11 February 2013: Walking. a Puzzle, and Chocolate Ice Cream

I headed over to Grandma’s while Grace’s computer was being fixed. I saw that Uncle Paul and Aunt Linda had been there earlier, and Grandma confirmed it; she said they stopped by on their way back from Arizona or someplace. She was pretty good when I was with her; her voice could have been a bit stronger, and she asked me to tell her the date in detail, but she went on a walk with me! She had an old movie with a young Katharine Hepburn and Fred MacMurray (I think), and was also reading in the Book of Mormon. She was wearing her oxygen thing, which she always does nowadays I think. Her lunch was finished beside her – not completely gone, but she’d had her fill.

After saying hellos, she said that it was a good thing I came, because she was just thinking of taking a walk! I told her I was waiting for a call and I had to go after the call (to get the computer and go back to homework), and she turned off the TV and we got ready to go. She made sure to comb her hair, and I tried to touch up the back which is often pretty flat because it’s usually against a pillow. Once she was in the wheelchair she scooted herself up and down a couple of the hallways, worked for a few minutes with me on a puzzle in the recreation room, and even stood up and pushed her wheelchair down the hall for a bit! (After that bit, she sat down in a chair for a few minutes.) She said hello to several patients and nurses and even jokingly told a male nurse that she was going to run him over. Or down. Something like that. While we were working on the puzzle, she remarked that whenever she puts a piece in, she feels like she's really helped with/accomplished something. It took her a while to put pieces in the right place. I think she put in at least three today. When she wanted to go, she decided she had to put one more in. A few minutes later, she'd had no success so we agreed that I'd give her the next piece that I though was a sure thing. That's what we did, and so she was free to further roam the halls. We were out of her room for about 45 minutes. Here are the pictures I took on my phone and sent to my parents.

When we got back she was still doing well. I reminded her about some ice cream in the nurses’ freezer left over from Saturday(?) night’s dinner, and she was really excited about that! She was in the middle of it when the male nurse guy came in with her meds (right on time – two minutes early even!). She took them just like you or I would, without any swallowing problems! Then she went right back to her ice cream. She saved a little for later and I put it back. Then the call came that I was waiting for, and she was ready for a nap. She said she’d see me tomorrow, and I had to tell her that she probably wouldn't because I’ll have school. Then I waved goodbye and left.