Love Clivia!

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Jean's Clivia - JULY 22-2014.  I had to smile. Judith still had the touch.

My mother gave Judith a baby clivia years ago, and ever since Judith’s has out bloomed my Mom’s plant hands down.  Over the years when we visited Judith and Viktor and the clivia was blooming, my Mom was always amazed at the abundance of flowers from the one plant. She could never figure out what Judith’s secret was.  In spite of trying out all the tips – allow the plant to go dormant over winter, less light, cooler temps, etc. – all to no avail.

Yesterday at Harbourfront, Judith gave me an envelope.  Later at home I opened it and inside was a photo taken earlier that day of her clivia plant.  Judith said when the clivia is in bloom she always thinks of my Mom.  The card was such a lovely way to mark the occasion of the “Tribute to Jean”.

May 11th, 2014: Mother’s Day flowers

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Mothers Day FORSYTHIA 05-11- 2014Four weeks ago today was Mother’s Day.  Jean had been in the hospital since Wednesday evening and I wanted to spend the day with her and celebrate the occasion.  Saturday I choose a card at a drugstore close to the hospital, but I decided not to bring flowers because friends had already brought so many wonderful bouquets – including a beautiful purple orchid

Before leaving for the hospital early Sunday morning, I took a photo of the miniature forsythia bush in the front garden.  I knew that Jean was missing being with the garden, and especially at this time of year.  After the snowdrops  and crocuses, the forsythia was the flagbearer of spring with the daffodils and tulips in tow.  On the tablet I showed her the little burst of yellow in the garden and smile lit up her face.

Later in the morning, a physiotherapist came by for her session – helping her take a few steps, a light massage to loosen up the stuff in her lungs, and setting her up in the chair door a few hours sitting upright.  She asked his name and hearing it was Peter, she said oh, we have a friend called Peter.  He is always out knocking on doors and talking to people in his riding about what is on their minds. Therapist Peter said, he sounds like a man of the people.  Jean oh yes, and he also wear sensible shoes like you do.

monday monday

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Monday, May 26th, 2014.

Mondays have always been formed around the gardening show and Ed Lawrence on the CBC.  Around lunchtime, Jean gestured to her radio.  We turned it on and once I heard his voice I remembered – oh, right, it is Monday and it is time for her gardening program.

One caller had problems with scale on their Bergmansia plant.  He recommended a solution of water, soap, and alchohol – the alchohol being nessecary to cut through the scale and allow the soap to work – at least that is what I understood.  My mom looked at me, nodded and said, “That is what we have to do.”  She has a white flowering plant that has been gorgeous in past years, but since this past winter has been suffering from a bad case of scale.

For lunch, she wasn’t really that hungry for the main plate, but finished the soup and every crumb of the apple/brown sugar cake.  After a nap in the afternoon, I brought her back two scoops of ice cream – one ginger cream, and the other raspberry ice.  I thought I needed to help her out  – it was a lot of ice cream – but she polished off a fair amount on her own.  Every time I took a spoonful she was ready for her next mouthful.  Ginger was one of her favourite things to eat.  At dinner she didn’t seem to have a lot of appetite, I said that I was to blame for bringing so much ice cream.  I brought along some cooked squash from home – she loves squash – and she ate every little bit.

It was a beautiful day, and we were talking about going out soon with a wheelchair once the chest tube was out.

Shower Power!

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ImageToday was a grand day – first shower in over two weeks!  The nurses are great at sponge baths, but nothing beats a real shower.  The nurse Lorena helped and had her sitting in a chair, but said Jean was good on her feet and has strong legs.

The photo is Jean looking at the book “Northern Belle” about Ethel Currie who taught at Jean’s high school.  Here’s a link to Northern’s Secondary’s Art Dept. website with a short blurb about her presentation on May 4th:

www.northern-secondary.com/arts/wordpress/

“Jean graduated from what was formerly called Northern Vocational School in 1942. Her first job after high school was drawing Captain Marvel comics. Jean gave a presentation to our art students, inspiring them to keep their curiosity alive, fanning their passion to translate the world through art.”

Step Up Step Down

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When the doctors came by early this morning it was decided Jean was in good enough shape to leave the Step Down ward and go back to the “floor”.  Late afternoon we went for a CT Scan and upon return Jean’s belongings were moved to Room 409 on the same floor.  We joked with one of the nurses that like the little girl in “Goldilocks” my mom was trying out every bed on the floor.

She is now in a two bed room facing Robert and Wayne’s apartment windows!

 

Jean’s back to “Step-Down”

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Today at 3:30 Jean was transferred back to the Step Down unit on the 10th floor (Eaton South) at Toronto General Hospital.  It means that she is doing well enough to be breathing on her own without the mechanical respirator and of the other tubes and machines.

Especially exciting is that the drip liquid nutritional supplement is no longer needed, and solid food is back on the menu!  Yesterday they had boullion and jello on the tray and it was like heaven.  Today dinner was rice veg and a lentil curry.  I smuggled in a can of tonic water.  At least it tasted almost like a vodka and tonic 😉

We looked at some emails on the tablet, but she’s only up to a little reading then back to resting up.  

Tomorrow’s another day!