Thunderstorms

Nancy is on oxygen. The lupus attacked her lungs. She only wears it at night and whenever needed, which is usually when we are doing any kind of chore, whether easy or strenuous. She is scared of storms. Somehow, she got it in her head that the concentrator will blow up during a thunderstorm. It has been stormy off and on today. That all said, it’s been a peaceful evening. The computer and Internet haven’t been working properly, though. While I’m at work, this connects mom to other people. She used to get out and about more, but since she fell she doesn’t get around as well.

Teaching her to blog has helped her so much. One of Mom’s favorite activities is to talk. She loves to chat, tell stories, and be connected with others. When she was more mobile she would stop and chat with everyone. Not having this privilege has been very difficult and Blogging has opened up a whole new world for her. Talking on the telephone can be challenging at our house.

When I was a kid, Nancy and I shared a room together. If we had already been put to bed and the phone rang, we would sit up, look at one another and run into the kitchen to find out who was on the phone. It was a race to see who could find out first.

I was about ten years old when my mom and my sister, Karen, left me and Nancy at home for about an hour. It usually went well. This time, though, I was left instructions to keep Nancy from calling people on the phone. I accepted this responsibility with all the annoying gusto of a ten year old. Sure enough, a few minutes went by and Nancy had made up her mind to use the phone. I, of course, wouldn’t let her. She got frustrated and whacked me upside the head with the telephone.

Nancy loves the telephone! She still has a childlike faith that every call is for her. She still runs to the phone when it rings. I’ve long since outgrown that. She will sit in the room with you and tell you things to tell the person on the other end of the line. No matter how much you tell her to stop or threaten to revoke privileges she will keep going. She has the persistence of a gnat.When you hand her the phone and say, "Here you tell them," she suddenly gets shy. If you lose your temper and yell she will get her feelings hurt, sulk, and make life miserable for everyone. Eventually, you feel like a heel, even though you know it wasn’t your fault.