Toot

Today's assignment for Mom is to, uh, pass gas. Once she does that she can have food and water, until then it's all ice chips, all day. Not very satisfying. The nurse said she's got good belly sounds so it looks good on the farkling front. They also are determined to get her up on her feet and walking. I told her that walking will help with the crepitation (we had an LP of a comedy routine called The Crepitation Contest when I was a kid, about professional farting in Great Britain--very hilarious) so that she can get a drink of water and maybe some food. And then I left for work so the nurses can deal with the unwilling walker on their own. On Tuesday afternoon she told the paramedic in the ER who was getting her ready for surgery when he asked her weight, "Honey. I am 200 lbs. of romping, stomping hell." (Could you die? Don't you wish she was your Mom? I'm perfectly satisfied with my abnormal mom and I told her that. She said she'd rather have me than a normal daughter too. It was a touching moment.) That's when I knew she'd be okay. My brother, my son & daughter-in-law, and my husband all visited her yesterday so I'm not left with all the Mom-duties. It's a real relief, and honestly Mom's understanding and doesn't expect constant attendance. She's got a slate of TV shows she likes to watch, although she is complaining about missing her bridge games.

October 12--Egon Schiele, Seated Woman, Back View. Marian knows it isn't ladylike to sit like that on the floor. With her skirt rucked up and her stocking tops exposed some would call her a strumpet. She's just trying to be comfortable, trying to ease the ache in her back. It's very quiet here on the floor and she has a different perspective from down there. Small things loom large and some large things are too far away to carry any weight. Sitting down here makes her take stock of her world.

I was pretty darned tired last night and managed to hit the sheets around 10:30. Hallelujah. Let's see if I can manage the same tonight after the Knitting Guild meeting.

--Barbara