Take me home, country road
Gilly’s condition in general is beginning to improve daily, but in very small increments. I try my very hardest not to ask, but if he does not declare an improvement or lack thereof by I’d say 1:00 P.m., I ask the question outright. Usually he provides a status report by noon.
While yesterday he had trouble making it from the parking lot to Wendy’s restaurant, today he managed to walk around the block with greater vigor than he has shown over the past 6 weeks. He claims to feel extremely uncoordinated, but doesn’t appear this way to me at all. Certainly, his movements are slower, and he does lean to one side to an extent, but he works very hard to overcome his weakness, and manages to move his body symmetrically, more so than he imagines himself doing. Once in a while I hear his right foot dragging. He has to consciously lift it up in a rhythmic fashion and so it does not always elevate it high enough, but this is not constant.
The man hates to walk at the best of times, so it’s difficult to convince him to venture further than around the block. I believe he’s ready to widen his horizons a bit, but he maintains that walking distances reminds him of marching in the army, which I can appreciate. It all goes back to ‘purpose.’ He walks when he’s going from one place to another for a particular reason, not because he needs to exercise. This notion would have to be introduced as a new mindset, and Gilly’s a hard nut to crack in this regard. He moved around the garden a fair bit today, so perhaps it’s enough.
The better part of the day was spent outdoors, even after dinner for a short while. He made relatively few pit stops to his soft brown throne. The more Gilly enjoys his days (in a way that’s obvious to me), the stronger I begin to feel. With strength, comes heightened happiness. The lighter my mood, the more it pleases Gilly …and so on. It’s our circle of love and hope at its finest.
This afternoon Gilly looked over at the pine tree with the purple blossoms twisting up and around its trunk and laughed, “My beautiful purple tree.” It’s an inside joke; Gilly planted the vine that bears rich purple blossoms as a Mother’s Day gift to me some time ago (after years of admiring the plush vines growing up balconies and walls in the neighbourhood and dropping countless hints). Being the inventive gardener that he is, instead of a trellis, he used the pine tree for support. One day a passerby left a note in our mailbox asking us to call and give her the name of the beautiful green tree with purple flowers. She stood in awe of its beauty.
The plan is set; all that’s left is to carry it out. We have a mission; to drive Yaron to camp on Friday, and to test the water on Saturday (a yearly service that the lake association provides. All we need to do is provide a sample of our well water). Since my mom will be out of town, we have been asked to take the sample if we are in Birch Point. Gilly’s response to this contingent request was, “For that we’ll go.” I assured him that we could have a neighbour take care of it if needed (I don't want him to feel pressured or tricked), but he now has a clear purpose and intends to follow through. Liylah’s second dose of heart worm medication is already packed along with other sundry items. Do I seem anxious? You bet! Wait 'til Liylah realises what a lucky dog she is to have a forest to explore, chipmunks to chase and tennis balls to steal.
While yesterday he had trouble making it from the parking lot to Wendy’s restaurant, today he managed to walk around the block with greater vigor than he has shown over the past 6 weeks. He claims to feel extremely uncoordinated, but doesn’t appear this way to me at all. Certainly, his movements are slower, and he does lean to one side to an extent, but he works very hard to overcome his weakness, and manages to move his body symmetrically, more so than he imagines himself doing. Once in a while I hear his right foot dragging. He has to consciously lift it up in a rhythmic fashion and so it does not always elevate it high enough, but this is not constant.
The man hates to walk at the best of times, so it’s difficult to convince him to venture further than around the block. I believe he’s ready to widen his horizons a bit, but he maintains that walking distances reminds him of marching in the army, which I can appreciate. It all goes back to ‘purpose.’ He walks when he’s going from one place to another for a particular reason, not because he needs to exercise. This notion would have to be introduced as a new mindset, and Gilly’s a hard nut to crack in this regard. He moved around the garden a fair bit today, so perhaps it’s enough.
The better part of the day was spent outdoors, even after dinner for a short while. He made relatively few pit stops to his soft brown throne. The more Gilly enjoys his days (in a way that’s obvious to me), the stronger I begin to feel. With strength, comes heightened happiness. The lighter my mood, the more it pleases Gilly …and so on. It’s our circle of love and hope at its finest.
This afternoon Gilly looked over at the pine tree with the purple blossoms twisting up and around its trunk and laughed, “My beautiful purple tree.” It’s an inside joke; Gilly planted the vine that bears rich purple blossoms as a Mother’s Day gift to me some time ago (after years of admiring the plush vines growing up balconies and walls in the neighbourhood and dropping countless hints). Being the inventive gardener that he is, instead of a trellis, he used the pine tree for support. One day a passerby left a note in our mailbox asking us to call and give her the name of the beautiful green tree with purple flowers. She stood in awe of its beauty.
The plan is set; all that’s left is to carry it out. We have a mission; to drive Yaron to camp on Friday, and to test the water on Saturday (a yearly service that the lake association provides. All we need to do is provide a sample of our well water). Since my mom will be out of town, we have been asked to take the sample if we are in Birch Point. Gilly’s response to this contingent request was, “For that we’ll go.” I assured him that we could have a neighbour take care of it if needed (I don't want him to feel pressured or tricked), but he now has a clear purpose and intends to follow through. Liylah’s second dose of heart worm medication is already packed along with other sundry items. Do I seem anxious? You bet! Wait 'til Liylah realises what a lucky dog she is to have a forest to explore, chipmunks to chase and tennis balls to steal.
posted by Gilly at 8:17 PM
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