August 14th

TERRY

Terry had PT yesterday.  I think the PT person is doing a great job.  She had Terry stand with her hands on the walker.  Then move the walker ahead a few inches and then move her feet a little.  Of course Mei, the therapist, had her hand on her but Terry did move the walker and move her feet just a little.  She got tired and sat down and then did it a second time.  Close to walking, no way but it seems like it is a start to maybe walking down the road.  Mei will not be her next week but someone else will and then we will see her again the following week.  She has a birthday and their family is going for a vacation.  As far as I know Terry has nobody coming except the home care person who will be in from 8-12.  Another day and another tiny step towards a normal life again.

I had a 30 minute tennis session yesterday, my second one.  This Florida heat and humidity makes tennis almost like work!  Next week I want to do two more lessons but also get out and hit with someone.  Not a match, just hit cross court for a bit.  

I need to go to Costco today for a couple of things.  It is a day that Terry needs a show as well so maybe after the walk and the shower I will make a run.  I need to do it and be home by noon as the caregiver leaves at that time.

It is JUNE, the summer of 1955

It is a Saturday morning and brother Ronald is coming for a visit today.  I am always excited when he comes home.  Not only is it fun to have him but he is always full of ideas as well.  AND another plus is there is NO worry about Dad being silent or crabby when Ronald comes as that always puts Dad in a good mood.  To this day I do not know WHY Dad would get into his moods where he would not talk for days at a time.  Well actually now I have my suspicions but they are only that so I will not go there!  Ronald drives into the yard about 11:00 AM with a big smile on his face.  And of course one would know that smiles were also on Mom and Dad's faces.  I run up to the car and greet him with my whole being.  When he gets out of the car he tells me he brought something for me.  He opened the trunk and pulls out a golf bag.  Now I had never even thought about golf as a sport for me BUT I did have Arnie Palmer as one of my heroes.  He puts the bag in my hands and say now I can be a golfer!  Little did I envision that those golf clubs, the balls and the bag would provide 100s of hours of fun for me.  That led me to make my sand putting surface in the ditch near the mailbox.  It led me to make my 3 hole golf course in Bert's pasture.  There were many many Sundays where Arnie, Jack and Gary (all great golfers) would hit balls towards the broom stick which was my hole marker in the putting surface.  My new sport consisted of a 3 iron, a 5 iron, a 7 iron, a 9 iron, some real golf balls, some plastic golf balls and a wooden driver.  No putter but I converted the driver into a putter as there was no use for a driver on a 90 yard hole!  Over the years I spent many many Sunday afternoons playing golf and hoping friends would drive by on their way to the lake.  When that happened I would put the clubs away and pedal like a crazy guy up to the lake to join them!  I write about Ronald today as this morning is a lonely morning for me.  Ronald died when I was 17 and to this day I think of him often.  AND now Dave is gone as well.  I think I am one lucky guy to have brothers like that.  But it does make for sad moments when I sit back and think!

Terry woke me up at 6:30 as her feeding tube was empty and making a noise.   I was so thankful as it was the first night that there was no diaper change at 2:00 AM or so!  The diaper change came at 6:45!  The feeding tube was empty and making a noise she said so I stopped that and then took it into the kitchen to clean it out.  The pouch that the liquid goes into is used for two nights so every other morning I need to clean it out.  I actually got in about an hour nap yesterday and then waking up at 6:30 this morning I should be good for the day.

I actually made eggs, sausage and hash brows for breakfast and now I am sipping my FP so how could a day start any better???  Time to do a couple of things as Vida will be here in a few minutes.