Taking Care of Me

Watching motorbike videos from South America.

I guess it was inevitable that the minute I slowed down I would get sick!  Over three weeks of  coughing, aches and pains, horrific sore throat, congestion, lethargy, to name some of the symptoms.   Though maybe I am not so special as it seems that it has struck down a few. To my horror, I have developed the family seal bark... yes, you know the one... can be heard half a mile a way - BARK BARK!  Anytime I laugh it descends into the sounds of a seal at play in the sea.  It is quite attractive.  As a result, I hadn't been to visit dad in over a week; I figured they probably have enough cases on their hands without adding to it!  (Hmmm... this paragraph reminds me of something mom used to say to me - "Do you think maybe you worry about yourself too much?")
So it was my brother who went off to check up on the adventures of our dad on Saturday.  I received a text from him saying the nurses had informed him that dad had been taking a few steps around that day, and was then sitting in a regular chair in the amenities room.  Whaaat!?  I don't show up for a few days and he's off!

The next day both of us went to visit.  As is custom, we peeked into his room first.  Not seeing him in his bed, we went to search out the amenity room.  No where to be spotted there, either.  One of the aides called out that he was in his room.  Back to his room we went, only to find him sitting in the dark on his walker; a rather sheepish look on his face.  Clearly he had been in bed, woke up, got up and found his way to the walker where he was sitting.  Confused, my brother asked him how he got to the walker.  He replied, "If you'd been here 3 minutes sooner you would have found out."
<giggle>
L then asked, "Did you see me poke my head in earlier?"
"Yes," he replied.
It was all too much for me and I burst into laughter (which promptly declined into wild animal yelps).  Dad sat there with the goofiest grin on his face!  What more can I say?

Never a dull moment at the care home, to be sure.  I now see why people work with the elderly.  Nonstop entertainment!  (I am sure caring for someone might factor in as well!)  I ran into my friend, coming onto the elevator.  (The one who told me in one breath that I was pretty, and in the next professed that she couldn't see!)  I exclaimed, "Hello!  How are you today?"
She gave me her standard amused/confused look and grumped, "I wouldn't know."
Her daughter was helping her into the elevator right then and she burst into laughter.  I know the feeling!