jerzgirl

Well, it’s two days past Christmas and I just finished feeding Mom her lunch. So much for their telling me she was refusing to eat. When you’re blind and nearly deaf, and someone comes in with a food tray while you’re napping and sets it down quietly on the bedside table, it’s not all that hard to realize that what you don’t know is there you’re not going to eat. Combine that with a clear liquid diet they put her on the last two days without explanation, a diet she flat out doesn’t like other than the jello, and you get the appearance of something other than what it is.

As long as she’s been awake and alert, she has eaten well for me. Of course, I know what she likes, and at this stage, I’m not as worried about diet as long as she can enjoy it and chew it. Not only did she eat her lunch of dried beef gravy over toast, but she had peach ice cream for dessert. She ate faux cheerios with dried fruit for breakfast. I try to keep a glass of ice water on her bed table so she can keep herself hydrated.

As she was finishing her ice cream, she asked me where the cats were. Even though she complained initially about their being here, she does love having them around (and, amazingly, Shady has not scratched one piece of furniture, the little wench. She destroyed at least THREE pieces of mine!)

Chloe’s afraid to be up on the bed with Mom. She’s been very anxious since they began bringing in equipment and such for Mom’s homecoming. Follows me around everywhere - needs to be near me, touching me in some way. Usually, if I’m on the stool here typing, she’ll be behind me on the bed and will reach out a paw and touch my arm, almost patting it. So, I give her a reassuring pat in return. Sometimes, she wants to be held, so she’ll walk over on to my lap and I’ll pick her up and drape her over my left shoulder where she’ll stay for up to 30 minutes just purring away. If I lie on the couch, I have a Chloe cat up with me within minutes. If I’m in feeding Mom, Chloe comes in and out, rubbing my legs, chirruping at me. She wants me to leave the room, but I don’t.

Shady, on the other hand, has few fears. She was a desert cat when I got her, living off the kindness of strangers and whatever small rodent or lizard she could catch. She seemed very happy to become a house pet, but her love of chasing “critters” continued. Horned toads fascinated her. She brought one home once - I don’t think she could understand why it wouldn’t die like the other things she caught. Her eyes would be bright and shiny while she watched him scamper about trying to get back outside. Her whole body would quiver with excitement. Now, we weren’t going to let anything happen to him, but it was a hoot watching her reactions to him.

But, Shady also loves people. No matter who comes over, she thinks they’re just waiting to meet her. She loves being in people’s laps. So, after Mom was done with her ice cream and asked me about the cats, I went out to get Shady (who had licked the gravy plate clean by then) and took her in to Mom for some loving. She got right out of my arms on to the bed and as soon as Mom began to pet her, she was in heaven. While Mom was petting her with her left hand, Shady went looking for her right hand so she could “double dip”. That’s right - Shady just can’t get enough. So, Shady was rubbing on Mom’s right hand while Mom’s left hand petted her back. While they were involved in mutually admiring one another, I proceeded to empty Mom’s catheter bag - one of those lovely surprises I hadn’t been prepared for when they brought Mom home. It’s easy enough, though.

Meanwhile, both Mom and Shady were happy with their petting party. Once Mom drifted off to sleep, Shady got down and went back into the living room.

Which brings up another topic…

To be posted tomorrow.

Shady

Trackback URI | Comments RSS