Days like these

Days like these

Sunny

Birdy

Warm

Full of cats

Stalking each other

Through the house

Days like these

This year’s clematis

Showing itself

Through the vines

Never cleared

Last year

But nevertheless

New growth

Anyway.

ATMs

Today I will practice stairs

And balance in front

Of the kitchen counter

Mind you

These are not easy things

Especially

In the ankle braces

The AFOs

We call

ATMs

Because it is more amusing

That way

And heaven knows

We can use more amusement\

Here.

Hospital bed

It is difficult to keep track of everyone's names: the physical therapist, the occupational therapist, the nurse, the specialists added into the mix. Most days I remember who I am. I am grateful.

The hospital bed

Is next to

The dining room table.

The various therapy people

Come and go.

I come and go

From several doctors

Some who have been added

To the list

Here we are

All of us

An amazing array.

Walker

Life in here moves with a walker

It is green and blue

Outside

And inside

I watch it

Getting greener

And bluer

The occasional bird

The occasional squirrel

The bushes need

To be trimmed

So much life

Outside

So much life

Inside

As well

Even though life

In here moves

With a walker

Still life

In here

As well.

Balance

Still learning balance. I suspect I will always be learning balance.

I practice balance

So I don’t crack my head

Falling backwards.

I have five more sessions

With the physical therapist,

Six more

With the OT

There is much to learn

All the way around

The walker continues

A challenge

New home

She says

She’s found a home

For our 25 year old turtle.

First he needs a beak and nail trim

His vitamin shots.

He will travel

With his tank

And water dish.

He will live forever

As tortoises do.

We won’t.

Big gray cat

I am home with the cats and the people and the turtle. I have used the eight designated physical and occupational therapy home health care sessions. God willing there will be more. 

The big gray cat

Is a love.

He climbs under the covers

Sleeps for hours.

I missed him

When I came to consciousness

In the hospital.

Now I watch him

Spread his back toes

Jump off the bed

For a nosh

Something he does

Between almost everything

He does.

Recuperation

While our adventures are different, there's comfort in shared recuperation.

hile I adventured

In the hospital.

The kitten spent her time

In heat.

Next week

Is her time

For adventure.

We will recuperate

Together

It’s good to have company

in isuch things

Right toes

My right toes are making progress, not much, but some. Coffee still smells good in the morning, but I have no desire to drink it. 

My right toes

Have begun to function

Together.

One month in the hospital

Means that coffee

No longer appeals

Not even Starbucks.

And

It is entirely possible

My life

Is reconfigured in ways

I had not planned.

Possibly three

So many doctors. It's difficult to figure which one counts the most. I focus on my right foot. Two toes moved yesterday. Today a third one seems to be getting the idea.

And look

A third toe

Registers movement.

It is vital

To register movement

Even as the doctor

Is concerned about that fall

You took

Over a week ago now

As you were learning

The walker

Yes

There is a lump

And yes

That third toe

Registers signs of life.

Two toes

Learning once more what counts

Standard questions:

Are you in pain?

What’s the number?

Have you fallen?

Here I am

Here I am

Here I am

What’s the number?

I moved two toes

On my right foot

Today

That’s the number

That counts

Here I am

Here I am

Here I am

Two toes.

Do you remember?

A range of memories, this one from years ago on a vacation trip. Ah, the things we do in our twenties. Still, we met the best Chrysler Mechanic in Montana. 

Do you remember

When the night was falling

In Montana

The car headlights

Growing dimmer

And dimmer

We thought we’d never make it

Yet still

We pulled off the road

Found a place to sleep

Ir smelled of cigarettes

But the owner knew

The best Dodge Dart mechanic

In Montana.

He agreed to take a break

From his hunting trip

To fix our alternator.

Do you remember

That trip?

The lights growing dimmer

And dimmer

Yet still

We made it

Yes

We made it’

We barely made it

Off the exit  ramp

In the dark.

Home Health Care

Learning. Learning. Learning. Who knew steps could be so difficult?

Ed gentle PT

Takes me through front steps and more

Nurse in an hour

Forrest Gump

Thanks, Michael, for the image. It's good to hear from one who shares the path.

So many doctors,

More specialists

Every day.

Now I am home

Doing follow-ups.

Everything first requires

My primary care doctor

Who does not have space

In her schedule until

Late May.

Figure it out

Yourselves

I say.

I am learning to walk again

Like Forrest Gump.

I don’t imagine running

Will enter the picture.

I have many medications,

They fill a plastic shoe box.

I learned in rehab

I am not alone.

Start from the beginning

They don't let you fall in the hospital so I am learning at home. Learning to use a walker is not something I anticipated at 61 but then again, all of us on the rehab floor never planned to be there either./

At some point

I will write again

How does one capture

Four weeks

In the hospital

Two which are mostly’

Misremembered?

I will start

From the beginning

The place I always

Begin.