Mom is visiting Sharon right now in Chicago...In the past few days, some exchanges via email from Sharon, to Betty and I...

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Sharon:

...Yes indeed, Mom misses the little things SO much,...I think we all would, wouldn't we? She LOVES having her hair brushed, and have her back scratched, as well as gently rubbing in body lotion onto her dry skin. I suggested to her that she take her lotion with on bath days and apply in the bath room right after dabbing dry, to keep in moisture as much as possible. Due a lot to her not drinking enough water more than anything else, (along with inactivity), she's drying up literally and it's most uncomfortable for her. She just doesn't have the spirit or motivation to always think ahead on those things herself anymore...

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Trish and Betty:

Mom surprised me yesterday by getting up for breakfast and staying up for the day until she had her podiatrist's visit at 2:55. Bill ran some errands for her and she wanted to stop at Starbucks so he treated her to a vanilla latte. She was so stuffed that she hardly had room for broiled salmon and a baked potato. The podiatrist cut her toenails. He also cut back the toenail that has the fungus. This will ease the pain and allow the skin to grow back. He noted that she has circulation problems in her feet. They are white just like her hands. Otherwise, her feet were in ok condition from his examination. Barb Chang noted mom's white hands and circulation problem. Barb has a similar problem. She gave us an interesting therapy for that. She takes fine sand and bakes it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 200 degrees. You take the sand out and play with it with your fingers. It warms the hands and fingers and helps with the circulation. Bill bought some sand and mom tried it out last night after supper. It really works...

She seems to enjoy having me brush her hair andd scratch her back. She really misses dad's loving touches and scratching.

Sharon

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Sharon:

I had the strangest dreams last night (driving in LA, being harrassed by thugs at a convenience store, etc.)...but in the end, I was woken up by someone calling my name, "Trish"...as I responded, I knew it was Mom...it scared me a little. I assumed if anything was wrong, you'd call, but I had to ask...everything OK?

Then, just now as I returned from the restroom, a voice mail from Mom, asking what the company's name was that handled her house in New Mexico...I'm not going to call her back, but you can mention to her if you want to that I got the message and you can discuss it with her, up to you...

Very strange and unsettling, being called awake like that...never had that happen before...

T.

I know what you mean Aunt Betty.

To be honest, I was not prepared for how Grandma was when she came. I didn't expect her to be joyful all the time, but at the same time I thought that a year after Grandpa's death that she would have been doing a little better. But the way she is, how she will keep repeating herself saying "My dear Gordon, How I loved you so..." breaks your heart. And you're right, what can a person say when you see someone crying and wishing for death because they lost someone that they were with for over 50 years? I tried my best to comfort her, and many times I too steered the conversation somewhere else. Thank God for Mu'min! Many times I would hand her him and for a brief moment you might think Grandma was back to her old self. She would sing songs for him and whistle. She called him her little dumpling...I have been married for only 6 years, but the thought of losing Meran almost makes me go crazy. I wonder sometimes how I would handle it, and in the end I don't think I could do any better than how Grandma is. Grandpa was the "love of her life" as she puts it, and life just ain't the same without him...