I wanted to say “Thank you” to all of you who have been interested, asked about, and prayed for mom.

Mom does continue to improve - albeit somewhat slowly. But anytime I start to get impatient, I remember that mom is almost 90 and even before she got COVID-19, she wasn’t really physically strong. If we are faithful with all the exercises she is supposed to do she may end up stronger than she was before.

Let me share with you what she is doing now.

• She is getting off and on the bed by herself most of the time. We have the hospital bed set at the height of her bed in her bedroom, so she can get really used to it. I’d like to start moving her to her own bed this week - maybe for nighttime and leave her in the open during the day - at least the days someone from hospice is coming over. We wouldn’t mind not having the bed in the living room anymore, actually. Mom is starting to really want her privacy/her own space.

• We have exercises for her legs, arms, and core body. We do legs every day and alternate arms and core. She is playing the piano for 15-30 minutes every morning.

• Today she walked to the van which I parked in front of the house - by herself, using the walker and even went down two steps. I turned around and she was already out there (we were going to church - we are still just going for the one service and the dinner afterwards - but not getting there for Sunday School which is an hour earlier).

• Yesterday she walked to the back of the house by herself and sat down and wrote a couple of checks and a birthday card. I didn’t really realize what she was up to until she was about done. A week ago I was going everywhere with her.

• Today I thought she was still in the bathroom, but after about 12 minutes, I called out to her and asked if she was ok and found her in her back bedroom looking at a grocery ad.

• Tonight she dressed herself for bed - meaning she put on a long sleeved t shirt and a nightgown by herself.

The concern at the moment is her heel. She does have a bedsore, pressure sore or ulcer, depending on how you call it. I’ve been taking photos of it daily. I’ve opted to not put a photo here lest it bother you— it’s not pretty. Our doctor took off the outer darkened, dead part so it would heal faster. It’s been one week now since that happened. It started out about 1” across but is now about 3/4” across, so that is good. She uses a ‘bootie’ on that (both feet, actually) foot when lying in bed in order to keep the pressure off. This is something that happened here at the house once she got home from the hospital - I had no idea what I was doing once she came home. It happened fast and I didn’t know how to stop it from happening once it started turning dark. Thankfully we do seem to be on the uphill side of it and mom is being careful.

One note - mom has been a very encouraging cheerleader as she’s been in the bed next to where I have a machine set up. I tend to show her the tops when I get them done - or as I’m working on them - as well as show her the finished quilts. I think she’s enjoying it. After all, she’s the one who showed us how to sew when we were about 10 or 11, I think it was. We started by sewing the long, ‘boring’ seams for her when she was making something for us. :) Of course I realize now, that was a ploy to get us on the machine.

I’m sure there are other things but this is what I can remember that is different - and I’ll do better about more photos for the next update.

Have a great day wherever you are reading this! Stay safe!

Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store here!

Here’s one of the beauties we have!