment. We met at Yardhouse, adjacent to the Orlando Eye.

Yardhouse, which some of you may remember is a Darden Restaurant, in fact, that is the last concept Bruce built for Darden down in South Beach. In any case, both Jesse and Zarita were loving our sunshine, soaking it in before heading back to the gray weather from whence they came. I, meanwhile, could barely hear them because my left ear was so clogged up. Nonetheless, I did what I could to be a good wife of the boss.

Wednesday was a big day because Maureen was to go have the staples removed at the orthopedic doctor's office near the hospital. It was, as is so often the case, a very frustrating experience, with being called by number rather than name, just one of the irritations. At any rate, I was mildly worried about her getting into the Pilot, but darn if she did not do it with flying colors.

The center provided a travel wheelchair to use once we were at our destination. which worked beautifully. There was far too much waiting involved, especially because the healthcare folks spent about eight minutes total with her, but after an hour and a half, we repeated the getting into the Pilot, heading back to Solaris without incident. 27 staples held the wound together before, now there are just little bandages called steri-strips.

Yet another reason Wednesday was big, Herbert arrived to put in some much needed LED ceiling lights for Maureen's living room.

They make an incredible difference! Perhaps you see that chair with the reddish cover? Well, in a stroke of luck, I found it beside the road! Just what we were looking for, albeit without the hideous cover, and beat up wood. David, our amazing upholsterer to the rescue!! The pictured couch is quite low to the ground, so I knew there was no way Maureen would be able to sit on that for quite some time. I am doing my best to stretch those dollars from Maureen's fairy Godmother. Yesterday, I snuck in a trip to the mattress store and that will be arriving on Wednesday. As well, I was able to have the kitchen chairs recovered with some fresh, fun, fabric. Try saying that three times in a row!!

Some of you know, some not, so let's recap all the medical misfortunes Maureen has endured....

• Acromeglia, a tumor of the pituitary gland which was diagnosed when she was around forty. Requiring major brain surgery, followed by 25 radiation treatments, more than twenty years ago, the treatments were much harder to endure than they are today.
• Parkinson's disease...she's lived with it for nearly ten years, and while it is mostly under control, without medication, she would be in a very bad way. 
• Small stroke a few years ago.
• Anal cancer two years ago, which required yet another round of radiation and very painful I might add.
• In what is very tiny compared to the above, she now has cataracts. What next, right?

So, having said all that, Maureen has not been quite up to the task of keeping a tidy home. Bruce, Lynn, Pam, me, and her son Rich, have all done what we can to make her home, both safe, and attractive. Years ago, I worked with a young woman who'd had thoracic cancer, (maybe I've told you this before, so forgive me if it is a repeat) who told me that she got through it with some inspirational words---"look good, feel good." Everyday, no matter how terrible she felt, she spruced herself up, and before she knew it, she was feeling good. That's what I've been trying to do at Maureen's house; an attractive environment is bound to add to her recovery.

In between the mattress buying, and two trips to the center yesterday, I finally got something off my plate. Apparently, a magazine is doing a story on the Winter Garden market, and they wanted some photographs. Dana called...would you go shoot some? That was three weeks ago, pre-hip, and with one thing and another, I'd not gotten to it. Now I have, and boy has it expanded since last I sold there!! They carry all manner of things, way more than Lake Eola. Like specialty yarn, which will interest some of you.

 Of all things, my former space is being filled by someone I've known forever!

I asked the Mom if I could photograph the dog in the stroller, and immediately her two girls got down to be photographed as well!

Plenty of dogs, plenty of people, and so many, many vendors that they have spilled across the street.

I remember the day Dana told me she was starting it, and boy has she delivered!!

Maureen has been receiving some lovely cards, and the other day I arrived to see a wonderful air plant from Amanda. She knows how to get to her Aunt's heart!

Isn't it adorable? Lisa has been visiting, as have others, helping to make the days fly by. So much so, that next Thursday she is to be discharged. Or at least Medicare wants her to be! This week will be crucial for continued improvement. Time will tell, as it always does.

A lovely sunset on our way to dinner last week to end this post...

Wish I'd been by the lake instead, but you do what you have to do...

doing what's right,

Gail

p.s. today is my brother Pat's 70th birthday...where has the time gone??

Keeping it Simple

Remember that gigantic stop sign they were installing at the corner of Pershing and Ferncreek? You don't? Well, this blog is not a test, so let's recap..

What seemed like a perfectly good stop sign on the corner of the aforementioned streets was replaced by the city because they hoped it would get people to stop. Apparently it did not work yesterday morning because as I crossed Pershing to head East, I saw this in the distance.

Mmm....wonder what's happening....hope everyone is okay. YIKES!! Look at this:

According to a woman standing at the corner, the cyclist has some injuries and was taken to the hospital. Injuries, how could they avoid injuries when their bicycle is UNDER a truck?? She assured me that he would be fine--as if she knew! Clearly, one of the parties involved in this accident was not paying attention no matter how GIGANTIC the stop sign.  On my return trip I noted dents along the side of the truck, so if I had to guess, it was not the first time the truck driver was not paying attention.

Oftentimes I ride by my friend Sue's house in the morning, usually never stopping because it is early. Because the door was open, I hollered out....well maybe not hollered, but called out to her. "Gail?" Yes it's me. Coming to the door laughing she said she was in the middle of reading my blog post. How about that for timing? We visited and I gave her a few tips with her camera, however, I could have used some myself as I took this accidental photo of her Christmas tree.

I am like--wonder why this is black and white? After further investigation, I discovered the camera was set on "high-key" which may be something I want to play around with now that I've had this happy accident!

Well, there was no putting off getting my own tree done, so home I went. For a girl who does not particularly enjoy decorating the Christmas tree--I know I should not admit that, but there it is--I was not thrilled when I was nearly finished with the lights only to discover a very, very long strand was not lighting up. Boo hiss! Unwinding the blasted thing, I took it into the kitchen to check,

I made sure the next two strands worked before attempting to use them!

Listening to some of my favorite Christmas albums, I eventually got it done. Jonathan and Alissa gave me the "Glee" Christmas album last year, which remained unplayed until this year. Very fun! I'm strictly a before-Christmas listener.

This year I'm keeping things even simpler than I normally do. No red bead garland on the tree,  as well as a very scaled back Nativity scene.

There is quite the cast of characters that go with this set, however, this year the Holy Family is taking center stage. One thing is bothering me about Joseph--why does he have a shepherd's staff? I can only assume he used it for a walking stick because, as far as I can tell, there is absolutely no mention in the Gospels of Joseph hanging with the sheep. I wonder what they really looked like, don't you? I have a pretty strong suspicion that their clothes were neither this clean, nor their skin this white.

The very first Christmasy thing I did was hang the beautiful mobile Tom gave us when last he visited Florida for Christmas. Fortunately Angela, our 6 feet tall neighbor,  came over just as were hanging it which helped us determine the height!

The purpose of her visit was two-fold--to deliver some Tom Smith crackers she purchased for us, and to pick up her laundry.

Snow globe Frosty is checking them out. Apparently, "Tom Smith" is the first name in Christmas crackers, which we shall soon discover for ourselves, won't we? There should be no hosting a British man for Christmas without crackers, or so she claims. Actually, we had loads of fun with them two years ago, and I have a notion we'll do the same this year.

There is only one part about decorating the tree each year that I love. Unlike some folks, I do not have a styled tree--mine is more eclectic, somewhat like we are. Ornaments from our first Christmas together mingle with new ones, mostly given to us by our children. Through the years I've accumulated a lot of ornaments which I do love, usually the simple ones like this given to us by an anonymous donor. Only kidding! I just can't remember who it was....

At first I thought it was from Maureen's former in-laws, but now I'm not so sure. Anyway, the tree is done for 2012, and I know it will bring pleasure until my birthday.

Except, where the heck is one of the stockings? For the life of us, we can only find three! I'm thinking maybe David took his home last year? I'll call Michelle later today to check on it's whereabouts. Then too, all of the packages you see wrapped need the "Bruce treatment", which if you've ever received a gift from us, you will surely understand. It's no exaggeration to say that his use of ribbon is legendary.

One other thing Angela is hounding us about--pesky neighbor that she is--outdoor lights. Nearly every day she wants to know where is the Peck contribution to a lovely well-lit neighborhood? Don't hold your breath my friend.

It looks as if there is yet another gloomy day on the horizon, or so it seems looking out my window at the start of daylight. The Christmas tree, on the other hand, is sparkling away in the living room as I type. I think I'll go bask in it's brightness.