I walk with a cane. Some days I am very wobbly and most days I get along as well as one can.
The past few days I’ve been very wobbly. I kept putting off looking for potted flowers for the family graves, thinking, “Tomorrow, surely, I will be better!” I wasn’t. My worst fear, though, was not getting flowers on the graves this year, breaking a Memorial Day practice going back three generations.
Then, today, I woke up with very little pain and found I could walk reasonably well. No, fairly well! I would buy flowers after all!
I was greatly relieved. Then I couldn’t cash a check because the bank was closed. It struck me I’d somehow missed a day this week, that it was Sunday. Oh no! I would pay for the flowers with plastic, but that meant I had to take them out to the cemetery today, not tomorrow, when I thought tomorrow was Sunday!
I had to pause a few times walking to the graves. Uneven ground is the bane of people with canes, and cemeteries are just that: lots of uneven ground.
But I got the flowers out!
Fate must have known how important the tradition was to you. Glad it worked out.
Things work out. The next day, I was not quite so able to handle the walk in the grass (when I picked up the flowers), and the day after that, I basically had to stay off my feet.
Well done Doug, for getting out there and doing something that holds such importance to you… Please take care of yourself… 😊
I know my limits, and let my body “decide” when I need to reconsider doing things. Though I haven’t had falls, I’ve nearly had falls when moving faster than I should. Live and learn!
Dam auto correct^««¥¥^¥«««««
Autocorrect gives so interesting “insights” into the autocorrection process!
Can’t tell you how many days I’ve missed or adult hearing every other word,it’s all rite you met your task,without losing stride
I was happy I had a window of free movement so I could get the task done. Today…a little wobbly.
Good for you, Doug. I’m glad it all worked out for you to get the flowers on your parents’ graves. Happy Memorial Day to you and the boys.
It was almost a miracle in that days before I was wobbly enough to consider not putting flowers out this year. I got the job done, now, today I am a bit wobbly again!
I am so glad you were able to complete this tradition without incident. I hope you continue to have a good stretch with the lesser pain and greater functionality.
It comes and goes.
My son and I did the same today. Happy you got this does also Doug. Am also happy you have the service of having someone check on you if you want it.
While I don’t feel as much of a need to have someone check up on me at this point, I recognize the practical benefit of it. I know not to take risks that might result in a fall, yet one doesn’t know when something might happen.
Thank goodness Doug you managed to get the flowers to the grave.
I was surprised I felt so much better yesterday and that I was able to take care of the flowers! I’m a bit sore and stiff today, if not quite as bad as prior to yesterday, so lucked out!
They look nice, I am glad you were able to continue the tradition. We delivered flowers to my Dad’s grave and my hubby’s parents’ grave, it is sad to see ones that don’t have anything.
Those aren’t ones I put out this year or one of my family graves. I didn’t have my camera with me to take photos of this year’s flowers. We had a severe thunderstorm last night. I hope the plants survived OK. If they did, I’ll take photos of them for this blog.
I understand your determination, and how much difference one day can make when one has a condition that varies in severity. Well done to you for getting there, for it is you, more than the flowers (which will get there as well anon), who are most important being there. I’m not sure my grammar is up to scratch there, but you get me I’m sure, and it’s great to hear you had a good day. Give the boys a scratch from sonmi and the Cloud. *smiles*.
– sonmi upon the Cloud
The boys always get a good skritching, but will enjoy the bonus one courtesy of you! I was fortunate to be able to continue the tradition. Even if I had a legitimate reason not to do it, it would have bothered me a lot not to get it done. This year’s situation reminded me that the time probably will come when I have to arrange other ways to get flowers out to the graves. It’s something I will look into after the holiday.
It really sucks getting older. But none of us know our time no matter how old we are. Live long and prosper, Doug.
Thanks, Susan! I will be satisfied if I simply outlive Andy and Dougy since I would want them to be together the rest of their lives, pampered and spoiled to the degree they are used to, things not guaranteed if I die first. I even asked my lawyer about making provisions for their care after I die should I die first, and he told me these sorts of things are not a sure thing, even if specified in wills. (Human greed being what human greed is…!)
Oh dear. You are a delightful person. Anyone who cares that much for their cats cannot be anything left.
I’ve had them since they were sick little kittens the breeder couldn’t sell for various reasons, and I have a soft spot in my heart for the little rascals!
Cats get under your skin in various ways. They may scratch you, but there is no malice in it. Unlike some humans I’ve known.
Dougy hops on my bed and “kneads bread” on me. I realize it is just prickly love, and have learned to tolerate a fair amount of cat-inflicted pain. LOL!
Ah, yes. George will do that when I am petting him.
Dougy does this sometimes when I’m holding him, but he generally doesn’t want to be held long. The kneading, of course, is happy paw time, and if the paws aren’t happy…!
Right. George used to be very affectionate, but my sister needed a place to stay for almost a year and she was a lot more noisy than we are accustomed to around here and he has forgotten how.
Cats are very fussy about the details of their living arrangements! Hope George figures out how much he used to like to do that.
I hope so, too. I miss His Royal Highness on my feet at night.
=(^+^)=
Well done! It’s tough but you did it. Take care
I’m taking it easy today. Thanks!
Good to hear! I’ve had a cane in the past and will probably use it again in future so I know where you’re coming from. Those cobbled streets are a challenge or uneven grounds
The additional stability it gives more than makes up for the hassle of using one, I think! I have numbness in my right foot that sometimes causes me to misjudge where my foot is. I’ve tripped over small changes in the sidewalk that astonish me when I see how inconsequential they are! Once I fell on a drop in elevation of less than half an inch. I wasn’t using my cane that day.
Ouch! Yeah its easily done. Sprained my ankle recently just on cobbled pavement. The extra security of a cane is well worth it!
The falling is less a problem for me than the getting up again. Fortunately — if one can call it fortunate! — I got to see how my elderly parents dealt with falls. My mother used to say she knew how to fall, so don’t worry! (She did, too — you relax when you realize you are going down…!) As for getting up, if I can get to a place where I can use upper body strength to lift me up, I am OK, otherwise, I am a whale on the beach! :\
I’m really glad for you!
Thanks! I’m really pleased I got it done!
Well done, Doug – the flowers ara beautiful!
It’s great to have someone to check on a daily basis! Very thoughtful of you! Hope you’re feeling better the coming days as well!
Those aren’t the flowers I put out. I just used a photo of a grave marker I took a couple years ago since I didn’t have my camera with me today when I went to the cemetery. If the flowers still look decent when I bring them home, I’ll put a photo of them on my blog. I prefer the live plants.
I don’t want to be alarmistic – but have you somebody who checks you are alive and well – on a daily basis? Because of the boys. If something happened to you, the boys would be stuck with you and would not be fed – unless somebody came around and took care of them. When I hear you are not well on your legs, you might fall – and break something.
Actually, that is a reasonable concern, and yes, this happens. It’s one of the benefits of living in a senior housing area, and the service is available simply by letting them know you want it.