April 17, 2011
Yesterday Jeff and I finally made our way down to visit our new niece and take the boat out for the first time in 2011. We got home around 4:30 and made our way over to visit Annie before and during dinner.
When we arrived, she was using her TV remote as a phone and talking to I don't know who so I was worried this might be a strange visit. She quickly realized the error of her ways and we brought the real phone a bit closer to where she was sitting. We then got her the heck out of her room and down to a pre-dinner walk in the secret garden. We walked her in circles several times so she could get some fresh air and we quizzed her on the types of flowers growing around the garden. I asked her what kind of flowers were growing on a giant bush and she was very disturbed with the fact that I #1 don't know flowers and #2 didn't know they were azaleas. She then proceeded to spout off the sentence that is the title of this post. Note to self: brush up on my flowers. How will I ever have a pretty yard if I don't know what an azalea is? I have already determined that my daughter is doomed. I don't know how to sew, fix hair or do makeup. And now I don't know flowers. Yikes.
Anyway we sat for a while on one of the benches and she remembered that we had just recently enjoyed strawberries and pound cake over at the table for her birthday. Great sign!! We headed back inside for dinner and dined with her in the assisted living dining room. Orange glazed salmon and fried chicken were on the menu. Annie and I had the salmon which was delicious and she nearly cleaned her plate!! Dinner conversation was great and she only strayed off course once or twice.
After dinner we returned to her room when she once again asked us to straighten her windowsill. She is very particular about the placement of the food vs. the flowers vs. the cards vs. the pictures but I think she is satisifed until our next visit. She said she had visitors from church that day, and as we were chatting, Ann Heller also came to visit. She recapped the events from Palm Sunday at church, told us Pi is going deaf and sadly informed us that Art Hunt died. Annie was quite saddened by this as was I because he was such a kind man and treated us so nicely when Poppy died. I have linked to his obituary for anyone interested. I feel so sad for Courtney. Supposedly Art suffered an anneurism when he and Courtney were on a cruise on South America and he has been sick ever since.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timesdispatch/obituary.aspx?n=arthur-hunt&pid=150390216
Anyway-we left her in great spirits and felt really great about our visit and her progress...until we got a call around 9:00 last night from Rebecca (the night nurse) who informed me that Annie was being defiant, removing her leg brace and trying repeatedly to get out of bed. I called Annie, told her how important it is to leave the brace on and do what the nurses say. I told her I had heard she was giving the nurses a time. She giggled and said, "Yes, I am," but promised to do what she was told. I also called Julian and asked him to give her a call to tell her to keep the brace on, etc.
I am getting ready to head on over there now so more updates to come...
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