You are currently browsing the monthly archive for January 2012.
“The name of the name of the game is to take care of yourself because you’re going to live long enough to wish you had.” Grace Mirabella
That kind of sums it up . . . bubble bath time!
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Eighteen
“Other people and things can stop you temporarily. You’re the only one who can do it permanently.”
~Zig Ziglar~
Today was moving day. We moved MIL from the Surgical Floor – a very sad and depressing place where she was surrounded by helplessness and misery – to the Rehab Floor. Wow! What a difference! The Rehab floor has been rehabilitated itself! Everything looks very new, bright, spacious and fresh. Plus she’s in a room with big bright windows and a view of Mount Baker in the distance. Her spirits lifted within minutes of arriving on this floor. She will stay here until they feel that she is able to manage on her own at home. It’s a huge relief to have this support for her finally. It’s just a shame she had to break her hip to get it. She is a very determined soul though . . . she will not be down for long.
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Seventeen
“Age does not diminish the extreme disappointment of having a scoop of ice cream fall from the cone.” Jim Fiebig
MIL continues to improve in hospital amazing all around her. My Day Sixteen photo is again from hospital, a reflection of me in the bathroom towel dispenser, and also the mirror. It is challenging to get photos in a hospital setting without violating anyone’s privacy, therefore I’m being a bit paranoid about where and when I’m shooting.
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Sixteen
It’s been a very interesting experience the last few days with MIL falling and breaking her hip, surgery, and now recovery in hospital. She’s an amazing woman at 92 years of age in body, but a young adult in spirit! She admits to fearing another fall, fearing loss of independence, but she’s determined to do all she can to regain her mobility and stay able and strong. I so admire her strength despite the failing of her body. I just can’t imagine what it must feel like to be so nimble of mind and spirit, to feel the body starting to fail you. I am acutely aware of the three other women on her ward that are all in varying stages of helplessness, all younger than she, all who have fallen and had to withstand hip surgery and much more. They can’t do anything without moaning and groaning and complaining. Helen is doing all that she can to stay as strong as she can for as long as she can. I love that fight, that spirit of independence and control. She is afraid, but she’s not letting that stop her from pushing forward, from staying strong and vital. We have a few issues to work out in order for her to return to her independent living situation safely . . . so she will be in hospital a few more days while we work thru these issues.
Here is my pic for Self Portrait Challenge Day Fifteen: I noticed this mirror bubble in the ceiling as we were waiting for an x-ray. Hubby and MIL are down at the far end of the hall behind me waiting for the x-ray.
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Fifteen
I spent another long day at hospital with MIL. She’s doing so much better, but still quite weak and with three other women on her ward who are much more helpless than she, the nurses are kept quite busy. I was able to help her with her morning routines before they whisked her away for x-rays and physio. I brought my DSLR along today – so managed to get a few shots off . . . here is my Day Fourteen . . . hand washing is a pre-occupation in a hospital setting. I set my D7000 on a roll of toilet paper on the counter in the bathroom, slowed the shutter speed down to 1 second and took the shot.
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Fourteen
Day Thirteen: was at hospital by 8:30 this morning as I wanted to catch the Dr on rounds. He finally showed 30 minutes after I left this evening! I did see the Occupational Therapist, as well as Physio. MIL will be in hospital for at least a week. We got her on her feet today, though only for a couple of steps. She’s doing so well, and is anxious to get up and get moving. I threw in my little Panasonic point and shoot camera this morning, so managed a few pictures while Nurses were doing their morning routine with her. I noticed my reflection in my iPad as I was reading an e-book by Kelly Rae Roberts about getting your creative/photography business up and running. This is the result. Not exciting but it’s how I spent my day . . .
365 Self Portrait Challenge pic for the day . . .
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Thirteen
Day Twelve: arrived at hosp by 9am to hopefully connect with Drs and find out what the plan for the day is. Waited all day and no Drs showed up . . . but OR finally came for her about 4PM. She was back in the room by 6PM. No general anesthetic was used, just epidural and local so she recovered quickly. They used three little tiny incisions to go in and pin the fracture. She tolerated surgery very well, and is in great spirits. We left hosp around 7:30PM knowing she is in good hands and will rest well. I will be back at hosp first thing in the AM to discuss recovery with Drs.
365 Self Portrait Challenge pic for the day . . .
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Twelve
Oh boy . . . challenging day today. Had several appointments scheduled, starting with a visit to our accountant at 9:30am, then taking MIL to get a Holter Monitor put on for heart palpitations. She’s 92, healthy as a horse but having stability problems. After the Lab appointment, I was taking her for an Orthotic evaluation to hopefully get her better shoes and support for walking. She uses Nordic walking sticks to get around generally. We made a stop at the bank, then headed next door to the lab for an 11am appointment. We had to navigate down about 4 steps, and then up another 4 steps. On the very bottom step going down, she grabbed for the handrailing, and missed. I had taken one step ahead of her anticipating turning around to help her down the last step when suddenly I heard a yell, turned around just in time to see her literally just tipping over. She had completely lost her stability and down she went. She landed on her right hip and lower back. Luckily there were two bystanders who rushed over and helped me get her up to her feet again. She seemed fine and insisted that we carry on to the lab for her appointment. However, as we sat waiting . . . the more it was obvious she wasn’t ok. So I packed her up in the car and took her to the ER for evaluation. Long story short . . . after X-Rays and CatScan . .. a fracture in her right hip. Not a bad one . . . but it warranted surgery to pin it so that we could get her up and mobile ASAP. Otherwise – it would be six weeks of bed rest – a death sentence for a 92 year old woman. We (hubby, his brother and wife) stayed with her until they moved her up to the surgical floor and settled her in for the night. I live 30 minutes from the hosp – so was tucking myself in to bed around midnight.
This is my 365 Self Portrait Challenge pic of the day . . . taken with my iPad and a bit of editing applied with PhotoShopElements App.
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Eleven
I’m having fun today playing with textures on my photos. I’ve used Kim Klassen textures to give this kind of a dreamy feel – hubby and I and a romantic candlelight dinner.
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Ten
Lazy day in my house today. Just spent the day working on digital design and photography. Today’s Self Portrait is the result of my Skype call with my 14 month old Granddaughter who lives in California. Virtual kisses are not as good as the real thing . . . but I’ll take ’em! I had my blog open ready to do today’s post also . . . so I’m in this photo thrice! I already had the tripod set up trying to get some photos of me on the computer when my daughter called on Skype . . . so this worked out great I think . . .
365 Self Portrait Challenge Day Nine
Nurture Self 365 