No Poop!!!!!

Visiting my mother in law during the Christmas holidays, I noticed new fuzzy creatures with santa hats each time surrounding her in the bed, on the dresser, window sills, even hanging from the TV. She has been without her lively little Pug, since before Thanksgiving. She is in a rehab facility healing from a fall that caused a broken pelvis and Cookie has limited, but cherished visits. Although her “pets” are stuffed toy animals, just looking at their faces, makes me smile. As I walk down the halls of the facility every room has at least one stuffed animal on the bed or dresser. Mostly dogs, but also teddy bears. With my menagerie of domestic and farm animals at home, I still can’t resist having a stuffed monkey on my keychain and a variety of fuzzy animals around the house. When my niece Sara was visiting our ranch with her three daughters, Hannah, her nine year old asked me what was the hardest thing about taking care of so many animals. I told her it was when they get sick and needed extra care and she said. “I would think it would be the poop!” There is that, after all……

Did I catch you at a bad time?

I knocked on the door of Grand Moye’s apartment” Come on in” her room mate Val called. “Moye’s in the shower with David”she informed me. Wow, I didn’t even know they were dating, I laughed as I sat down on the edge of her bed. I still wonder about co- ed showers,even if she is 89….I must have had a shocked look on my face, which Val sensed even though she is blind. Val and Moye have been roomies since right before Thanksgiving. I say apartment, but it’s really one room with two beds separated by a curtain and a “powder room”. The shower was actually down the hall along with two dining rooms, a gym and various offices.  This skilled nursing facility has been home to my  mother in law since a bad fall which shattered her pelvis has prevented her from staying in her independent living apartment just across the lawn. The amenities are limitless for anyone in need of varied degrees of attention in this five star rated environment. I was hoping that Grand Moye would be able to return to her former routine, especially so that she could enjoy the lively companionship of her dog, Cookie. My empathy encompasses so many aspects of her new world, the loss of a wonderful husband of over 60 years, a recent loss of her oldest son, loss of independence and mobility, but as all animal lovers know, our little pets can fill a loneliness and add so much joy to our lives.  In a blink of an eye the simple things we take for granted can be lost.

A physical therapist was working with Val while I was waiting for GMoye and as always I marveled at the persistence that the 91 year old devoted to her daily work outs. Sitting in her wheel chair with ankle weights in place, she carefully listened to her therapist Judy’s instructions and vowed that she would someday be able to use her walker again.

I was thinking about how I would react in the future of inevitable changes and challenges when GMoye returned from her shower with a towel wrapped around her head, face shiny and glowing. She flashed me a big smile as she unwrapped her towel and shook her head. “I must look like a drowned rat” she laughed. I helped her dry her hair and pinned it back while she put on lipstick and a touch of make up. My sister-in-law, Cindy walked in with Cookie in her arms and placed her next to her “Mama” on the seat of her wheelchair. “I thought she might like to take a nap with you” Cindy said as she winked at me. The little Pug was settling into the bed as I wished them sweet dreams before I left to return home to count my blessings in the form of four dogs, five cats, nine horses, two goats,two sheep,two cows, one pig, one giant tortoise, my loving husband and a precious son still at home…..