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Tonight's picture was taken in November of 2005. Mattie was three and half years old and doing one of his favorite things.... painting with his feet. I have to admit this wasn't one of my favorite activities of Mattie's, as I did not like the mess and the clean up. But he enjoyed it and loved to create. If you notice, there was red tape of the floor. This helped Mattie understand the perimeters he could work in, as I did not want paint on the rugs and furniture. Mattie understood this and for the most part wanted things around him clean and organized. The apple did not fall far from the tree there!
Quote of the day: It’s so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone. — John Steinbeck
It was a very busy day today, which involved a lot of driving. After I got my dad ready to go to the memory care center, I took my mom into Georgetown to get her hair and nails done. It was a cold and windy day and parking in the city was impossible. So I dropped my mom off, and spent about 15 minutes looking for parking. While she was getting her hair done, I got my nails done. I have known my manicurist since 2009. I met her right after Mattie died and we can spend hours chatting. Needless to say, 13 years later we have gotten to know each other well. She is a mom of two boys and one of her children has a mental health problem. Despite the progress our society has made with mental health, there is still a stigma and therefore the conversations she has with me do not translate down to her other clients.
As she was talking today, and I got an update on her life and family situation, I couldn't help but feel like we shared similarities. We are both caregivers and though we face different challenges, the emotional and physical toll are quite similar. No matter how much you love the person you care for, there will always be conflicts between family members, disagreements on how the caregiving is done, and the number one problem is no time for one's self or one's needs. It is a constant state of giving, providing care, and trying to keep a stable and peaceful environment. All I know is, it does come at a price.
After the salon, I drove my VERY full car to Georgetown University Hospital. The salon is about ten minutes away, which made it very convenient for me today. Naturally I have an emotional connection to this hospital, as this was where Mattie was treated. I had the opportunity to meet with child life today and they said they miss seeing me, because pre-COVID, I pushed our Snack and Item Cart around the pediatric hallways on a monthly basis. Child life is working on getting me signed up as an official hospital volunteer, which would enable me back into the units.
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