Another month and more trauma. I believe sometimes that I operate from one to another, but maybe that’s just because I don’t have a lot of adventure in my life, so everything takes on such significance. It really wasn’t so much for me, but rather second hand, because it happened to my son, Jason. I had just had a great weekend on the 21st thru the 23rdat Kenosha, WI where our fall women’s retreat was held. The weather was absolutely magnificent, and it was wonderful to be with women in workshops, eating out, laughing and crying together, walking in beautiful fall weather, shopping at the vendors and shops in Kenosha and just reconnecting with wonderful friends from around our District which includes Illinois, Wisconsin and a part of Indiana.
I had left my dog, Kaja, with my son on Friday. I knew he hadn’t been feeling well, but I was so wrapped up getting ready to get out of town, which I love doing, I didn’t pay enough attention. When I got back on Sunday night I stopped at his house to pick up Kaja, and when I went in, he wasn’t there, so I took Kaja and went on home. When I got home there was a message on the machine from Jason. He said, “Mom, I’m in the hospital and I just had my left, big toe amputated.” I freaked, called him and he calmed me down, and I went right up to the hospital. It was very difficult, but I didn’t cry, just tried to talk rationally with him and he was very positive and focused. I was so sad, glad, mad, but so thankful that it wasn’t any worse.
He came home on Tuesday, but wouldn’t come to my house to stay, because he wanted to go home to be with his dog and in his own bed. Which I understand. So I have been trying to go down quite a lot to support him. He doesn’t live very far from me luckily, so I zip down in about five minutes. It has been a sad, regretful time, but also interesting now that he is doing well. I had to pick up meta honey for his foot which I had never heard of, and which is available only at Barnatos at the old Cub Store. It comes in sheets and also in a tube form and is actually honey that allows the foot to heal more quickly. Of course like always when he has a problem, I hope he realizes the seriousness of his diabetes and takes better care of himself. I asked him what this meant to him, and he said it was a wake-up call, so I am hopeful and will be as supportive as I can. I recently went on a food regime that I took from a book called The Diabetes Cure which is really just emphasizing, a good diet with very little sweets, organic fruit and vegetables, whole grains and a few good supplements.
Jason asked me if I would loan him the book to read, and of course I am delighted with that and hope it helps both of us. I have been on this “Cure” for about a month and am noticing a lot of difference. I have more energy, am less tired and have lost some weight. These are still good things, and although I hadn’t gone on for those reasons, I’m thankful for all of them. All in all this has been a pretty good month. The weather has been great, and while I was in Kenosha, it was truly an Indian Summer. We walked all over without a coat, and that is not what we’d anticipated. WE all took gloves and hats and were prepared for winter weather in the North. What a pleasant surprise!
The other significant event this year was my birthday which was yesterday, and I had a great day. I started the day with a water exercise class with Carol, a friend at the Riverplex where I am now going since the YWCA closed. I then went to breakfast with some of the women in my old water exercise class. We went to the Par-a-dice which has a fabulous buffet. I enjoyed seeing all of my friends and enjoyed the food. I had gone off the “Cure” both yesterday and during the Conference at Kenosha, but I’ll get right back on it, because it is working so well. I stopped by Jason’s to check on him and then met another friend, Carlette, for lunch and a movie. She also presented me with a beautiful bouquet when we got out of the movie. I told that was too much, but she said it was a significant one and I deserved it. What a wonderful friend she is. I am very lucky to have the great friends I do. She had called me the week before saying she’d like to take me for lunch and to a movie, because we are movie buddies. There was a movie I’d almost forgotten about that we did go to see. It I Sarah’s Key” which I knew would be sad, but it was pretty well done. It is the story of the round-up of Jewish people from France early in the war. The French are very ashamed of this dark story and it isn’t known very well. Probably not as good as the book which I loved and couldn’t put down, but enjoyable. I’ve heard that Landmark Theatres are devoting one of their theatres to foreign, art and outstanding films, and this was the first. I haven’t verified that yet, but certainly hope that is true.
I ended the day by picking up a spinach pizza, which is one of my favorites, and a Holiday sandwich, which is my son’s favorites, from Fedora’s and going down to eat with him. I am encouraging him to stay off his feet for at least a week, although he is getting around very well with a cane. The cane was his dad’s after his amputation and mine after knee surgery, so it’s certainly becoming a family ‘necessary.’
Our church had a book sale and I picked up several titles which I also managed to read. Nothing of any great value, but I did pick up a couple Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton titles which I mentioned in my last column. They are both authors of light hearted mysteries without the blood and gore in many of the mystery writers today. They are funny and irreverent, and I love them.
I am going to end a little sooner, because I still have a thousand things to do. I dropped my luggage from the weekend, haven’t unpacked and put mail and other items on the table. Now I may need a shovel to clean, but it is the last thing for which I am concerned.. I refuse to worry about a clean house when there are other things more important to do. Enjoy the sunshine that we’ve been having!