Tonight's picture was taken in May of 2008. That weekend we took Mattie to Calvert Cliffs in Maryland. This is an incredible and must see experience. I read about it and insisted we visit! So basically you have to walk a mile through the woods first. The trail is beautifully wooded, and filled with wonderful wildlife, that leads to this beach. This beach is known for its fossilized sharks teeth. Honestly I couldn't believe this was the case until I saw it! Mattie was on a mission and we did not leave until teeth were dug up and found! It is a great spot to take young kids and it makes for a memorable family day. Life was so different then and I did not realize how lucky I was!
Quote of the day: I’d rather have a broken arm than a broken heart. ~ Christie Brinkley
I literally was so exhausted from yesterday and my daily routine that I did not get up until 7:30am! This is unheard of for me since my parents have moved in with me. I knew I needed rest, which was why I canceled my mom's physical therapy session this morning. This afternoon, both of my parents had their annual eye doctor appointments. I love my eye doctor. He is witty, humorous, and an all around good guy. In any case, he is a keen observer of what I do for my parents and basically told me outright today that they are doing so well because of me. What an astute fellow! I never told him that they live with me or that I care for them around the clock. But somehow he put the pieces together.
My dad can not answer a solitary question about himself. He has no idea what medication he takes, he has no idea how his eyes are, and truly he can't answer any medical questions posed to him. I am his memory! It is a very large responsibility and I do this for both parents daily, around the clock.
What I came to the conclusion though is how a doctor's office treats us (both staff and doctor) can make a difference in my mood. Trust me it is hard enough getting my parents to the office on time, but when I have to go on the defensive, it makes life much more complicated. Today was a positive experience, so much so that my dad said.... "I like this doctor." My dad may have lost his memory, but he is still a keen observer and just when I think he isn't absorbing anything, he surprises me.
It was also Indie's first time out for the season! She LOVES being outside and bird watching.
Three things I am grateful for today:
1. The kind and humorous eye doctor.
2. Email and text messages from friends who realized what a tough day yesterday was for me.
3. I went to bed last night communicating with my cousin Cheryl. She wrote to congratulate me on another great Walk. I confided in her how upset I was and disappointment in my technology challenges with Facebook Live and also not meeting the Foundation's $100K goal. There are many ways to respond to my lament. But basically Cheryl helped me lighten up on myself and made me see given all that I am facing, the fact that I was able to pull all of this off, manage my parents, and cope with what is happening in my personal life, is amazing. I can get absorbed in a downward spiral easily, but Cheryl's message made me take a pause, which helped me reset and I eventually went to sleep.
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