The Caregiver’s Tales
Tiny essays on life, nature, grief and other things that catch my fancy in the Texas Hill Country. Here’s how it all got started.
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Reunion 2
The final reunion is in the books. Anything we do going forward will be informal. I suspect there will be some of those.
Reunion
Speaking of way back. I’m in Houston for my 60th high school reunion. Although to be absolutely clear, we’re celebrating the 60th anniversary of our graduation from high school. We haven’t actually had 60 reunions.
A Lesson
I have a touch of dry eye. An outflow, no doubt, of my recent surgery where I was immobilized for the better part of two weeks. I fell under the lure of the small screen and watched too many videos.
My Sweet Tree
The biggest of the two chinquapin oaks is still largely a tree of bare branches. It’s odd because all of its brethren in the yard, lacy and burr, are on full display.
Shadowland
Yesterday I watched the passing of the moon between the earth and it’s sun. And for the briefest of moments the moon outdid the sun, and there was darkness upon the land.
Dreamland, Again
I slept hard and long last night. It was a night of vivid dreams. I still see the fragments of them this morning. I was busy in the night and my dreams were rich with detail.
Thoughts
We went to the viewing yesterday for the recently departed lady who cleaned my home. She was 57. I have no idea why disease claimed her so young. I have no idea if she regularly saw doctors. I have no idea if she had health insurance. Basically, I have no idea how she lived her life.
Update
The lawn and drive are trimmed and tidy. Today, I’ll edge around the back porch. I have no lifting restrictions. The only warning was to avoid prolonged activity that brings me to the point of exhaustion. Fair enough. I think I can do that.
The Process
It happened yesterday. I was driving along and felt surprisingly normal. It was if no one had stuck metal catheters into my arteries through my groin and inserted stents into several other wonky arteries.
One Day
I like the sound of rain on my metal roof. The sound of hail, however, is different. It sounds exactly like someone dumping a bucket of rocks on my roof.
Healing
Home. Made it back yesterday afternoon. It was nice to sit on my couch. Look out the windows. Sleep in my bed.
Counting Days
There’s this thing I’ve been doing lately that I call counting days. I take my current age, add ten years or even fifteen, and try to imagine living to that age. It’s daunting to think about sometimes…
Disappointment
Well, disappointment. Houston lost to Duke in the Sweet 16 last night. A key player went down early, and in a season marked by players going down to injury, it was one injury too many.
The Departing
Had a bit of sad news . The lady who cleans my house and the houses of several friends is riddled with liver cancer. Today, around 11 a.m. they’ll start taking her off life support.
What’s Left?
I suppose it’s inevitable, when you start piling up the birthdays, eventually to start wondering how many more you have left to pile. I know it’s crossed my mind a time or two. But it’s especially interesting to me now that I have a synthetic product in me that has an actual lifespan.
Memory Loss
I spent the first week post-surgery on the first floor of my daughter’s house. No driving or stair climbing. Most of my time was dedicated to walking around, sitting, staring at my phone, and sleeping.
Post Op
I've had an interesting week. This past Monday I had six stents installed in my aorta. They run from just below the renal arteries down and through the left and right iliac arteries…
Once More
I planned on taking a break today and letting the writing slide. But I felt the urge after seeing all the thoughtful comments and prayer offerings from yesterday, so here goes.
Three Bits
I did my tax prep yesterday. I use an accountant. He sends me a booklet. I fill it out. I know people who do their own taxes. But I’m not that smart.
A Trial
It’s the final week before I go in to get my aneurysm repaired. As almost always happens whenever I have a procedure, e.g. hernia repair or colonoscopy, that puts me to sleep, I wonder about waking up.