Monday, May 11, 2015 

Have not much felt like writing for a while. The routine is sometimes mind-numbing, but to make up for it, I have been spending more time in the garden and laid the last of the mulch just yesterday. After pulling out some shrubs that didn’t make it through the grueling winter, I decided to stick with hardier plants. So I ordered and planted 13 hosta varieties, some of which will grow quite large. Reluctantly going to replace my Little Henry Itea, which has not done too well in the past two years. The shrub was a tip to my Trenton garden, where I first planted one. Also thinking about cutting down the now too tall horse chestnut. But I am terribly reluctant and very sad even contemplating taking down a healthy tree. It was a designer’s mistake. Five years ago, the arborists hauled it in when they couldn’t find the sourwood tree I really wanted. Too sad to contemplate. I tried giving the tree to our current arborist, but he claimed it was too big to take. He had at one time intended to plant it on his own extensive property. Never happened. Sigh!

Went out Saturday evening with Deb and Rich for a nice meal nearby. Rob called to tell me that mom was “on the pot” and calling for me to wipe her—a first indeed. As I could not make it home lickety-split, Rob called Betty, the ever stalwart Betty. Betty ran down and took care of the problem. First time mom did not try cleaning herself on her own. You just never know what will happen. Your time is certainly never your own when you have an elderly person in the home.

Mom’s leg has finally healed; however, in playing nurse, I almost created another problem. When she complained of knee pain, I put one of my loose-fitting bamboo sleeves on her knee. She claimed the knee felt better and then would not allow me to take it off at night: “The doctor said I have to wear it all the time.” Of course, I was the doctor. Not long afterward, her feet became badly swollen. But as mom was scheduled for a trip to the podiatrist, I wasn’t too worried. Our podiatrist put a compression stocking on her foot, but by the time we got home, her foot was even worse. So I removed all compression and the problem disappeared. Think you’re fixing one area, but you might be creating a problem elsewhere on the aging body, particularly in one with very poor circulation to begin with. Lesson learned.

Today, we are off to the GP. Mom is spotting blood. Might have another bladder infection. So off we go. I was going to head down to Lancaster for some errands. Not today. Maybe I can find some solace later while watering the newly planted plants.