Aug. 07, 2004 ~ Catching up
No word from Soldier Boy or Mrs. Soldier Boy recently, but they are newlyweds. I expect they are totally wrapped up in the excitement and joy and newness of wedded bliss. And I do hope it's bliss.
College Boy is in the final days of his summer school class, then next week will bring the final exam. He may come home for a bit between semesters, but maybe not. There's much to do in very little time! Friends to see, places to go, and much, much more.
Life on the farm has settled into a quiet routine. It is hot. Well, yes, it IS August, now that you mention it, and "hot" is to be expected. Yet every year about this time, we all act very surprised and amazed at how hot and humid it is in East Texas.
Last August, a good friend of ours was in a nasty motorcycle accident. The recovery was slow, and involved daily trips to his house to cook for him and change his dressings and such. I still remember his words in the emergency room, how he said that he would never get on a motorcycle again. He said he would never forget the pain. But that was not a promise, just a declaration born of pain, and it wasn't long till he got a brand new Harley.
Last month, he took off on a cross-country motorcycle trip. He didn't get far, just a couple of hundred miles, when he had another accident. He broke his leg in four places, and it required surgery to fix it, and infection set in, and another friend and I take turns going to his house to cook for him and change the bandages, take care of the dogs, etc. Same song, second verse. This has been going on for several weeks now. I am tired. I kind of wish he would stay off the motorcycle, but he won't. He's been lucky both times, in that he didn't get killed. This has been really hard for him, staying cooped up. He can't put weight on the leg at all; he has to use a walker. He's fallen once. We all are worried.
My co-worker's mom passed away yesterday. Her mom had several strokes and had Alzheimer's. My friend had only recently moved her mom into a nursing home, and gotten her father settled in an apartment, and sold the family home. It has been such a difficult, stressful time for her and her whole family. They finally took a much-needed vacation, two weeks, and returned home Tuesday. She saw her mom on Wednesday and Thursday. Her mother didn't recognize her either time, but my friend was so glad she got to see her before she died.
An update on Soldier Boy... he just called and we spoke briefly. But his cell phone kept cutting out and there were helicopters flying overhead so he really couldn't hear. Still, it was good to hear his voice, even if it was only for a little while.
It seems that I'm falling apart. Physically, anyway. It's pretty funny, or it would be if it wasn't so uncomfortable. The various body parts are pooping out one by one. It's like they all got together and went on strike. My eyes, back, neck, hip, hands, fingers, arms... sheesh, everything hurts! My nervous system is in overdrive. Well. Thank goodness for good medications and heat wraps and hot showers and going to bed early. Which is what I think I will do now.
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