The Progeny
Musings on a Sunday
How do the immunosuppressed spend a Sunday? They find Moody's website and listen to The Moody Bible Hour :-) Loren claimed dibs on the recliner. I wasn't sure whether it would be more appropriate to sit in a state of worship before the computer, or stretch out on the bed. I chose the bed. Somehow, I feel God understood.
Of course, I had to pull back the comforter. ("Please do not lie on the bedspread.") It was good to hear some traditional hymns sung, again. It was also fairly obvious when they flicked on the overhead and had a short run of the now popular praise choruses. I do not mean to be critical. (well, OK, maybe just a little :-) I grew up in a Mennonite church, where the singing was acappella, four-part, and rung the rafters. I really miss that. Just think, only 46, and already a has-been. *sigh*
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On a less nostalgic note, I have only done the laundry twice, and already I have a stray sock. I can understand this when at home with 8 children. Our penchant for lost socks is so legendary, that we have an entire laundry basket devoted to mismatches. There have been times it was nearly full. (this is more of a commentary of the kids' sock-matching efforts, than anything) Rumor has it, that I once donated several bags to Goodwill, only to discover, belatedly, that one of them was filled with spare socks! 'Tis true, I'm afraid. Fortunately, it was a city we do not frequent. The college girls have wised up. They always do their wash separately when at home. Hey, we didn't send them on to higher education, for nothing.
Loren has increased his daily walks to 20 minutes each. For the morning stroll, we pad the various halls, where I have noticed he merely walks slower, so as to stretch out the time. (He didn't get his Master's, for nothing) In the evening we traipse down to the basement exercise room, where I hit the treadmill, while he watches a little news. Then I switch to another machine and he takes a slow walk on the one I have vacated. If they removed those mirrors on the walls it would not be so humiliating. I imagine they put them there to make the room appear larger. I wish they could stick a few mirrors in the freezer to make my allotted 5 quart box looked less than miniscule. But, I'm not complaining. Actually, I am, but I am coming to grips with my small frozen food compartment. Besides, I'm sure they have a support group around here for that, somewhere.
And so, we have fallen into our quiet routine, here at the nursing home, er,... I mean, the "Gift of Life" house. I guess it is more of a halfway house. Halfway between life-altering surgery and a semi-normal life.
In the midst of all of this newness, there is one novelty I truly appreciate, for both our sakes. Loren no longer suffers from nightmares. His heart condition required him to take beta-blockers for almost ten years. These medicines have CNS side effects. They get into the central nervous system and cause nightmares. Loren could have two or three in the same night. Often they concerned episodes of getting shocked, or struck by lightening. Some were so horrible he refused to tell me. I always tried to gently wake him up, for I feared if his adrenaline kicked in, he really would be shocked by his defibrillator. Most people do not understand what a traumatizing event that can be. I am SO thankful that is over. He is not experiencing bad dreams, at present.
Some Sunday we may actually venture out to church. There's a nice little Greek Orthodox temple, just two blocks over...... (just kidding, Pastor John) But for now, we are content to sit quietly, (keep the numerous medical appointments), and watch the world go by. ( and blog)
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Of course, I had to pull back the comforter. ("Please do not lie on the bedspread.") It was good to hear some traditional hymns sung, again. It was also fairly obvious when they flicked on the overhead and had a short run of the now popular praise choruses. I do not mean to be critical. (well, OK, maybe just a little :-) I grew up in a Mennonite church, where the singing was acappella, four-part, and rung the rafters. I really miss that. Just think, only 46, and already a has-been. *sigh*
_____________________
On a less nostalgic note, I have only done the laundry twice, and already I have a stray sock. I can understand this when at home with 8 children. Our penchant for lost socks is so legendary, that we have an entire laundry basket devoted to mismatches. There have been times it was nearly full. (this is more of a commentary of the kids' sock-matching efforts, than anything) Rumor has it, that I once donated several bags to Goodwill, only to discover, belatedly, that one of them was filled with spare socks! 'Tis true, I'm afraid. Fortunately, it was a city we do not frequent. The college girls have wised up. They always do their wash separately when at home. Hey, we didn't send them on to higher education, for nothing.
Loren has increased his daily walks to 20 minutes each. For the morning stroll, we pad the various halls, where I have noticed he merely walks slower, so as to stretch out the time. (He didn't get his Master's, for nothing) In the evening we traipse down to the basement exercise room, where I hit the treadmill, while he watches a little news. Then I switch to another machine and he takes a slow walk on the one I have vacated. If they removed those mirrors on the walls it would not be so humiliating. I imagine they put them there to make the room appear larger. I wish they could stick a few mirrors in the freezer to make my allotted 5 quart box looked less than miniscule. But, I'm not complaining. Actually, I am, but I am coming to grips with my small frozen food compartment. Besides, I'm sure they have a support group around here for that, somewhere.
And so, we have fallen into our quiet routine, here at the nursing home, er,... I mean, the "Gift of Life" house. I guess it is more of a halfway house. Halfway between life-altering surgery and a semi-normal life.
In the midst of all of this newness, there is one novelty I truly appreciate, for both our sakes. Loren no longer suffers from nightmares. His heart condition required him to take beta-blockers for almost ten years. These medicines have CNS side effects. They get into the central nervous system and cause nightmares. Loren could have two or three in the same night. Often they concerned episodes of getting shocked, or struck by lightening. Some were so horrible he refused to tell me. I always tried to gently wake him up, for I feared if his adrenaline kicked in, he really would be shocked by his defibrillator. Most people do not understand what a traumatizing event that can be. I am SO thankful that is over. He is not experiencing bad dreams, at present.
Some Sunday we may actually venture out to church. There's a nice little Greek Orthodox temple, just two blocks over...... (just kidding, Pastor John) But for now, we are content to sit quietly, (keep the numerous medical appointments), and watch the world go by. ( and blog)
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posted by Ma Hoyt | 12:32 AM
2 Comments:
is there an email at which to send you the great mocha cheesecake recipe? you can IM it to me if you'd like or I'll find out from ardith when she's back.
Will do :-)
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