I came home.
I was going bonkers at the rehab with nothing to do. I couldn't hear the TV well enough, and unbelievably the closed caption words spun faster than I could follow. Art brought me "good books" but they demanded attention and I wasn't interested in focusing. His stack of New Yorker magazines worked best. The articles were the right length for a small bite at a time. I found myself sleeping nearly all day in my wheelchair and especially in the over-stuffed armchair, waking for meals. I did a lot of staring at the ceiling.
"Hey," I thought, "I can do this at home." And, at the house, I could have physical therapy and occupational therapy to make the right arm and right leg more functional.
So here I am either in the wheelchair or wobbly on the walker, or in an armchair. However I need someone guarding me as I walk up and down the stairs which still feels like an Olympic Event. I am not sleeping during the day. Oh, dozing off a bit. Art gets little attention from his archivist, Erica, who is busily at my beck and call, as basic as putting my meals on the table. When Erica's not here, Art is my hand-maiden. He just hooked up my bra.
I hate not being independent. Only now do I understand the sorry plight of the handicapped. And I am relatively healthy. Just some broken bones. As someone unkindly reminded me, "You don't heal as fast when you're an older person." Well, thanks a lot.
Anyway, it is great to be home.
---Florence
So glad to hear you are enjoying where you are Grandma! Love, Celeste
Posted by: Celeste | November 16, 2011 at 06:47 PM
Florence,
I’m SO glad to read this news and so happy for you…and just in time for Thanksgiving!
An “older person” may not heal as fast, but everyone heals faster when they’re home.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love, Margee
Posted by: Margee | November 17, 2011 at 12:06 PM
I am so pleased to hear that you are home, Florence - no place like it for healing. A happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and here's to better and better times.
Posted by: Penny | November 18, 2011 at 04:37 PM
So Florence you're briefly in the famous Land-of-the-Short-Span. I hear the short stories there have only one letter titles from the thinner side of the alphabet, like "I" and "L". Your precious noirs are only faint gray with private eyes who have only one. What the hell, think of the time you're saving. Tell us about it. But not at length.
Posted by: Peter Byrne | November 19, 2011 at 12:53 AM
Glad you are home and happier! Happy Thanksgiving. Hope you get to enjoy some delicious food - surely better at home than where you were.
xoxo,
Beth
Posted by: beth | November 21, 2011 at 12:52 PM
It was wonderfull talking to you and art . I am glad you are home but I'm a little leary about having someone put your bra on. My sister should not talk that way. Love you.
Posted by: donald gerson | November 24, 2011 at 08:51 AM
Yeah, Florence ... Home Sweet Home.
Dorothy said it best: "There's no place like home."
Maybe you can slip over to pun club?
I found this haiku the other day. It's good for a smile:
Haikus are simple
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator
Posted by: Ellen | November 25, 2011 at 06:43 PM
My will be so much better after I get (http://trulynolen.com/pest_control/bee-wasp-control.asp) bee control. They've been infesting my gazebo as if they own it.
Posted by: Brad Hoss | February 27, 2013 at 04:49 PM