Progress

Last week at Nana's check up at the doctor's office, she weighed 110 pounds!  This is real progress as she had gotten as low as 102 pounds in the past year.  When I took her to the doctor a few months ago, she was 104 pounds so that 6 pound gain is major progress.  I asked her if she held her purse because it weighs about 4 pounds, but she said, "No, they wouldn't let me."  I'm very happy with the additional pounds as it gives her more stamina.

Another difference I have seen in the past six months is that she gets hungry.  She's ready for her pancake and coffee in the morning and when I talk to her in the afternoon she's ready for beans or toast.  That is an encouraging sign.

As we see Uncle John's illness, it's a reminder that things can change quickly.  But for now, I'm celebrating those six pounds!

Nana and Brothers

Nana is the only living sister in her family.  Aunt Elizabeth  (Auntie) died in 1988 and Aunt Grace died in 1994.  Her brothers are Uncle John, who is 91 and Uncle Ben who is 81. Uncle Ben fell in January and broke his femur and recently returned to his home after being in Muncy Skilled Nursing for several months.  He's not able to drive yet since returning home because of difficulty walking.   Uncle John was admitted to the hospital last week with swallowing problems. 

The connection of a sibling is important at any age, but I see how much Nana cares about staying in touch with her brothers.  Because of their different physical limitations, in-person visits aren't often possible. Especially when there are health challenges, I see how concerned she is about the well being of her brothers and how important getting up to date reports is to her peace of mind.

Even though we don't always agree, I'm grateful for my brothers Wayne and Bill. I've always enjoyed a close relationship with my sister Sharon, which I treasure.  Recently, I 've been more in touch with both my brothers and that's been a joy.  I hope that when all of us are in our 80's and 90's, we can stay connected like Nana, Uncle John and Uncle Ben. 

Nana and Uncle Ben June 2007

Nana and Uncle John and Aunt Dorothy June 2007

Nana and Mitzi

Every morning, I call Nana at 8:10am.  This is the first of the "check -in" calls of the day.  Sharon and I devised a schedule after Nana came home from her hospital stays in 2010.  Here is how it works: I call Nana in the morning, Nana calls Sharon after she gets back from Mays and any errands, I call Nana in the afternoon and Nana calls Sharon at 9:30pm every night.  This is our way of making sure that Nana is safe and doing ok throughout the day.  It works well because Nana loves a schedule.

When I talk to Nana on the phone each morning, I sit in my glider rocker.  Mitzi is on my lap and I comb her while Nana and I talk.  Nana loves knowing that Mitzi is there while we talk.  She jokes," Tell Mitzi Nana already combed her hair today." 

I believe Mitzi and Nana are related because Mitzi loves schedules too and this morning one is a favorite.  She seems to know what we are doing.  Each morning as I head for the phone and the rocker, I say "Come on Mitzi, it's time to call Nana."  No matter where she is in the house, she promptly appears at my feet, ready for our call and combing.

Nana's memories of Mitzi are from the times she spent visiting our house in Ruckersville, VA.  Nana loved the Blue Ridge Mountains, sitting on the porch, and sharing the red chair with Mitzi.  With most people, Mitzi is not social, but Nana was different.  Mitizi often sat on the back of this favorite red chair while Nana watched TV or did her WordFind books.  I don't have any pictures in my computer of them together - that was before my digital camera - but I can still picture both of them there.
This is a picture of Mitzi.  She is 10 years old now and Nana's grandkitty. 

Nana Central

Nana is really the hub for all information.  She likes to serve as the messenger to keep all of us updated on any breaking news.  If there is something the family needs to know, I can make one phone call and she will happily convey the details to everyone.  Without the benefit of Facebook, e-mail,  or texting, family news moves at lightning speed.
Speaking of texting, I told Nana during my last visit that I should teach her how to text on my phone because I can't text while driving.  Personally, I can barely text while sitting so texting and driving will never happen for me.  When I mention texting to Nana, she always says, "I don't know about texting, but I would like to go to Texas."
Although I'm in Mechanicsville, VA, I always know about the daily stories in the Sun Gazette, the top news on WILQ and the weather in the Susquehanna Valley.  Although I haven't lived there for 13 years, Nana sends me those pieces of home via phone and U.S. Mail.  I think it gives her a purpose and makes me still feel connected to Pennsylvania.  I'm grateful for Nana Central.

Perm Day for Nana

This picutre was from last week when I visited Nana.  The picture she is holding is from a puzzle that was a gift from Lori and Nate and boys.  The 500 piece puzzle seemed daunting for her so Jan carefully cut the picture from the box and framed for Nana.  She loves it because it is a train in Austin which looks to be during the time she lived there when my dad was in service, which was 1943-1944.

Today Nana got her perm from her hairdresser Bonnie who lives just up the road.  She went early to May's and got to Bonnie's before 9am. Last night was a sleepless one for Nana.  She said that she was awake at 2am and didn't go back to sleep.  Although I often suggest she nap through the day when she has one of those nights, she always says, "I am not a daytime sleeper."  No matter how much sleep she's missed the previous night, she will stay awake until Kurt Aaron gives the weather on Channel 16's 10 o'clock news.  I'm sure tonight will be the same.

 

About Nana

I am creating a blog to document Nana News, as I am calling it.  Nana is my mother Deanie Rhone.  I have always called her Mommy and still do most of the time.  Many of her grandchildren call her Grammy, but  my sister's children, Lori and Jeff, called her Nana from day one. From the time our cat Mitzi joined our household, my mom has referred to herself as Nana to Mitzi.  I think she sees herself as Nana so hence the blog name.

I talk to Nana several times a day.  I call her at 8:10am every morning to make sure she is ok and check how slept.  As soon as she says "Hello", I get a clue about her previous night.  I can tell by the tone of her voice how she is doing.  I get a variety of answers from "OK", to "Good" to "Rotten."  At 88 years old, she doesn't see the need to sugar-coat her answers.

This morning's conversation was in the good category.  She slept last night and was ready to drive to May's DriveIn for her breakfast of pancake, coffee and strawberry jam.  Nana going to May's is like Norm going into Cheers Bar.  Everyone knows her name, what time she normally arrives, what she eats and where she likes to sit.   Steve, the cook, has her pancake - small and flat, just the way she likes it - on the grill before she has taken off her coat.  Although she sits by herself, I don't think she feels alone.  She talks to the waitresses and the other regulars who come to May's almost every morning.  She has her favorites, like Gary,  a pharmacist and owner of the Ben Franklin Pharmacy in Clarkstown where she gets her prescriptions.  She also likes a father and son duo that tease her everyday about eating four packets of Smuckers Strawberry Jam for her dessert. 

Last week a young couple - young is a relative term at 88 - paid for her breakfast.  When she thanked them, the woman said that Nana reminded her of her aunt with that "pretty white hair" as she called it.  I love knowing that she is in such a friendly caring place every morning.

I won't promise to write every day in Nana News, but I plan to update here often to document the moments that seem to slip away so fast.