Caregiver at Last

Today, finally, Gram has consented to have a caregiver. She really needs someone, especially in the morning. They will help her get up, washed and dressed and take her down to breakfast, then bring her back up. They'll be with her for 4 hours, from 7:30 until 11:30, and can also prepare lunch before they leave. I presume they can do other small tasks, such as fixing her bed, washing her few dishes, and throwing in a load of laundry now and then. She's aghast at the price ($18.95 per hour, 28 hours per week) Her friend Therese is still bringing her down to dinner every night. Meanwhile, the leg is still quite swollen and painful. We'll have to watch that it doesn't continue to worsen. Her doctor has prescribed a blood count to see if she needs any further transfusions, and I believe they can draw the blood at the Devonshire. Melissa, that was very sweet of you to bring her lunch on Sunday. She was very appreciative, and so am I.

We enjoyed ourselves at Christopher's birthday celebration. It was good to see everyone, but most especially exciting to hear Melissa and Dave's news! I'm extremely happy for them, and I presume that those of you with experience can inform them of all that they need to know about parenthood, although much of it as I recall will be a learn as you go adventure.

Good for Brandon for following up on that diamond rebate thing. How about it, D.J. and Dave, you've got nothing to lose and presumably something to gain.

Have I mentioned that the eagle cam website is up and running? It's down in Virginia, and there's a 24 hour camera on an eagle's nest, where you can watch everything from nest building to egg laying and hatching to chick feeding to flying off on their own. Everything is archived, so you can see things that are extraordinary or that you might have missed. The site is http://www.wvec.com/cams/eagle.html. This year they've expanded it with a nighttime camera as well. It used to be just daylight hours when I watched last year.

Did I forget to tell all of you about Wally breaking his leg at work? It happened last Weds and he's at Gottlieb Hospital in Melrose Park. He'll be there for some time, and then will have to go to a rehab facility for some time, and his car is still in the parking lot at Navistar. I need to get over and see if there's anything I can do for Aunt Ginny. I called her this evening and she says there's nothing she needs as yet, but I expect she'll at least need a few groceries soon. Maybe I can find some time now that Gram will have that caregiver for 4 hours each day.

Time to go up and pack Pop's lunch for tomorrow. He's gone bowling, and I plan to go to bed early since I start at 5 tomorrow. I trust that you are all celebrating Abraham Lincoln's birthday appropriately :)

Mom