Friday, December 08, 2006

Toddlers & airplanes

I got home from Virginia last night. I am so glad to be home. My mother is getting better everyday. I think it helped that I was there to give her a little TLC. However, she is 88 years old, and her age is starting to show. She has arthritis, and she has trouble rising from a seated position. She is slow walking & turning and loses her balance sometimes. She still has weakness in her right hand, but it is getting stronger everyday. I had her walking a lot, and squeezing a ball with her right hand. The worse part is when I told her that the arthritis is a chronic condition, and that although it was managable, it was not curable. She was markedly disapointed. She thought that she would be getting better. Maybe I shouldn't have told her. Taking her out is like taking a toddler. (her petite size of 55 inches is toddler-like) I have to help her into the car, and buckle her seat belt. She complains that she cannot do this herself, and that she must be such a chore for me. I comfort her by telling her that she took good care of me for my whole life when I was a kid, and that it is my pleasure to return the favor. It is sad to see my mom getting so old and helpless. I helped her by buying and wrapping some Christmas presents, and setting up her decorations. She was happy to see me for ten days, and I think I saw her getting stronger while I was there.

I also got to spend an afternoon with my older brother. He took me up in his newly painted, newly renovated Cessna airplane. The interior is not completed yet, but the new leather seats are deluxe! Although it is perfectly safe, it is still a little un-nerving to be in a light plane without the headliner, you look up and see just a sheet of aluminum between you and the sky!

4 comments:

Motherkitty said...

Glad to hear that your little mother is progressing. I'm sure she really enjoyed having you home and was kind of sad when you have to leave. She sure is a little bit of a thing, isn't she?

Too bad she couldn't have come home with you for a visit.

Good that you are home, though.

Jellyhead said...

It sounds like your mother is doing as well as can be expected - still sad, though, to see someone you love lose some independence, right? It's great you could spend some time with her, and help out.

That light aircraft flight must have been fun.... how cool to have a brother who is a pilot!

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

It's sad to see your mom grow old and start to lose her independence, but you still got to visit for 10 days and I'm sure she loved having you there with her.

I love taking rides in cessnas...I love the smaller planes. You can see so much and you feel the wind shears much better. I'm with Jelly, how cool is it to have a brother whose a pilot.

doubleknot said...

Your mother and my grandmother would have gotten along just fine. Grandmother always tried to do things for herself and if you did something for her she tried to give you money. She has passed on now.
I feel bad that she has arthritis - I do also and it is no fun. It can be managed though.