Hey.
Happy Sapporo Snow Festival.
I live in the city where every February over 2 million people come to enjoy snow and ice statues in the city park.
It has got far more commercialized over recent years - more food than actual snow - but still I think it's a fun event and the city is teaming with visitors.
I had two guests staying, plus a whole slew of work - it was a busy time.
And Okaasan.
Another round of influenza hit her care home - she didn't catch it. But she got a fever for several days and stayed in bed over a week.
I went in to see her twice, Dear Son too. She was sleeping a lot. Not eating, as usual. But actually ok - talked a bit in a funny, raspy voice and laughed a little too while watching Tv in her room.
Hoping that we/the care staff can get her UP and OUT of bed soon. Her leg and hip power hasn't been great this winter and a week in bed will make that worse.
Dear Son is back - maybe - tomorrow, so we'll try this weekend to get her up and into the wheelchair at least.
But, a bit of guilty relief. She is the care home's problem day to day with this. Not mine. If she were here at home - she would be on the carpet downstairs...with toilet problems etc etc and I'd be changing diapers and trying to rescue the carpet and the flooring.....
All of THAT isn't happening now. Not my worry. SO glad she is in care!
Downstairs....things are happening.
I have taken the plunge and decided to close the classroom in the rented apartment one station away - and move the classes to Okaasan's old rooms downstairs. Move the English work to home....
And stop three of my community center classes. Some of which I've done for over 10 years. And all of this will hopefully free up more time to do more tour guide work. No guarantees...but maybe.
It's all a big change in my working life. But the tour guide work is something I enjoy a lot, and at 57 years old it is rare to get the chance to do a new line of work. So I am going to grab the chance - while keeping one foot firmly (and economically safely!) in English teaching.
I took the decision at Christmas. But students are finding out now - so I can write about it here.
March is going to be a busy month....closing the classroom that I've rented for over 10 years and in a rented truck moving it all here...and setting OKaasan's old rooms for work.
Oh! and in March...we are going to try another camper van trip. This time in winter...and for skiing over a long weekend.
Onwards with all of that...
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.....
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.....
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. :-)
