Monday--3 weeks ago...

It was 3 weeks ago on a Monday that our lives changed.  And who knows to what???  But onward...

I wish I could say that today was again a better day, but Redjeb slept most of the day and only occasionally acted like he knew I was there.  One time we actually were doing a little hand wrestling.  He still has more strength than I do, but I can see that he is a bit weaker...no surprise after being in bed so long.

They put him in the chair again today, but I had to ask more than once for this.  Usually the nursing has been great, but the nurse today had a very sick patient and couldn't spend much time with Redjeb.  That distressed me though I understand that when he first came in everyone was running in and out of the room, that that is the nature of that kind of unit.

Did you folks see that article in the NY Times magazine about a woman named, of all things, Peggy, whose husband was severely injured in a bicycle accident? Eerie.  Some of the beginning of the article parallels what I've/we've been through, but as the article goes on I wasn't sure what I thought.  I'd say read the first 1/3 if you do at all.

I moved out of the hotel today for my two-day stint with Fred and Marilyn (they said I could use their names).  I've been kind of guarding people's identities, since with the Internet you never know what will come of what you write.  Is a nice change to just sit and chat with people.  They've opened their home to me, made a delicious meal and we sat around drinking beer and talking.  Almost like normal (in a life that has almost forgotten what normal is.)

Wondering if any of you out there in East Hampton land who live near us have a fax or a scanner to fax or email materials to me from our mailbox.  Friends have been checking for my mail out there periodically, but they don't have a fax, so is a bit inconvenient (my word not theirs) for them to get the bills etc to me.  There is a time pressure, as bills related to the No Fault insurance are coming to our East Hampton address and they need to be submitted within a window of days or they will not be paid.  I have to get them to the lawyer in a timely manner.  With me being a nomad right now...also complicates things.

My last bit of advice for today's post:  Be sure to give someone Power of Attorney.  I have it for Redjeb, but what I am beginning to realize is that it may not be the best to give this to someone close to you.  That person like me will be trying to be there for you, being supportive and helpful, but may get distracted and stressed by all the legal crap (excuse the expression) that comes on top of the medical.  Having POA can become a lot of work.  I say, give the POA to a retired person with lots of time, a clear head, a good disposition, well organized, who really doesn't care for you that much so they won't be bothered by emotions pulling at them.