Monday, December 3, 2012

Pleasures and pains


Happy visit



A quiet Walker plays with battery operated “bugs.”

Our youngest son and youngest grandchild presented husband Walter and me with the happy gift of an overnight visit this week. Two-year-old grandson Walker and his dad Jeremy made a quick trip from Louisiana the same day that Walker’s sister, mom and maternal grandmother left for a girls’ only jaunt to New York City.

Walker was happy to have the undivided attention of Baboo and Nana. We were more than happy to provide that attention, and there were also cherished moments with son Jeremy.

During the night, Walker woke up with upset stomach and was still not quite as active as usual early the next morning. When this child is still enough for me to easily snap a picture, it is obvious he is not feeling 100 percent. Eventually he perked up, and his trademark grin made appearances.

During his dad’s mid-morning preparations for the return to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Walker asked for “Mama” but accepted Jeremy’s reminder that Mama and Molly Kate were on the airplane to New York. 

When it came time for dressing and getting his shoes on, Walker grew quiet again and offered the opinion that he wanted to stay at “Baboo and Nana’s house.” Of course, that did our hearts good.
Walker and Dad Jeremy

As our son outfitted Walker, we got a chuckle from the clothing in blue and red worn in conjunction with the purple and gold trim on his toddler-sized “LSU shoes.”

Red and blue are the colors of the University of Mississippi, the alma mater of Walker’s parents. Their Louisiana friends and relatives are die-hard Louisiana State University fans and keep Walker and Molly Kate supplied with purple and gold attire.

Jeremy, daughter-in-law Katie and kids enjoy tailgating at LSU games with Katie’s extended family, but Katie makes sure the kids and she and Jeremy don red and blue whenever LSU plays the Ole Miss Rebels.

 * * *

A break in therapy
A mid-week call from Ocean Springs Neuro Rehab cancelled my appointment for the day and alerted me that my sessions through Medicare had run out. I hope I will be back in therapy in the new year. In the meantime I am finding it difficult to keep up with all my at home exercises when we are traveling and having overnight visitors.

But both travels and visitors provide pleasure and huge doses of good medicine. I am hoping that lifting little ones into my lap, playing with them and attempting modest contributions to household tasks associated with preparing for houseguests will compensate for my missing exercises.

Such activities will still help strengthen and reeducate some of the same stroke-affected muscles, brain cells and nerves that my exercises target. That is my theory anyway.

* * *

In the land of Spamalot
Since I took word verification off this blog, the automated commenting has hit again. I am thankful that Blogger’s spam filter has kept all but one of those comments from appearing as a comment on my blog. That is pretty impressive considering the deluge, close to 200 by midmorning today and 2,286 since I took word verification off on Nov. 27.



13 comments:

  1. I adore the Walker and Jeremy picture, it just radiates the love and closeness of a dad and his son. Will you still be dong some small exercises at home during the break?

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  2. Traveling and visitors do make a difference in how we feel. Sounds like you are doing just fine.

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  3. if you unclick anonymous you will get no spam at all, i just took mine off a few weeks ago and it stopped it all.glad you had a great visit with your family and hope you will find time to do your therapy exercises until the new year..

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  4. I pay a little bit per year for Word Press and get angry with it from time to time, but I don't have any problems with Spam.

    I hope you would let me know if you find it difficult to leave a comment on my blog. I hate the blogger spam filter.

    Dianne

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  5. There are no better days, than the days the grandkids come for visits. So glad you had such fun during Walker's visit. Oh and sonny boy too!!

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  6. That darling boy would bring a smile to anyone's face. I'm so glad you were able to spend some time with him.

    It is good that you don't have long to wait before the sessions of therapy begin again. I hope you find the time and inclination to keep things going on your own. I know how determined you are, so I bet you get that exercise done.

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  7. Your grandson is very photogenic. Wonder what he'll look like when he is his dad's current age. Enjoy your trip!

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  8. Sounds like you are living in a bit of a whirl - I am glad you are going to get more therapy in the new year, you've been so good at doing all the exercises. Every Blessing

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  9. The grandson is just adorable! Isn't it nice to have the little ones with us one at a time, so special attention can occur both directions? I love those visits.

    I'm thinking about removing my post approval soon. I think my stalker has quit lurking. I hope so. It has been awful worrying about unwelcomed, unkind comments, so once I can resume "normal" blogging again it will be happy time!

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  10. Love the pictures you post of your family. Each one is so precious.
    I'm sorry you have to stop your "official" therapy for a while and hope you can do some things at home. With your drive and determination I think you will.
    I hate the spam thing too and hope your problems will be solved quickly.
    Have a wonderful weekend Linda.

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  11. Sorry your therapy has ended for now and hope you're able to resume since it sounds like you're continuing to make progress. Most people don't realize this until they need therapy but Medicare coverage (guidelines all the other insurers follow, too) is under assault for cuts. A cap inclusive of all therapies rather than separate caps for each is headed for implementation by the end of the year unless voters can protest effectively to their Congresspersons to prevent this from happening.

    Sure, your daily activities benefit you, but understand how you feel most positively about the concentrated structure and supervision of actual therapy sessions.

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  12. I love the photo of Walker and his dad :)

    I hope you are able to resume therapy in the New Year, in the meantime, I'm sure the things you are doing at home will continue to help.

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  13. I actually went to my spam filter and deleted all the spam. It took two days. LOL I noted that I seem to have had several small TIA's lately as my hand eye coordination has gone to the birds. Ah well. Today is the only day I haven't done them all.

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