Looking Forward

During lunch at Eastman Kodak many years ago, I asked my good friend Bill about his recent vacation.  His response was interesting.  “We enjoyed the vacation.  Everything went smoothly even though the logistics were complicated.”  He hesitated and then added, “But you know, the best part was the anticipation and the planning.”

While I was working, I thought more about what I had to get done before a vacation than about the vacation.  I would stay late at work the night before we left leaving messsages and getting things in order.  I would get home, pack and be ready to leave early the next morning.

It’s different now.  Our vacations are usually simple visits to Florida for a couple of weeks in a timeshare.  But I start getting excited eight weeks before we leave.  I have lists for packing, car maintenance, paying bills and projects to do around the house.  I drive Aloma nuts by daily mentioning how many days before we leave.  The vacations usually work out fine, but nothing like the anticipation.

Between vacations, I notice I look forward to simple events like lunch with a friend or a movie that Aloma and I have planned for the next week.  While I was in high school I stayed with my grandmother during the week so I could play sports and not be confined by the 16 mile bus trip

after school.  I remember she always had some event she was looking forward to.  Often it was a 60 mile drive with her friend to get her hair done.  She always looked ahead and not back.

Did I inherit her look-forward genes or is this common with most older people.  I don’t have a clue.

We’re planning another visit to Florida in a few weeks.  But this time I’m not even thinking about it.  My next milestone is a week from today when Aloma sees her surgeon and learns whether or not she can start putting weight on her botched hip replacement.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Not The Best Week

Some weeks are better than others.  Last week was not one of my best.

The week started on Monday with a dreaded, skin cancer removal from my nose.  A piece of flesh the size of a quarter, maybe a nickel, was cut away.  Since the hole was round, the doctor recommended to let it heal naturally, without stitches.  Naturally, I’ll have an awful looking bandage on my nose for three weeks.

When I got up to go the bathroom one night, I felt a sharp pain in my calf.  I’ve had a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in my calf before and knew exactly what it was.  My doctor ordered an ultrasound and, sure enough, I had a clot.  In the past, I’ve been hospitalized with clots, but, thank goodness, the current procedure is to put me on a blood thinner (probably for life) and send me home.  I wouldn’t have gone to the hospital, anyway.  Who would have taken care of Aloma?

My leg had very little pain by Saturday, so I decided to fly my radio control airplane.  I hadn’t flown in over a month and was nervous, but gave it a go.  My takeoff was good and I flew around under pretty good control for a few minutes then announced I was coming in for a landing.  I was too far away and behind some trees when I started down and probably stalled it.  I then gave it full throttle and heard a loud crack.  We found it about 50 yards behind the tree line and in many pieces - too many pieces to even think of repairing it.  I felt so bad.  I Ioved that plane.

Last week is over and, so far, this week is starting out better.  Maybe it takes a bad week to realized what a good week looks like.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

ACC

When I grew up in Florida, just 25 miles from the University of Florida, I adopted the Southeastern Conference as my favorite sports conference.  Later, living in Rochester, New York, I adopted Syracuse as my home team and pulled for the Big East, but still had a big spot in my heart for the Southeastern Conference.  Retiring to North Carolina, I adopted the Atlantic Coast Conference.  Now that we’re in the Triangle, three local teams bring almost daily sports excitement - University of North Carolina, North Carolina State and Duke.  Unlike my friends who can only like one team and hate the others, I pull for all three teams plus my alma mater, Georgia Tech.  It gets complicated when they play each other.

Naturally, I love it when my conferences do well.  I’ve cheered for the Southeastern Conference in football and took delight when they frequently won national championships.  I’ve cheered Duke and the University of North Carolina when they won national basketball championships.

This year is special.  The SEC and ACC fought it out for the  national championship in football and Clemson won a thriller.  The ACC had the best record of any large football conference in bowl games.  And the ACC won its early season shootout with the Big Ten in Basketball.  They have five teams in the top twenty nationally.

In sports, it’s difficult to predict which teams or conferences will have outstanding years.  But when your favorite teams play well, it’s a gift.

While I don’t get excited and yell at the TV and scare the dog like I used to when my teams played, I still enjoy watching sports.  It’s a special treat when they do well.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Care Giving

It’s been almost three weeks since Aloma’s surgery and the complication of the fractured femur.  She’s doing well but is instructed to keep weight off of her leg for another 3 ½ weeks.  The doctor doesn’t even want her to  use the walker to go outside  to the mailbox or to the street.  Recliner to bed to bathroom.  That’s it.

My caregiving is having ups and downs, but I am keeping Aloma safe, feeding her and dispensing the correct pain medication.  She can now get around the house by herself so I’m not on call all the time.  Last week, I went shopping for food twice and was really excited about getting out of the house.  But the big event was last Thursday.  Friends, Bill and Pam, came over.  Pam sat with Aloma while Bill and I had lunch out and went to a great movie, “Arrival.”    Great afternoon.

Our neighbors and friends in Carolina Preserve have been a blessing.  We’ve had calls, visits and tons of delicious food brought over.  Aloma hasn’t gained any weight, but I’ve gained four pounds.

What’s ahead?  Aloma has 3 ½ more weeks of non-weight bearing.  That’s too long to think about so we think about it in intervals.  Since Aloma can stay alone for a short while, I will go to two doctor appointments this week and I take Aloma to have her nails done on Friday.  Then we have less than three weeks.  We’ll think of some more milestones to work toward.

I’ve been a patient and a caregiver.  It’s not a slam dunk that a caregiver is the easier position.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com