Takes two to wheelchair.

Family trip out.
We managed a trip downtown in the wheelchair - with Dear Son and I working in unison to make it all go well.

It DOES need two people. Specially in winter, with the snow and ice.

Okaasan appeared to enjoy the trip out. We first drove a short distance to an area near an elevator that goes down into the underground shopping mall in the city center. Walked all along the "street" with shops, then stopped at a coffee shop, and walked all the way back again. Then, I ran to get the car again and we loaded OKaasan back inside it and drove her back to the care home. About 90 mins.

First time for her out in months.....beyond the care home walls.....she didn't talk so much, waited passively to be told where to put her feet and hands. Didn't drink so much of the coffee, but appeared to enjoy the sights and sounds of downtown.

Needed two of us. The car and the parking and the toilets.

This could be turning into a toilet blog.

Twice in the trip Okaasan needed a toilet visit. The first time we found big public toilets in the station concourse. Wheelchair friendly, but cold seat and cold water. But both Dear Son and I could go inside.

2nd time not so lucky.
A hotel shopping area had narrow toilets. No wheelchair access. 
Dear Son had to hang outside while I took Okaasan into the Ladies, managed to squeeze the chair into the largest cubical doorway (couldn't close the door), and help Okaasan stand, then get her clothing pulled up and down, get her safely turned round and sitting....and peeing...and using paper...and standing...and dressed and ....back into the chair.
She is not good now at standing even. Not strong. She holds on with both hands to something and kind of sways....in a tight space, with layers of winter clothing...it's like that game where people get tangled up in funny position after taking an instruction card which says "Now put your left leg behind your partner's ear" or "Now, stand on one leg".

The toilet dance.

But. We did a day out. Okaasan enjoyed it. No big crisis.
Makes me SO aware of facilities for wheelchairs.....

How far can we go????

Time was....
I worried about overstepping personal boundaries by going into the bathroom when Okaasan was in the bath....

Those far off days.

She peed on my hand this week....

A certain orange, so-called leader of a big country would maybe to role swap with me now? I could do a better at HIS job than him, for sure. And he - if those allegedly scandalous stories hold any water - might enjoy some toilet action.

At the care home...chatting, snacking and furtively trying to measure leg lengths for the new pajamas and trousers.

Toilet visit. Okaasan in high spirits, just like a small child:
"It's coming out! I'm peeing!!"
"Ok? You finished? Great! Well done! Can you stand up for me?"

and I was fishing around in her undies to remove the wet diaper...

"Oh! It's coming out! I'm peeing!!"

Oh yes, indeedy.

Aghhh...the things we do for love. I expect Dear Son was skiing down a sun-dappled  course with a sweet family from Taiwan..thinking what beer he was going to drink later...while I was in a toilet experience with his mother.

Anyway.
I asked the staff to come help me - to get Okaasan out of the pants, the trousers...change it all...mop the floor...and then stand up again....

Kind of a new low, really. Lack of toilet control - and lack of timing completely.

But funny. She laughed. I laughed....

The new trousers seemed ok. I'm getting the pajamas sewn shorter.

Onwards.....

Oh. Hi.

Too late to say Happy New Year??

I was jolted out of my winter funk yesterday by a dear reader asking in comments if I was still alive and blogging....

Yes. And...not so much.

Where DID the winter holiday go? I remember a day of skiing. And a few days eating chocolate in front of Netflix. I ran around the house with a piece of string to entertain the cats.

Okaasan is good.
I HAVE visited her. Dear Son - home between ski jobs - also went.
The care home asked me to buy more pajamas and trousers for her, as she is now fatter - she basically forgets the "No food before 11 am"  mantra and joins everyone else eating breakfast. L size clothes will be too long in the leg for her, so I'll have to shop, measure, get them adjusted and deliver them.
I went at Christmas. I went on January 1st. The care home has seasonal decorations and foods. She is in a good place. I didn't take her out in the car because the care home entrance was icy, and one person with the wheelchair and checking her...it's all a bit hard.

My winter holidays got swallowed up in a lot of stuff.

* Old friends sent their college age daughter to stay with me for 2 and a half weeks.
* I did 3 different day trips as a tour guide - still making beginner mistakes and learning a LOT. But it's fun. Visitors from Indonesia and the Philippines - people LOVE Japan! Come many times and love the food, the manners, the public order.....
* I did a biggish narration job for a TV documentary - voicing the 2nd MC on the program. Interesting program about the psychology of how we use things. I hope it gets sold to TV companies around the world.
*  I met an old friend for just coffee. Disappointed I didn't have energy for more.
* I was exhausted.
* I made work change plans for later this year...
* I disappeared into Netflix. The drama "You" and now into the Marie Kondo cleaning program. 

So. Still here.
There is an influenza outbreak at the hospital where my friend is comatose. So visiting is restricted.

Oh. And I joined a UK walking magazine's "Walk 1,000 Miles" campaign - measuring my walking in my smartphone and hoping to burn off the Xmas chocolates. :-)