Elena 
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1. Mom’s decline week two. It was an interesting week, starting with a call from the social worker telling me she thinks mom needs to go into assisted living or get a home health aid, to mom calling me to say she wants to be anointed by the priest, to my sister and I cleaning her apartment and going through all of her things, to taking half a day to have her anointed and another half a day to go to the oncologist. I am wiped out. It’s not that doing these things is so much, but all of it involves prodding mom to move a little faster, using a wheelchair, getting said wheelchair in and out of the car, and getting mom in and out of the car. And then there is getting her to eat and finding out she let her bills get two months behind – just really all of it. Ten years ago when we found out she had a massive brain tumor, we saw many of these same behaviors. To see them again now is a little unsettling and tells me that this is serious. I can no longer say mom has cancer but it’s moving slowly. It’s not any more. It’s starting to bloom and mom seems to be letting it.
2. At the same time, mom did something that was funny. When I was taking her back to the retirement home yesterday she wanted to stop and talk go a man in the parking lot. It was about 20 degrees, Gabe and I were with her and we were both tired, cold and hungry. Plus I didn’t think it was so great for mom to be out in that cold weather with the wind blowing. So mom said, “Oh, stop a minute, I want to introduce you…”
Before she could finish her sentence I interrupted her. “No mom, it’s freezing out here. Let’s get in side.”
And mom surprised me. She suddenly put both of her legs out, slammed them on the pavement and essentially jammed the wheelchair so that I could not push her another inch!! We ended up chatting with this fellow for a minute or too, and then mom said she was getting cold and she allowed me to push her into the building. So it seems that when she makes up her mind to, she can find an amazing resource of hidden strength! at least in her legs!
3. I let Mr. Pete pick two recipes out of the Campbell’s Soup Cookbook for me to make this week and he did. They were not my first choices but I made them anyway and they were very good! I don’t have any left overs from either dish. Think I’ll let him pick two from another cookbook this week.
4. There was a time when I could not pass my reflection in a mirror or a door without taking a peak to make sure everything looked okay. I now find myself avoiding mirrors and doors! What a difference 20 years makes!
5. Sam is now officially a beast on the Revolution and the Jacksonian eras! If he could just know the Civil War and Reconstruction as well, I know he could do wonderfully well on the upcoming CLEP test.
6. Found out this week that we are doing entirely different music this year for Easter Vigil. I was a little disappointed about that. The flute had very nice featured parts in a lot of it and aside from Christmas, this is one of the times of year that we play music that is really different and enjoyable and not the same ole stuff from the Gather Books. On the other hand, our music director has a knack for picking out some very beautiful pieces, so I’m sure whatever she does pick will be very appropriate and moving. However, since my goddaughter is also going to be confirmed that night, maybe this is the year to step away from the music ministry and just be with my family in the pew. That’s the way I am leaning.
7. Turns out the recession wasn’t as bad as we thought it was? Anyone else think this administration looks about as amateurish as they actually are?
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