The Social Bug

Colorado is cooling down. Layne and I are here caring for mom again. We arrived last Thursday just as Maryanne was leaving for her home on the train. The nights are cool but the days are still warm. The skies change by the minute with occasional rain to add beautiful variety. As I look out from mom's deck the view is full of living beauty, in every direction. Colorado is a nurturing place. Cedaredge has fostered our Kiser family for over 100 years. We have deep roots here! The picture above was taken today just as the sun was going down. Note the foxtail is highlighted by the setting sun. Mom hates foxtail!

Mom looks good. She is functioning much better than she was during our last visit. She is such a resilient girl. We took her to a concert in the park, on Main St. She came alive. She is such a people girl. Interaction with people is her source of energy; she gets high on it. We took her to Church today, for the first time since the stroke. Tons of members came up to her and welcomed her. It was a great experience. She really enjoyed it. She doesn't seem to get tired when she is socializing.

We had a steak dinner tonight, followed by peach pie. Yum. Mom has a fine appetite, as has, unfortunately, Layne and I. We eat very well here. Mom's life is full of activity; she has various therapists coming almost every day. In between I work her, so she is getting lots of action. Her right hand is still unworkable but she can now move her arm and is feeling some nerve shots up her arm when her hand is moved. I take that as a good sign that her brain is beginning to wake up and notice that there is a hand there. It is interesting to see how her brain works to regain awareness and function on the right side. It responds to demand. So we are trying to demand that it acknowledge the right side's parts. It is starting to!

The picture of Layne was taken right after Sunday dinner. Doesn't he look satisfied?

Mom and I read the scriptures together for awhile today and had a great discussion on various meanings and interpretations of some of the verses. She is very good at such things and has intelligent opinions. She isn't as talkative as she was before the stroke; she must be prodded to converse. I miss her free offering of ideas and opinions. Perhaps it will return in time.

Layne and I will be here until Saturday. I'm looking forward to it. Here is a picture of mom on Sunday. She has her Sunday duds on and is offering us her current version of smiles.