A Rare Mid-Day Post and An Afternoon Walk in the Shade Garden

Guest Writer:  Beth Littlejohn

Mother has been cautioning me not to write about her health too much.  I have tried to adhere to her request, but now I will risk getting fussed at and tell about her.

Until this past Saturday everyone thought Mother was progressing very well.  But with all things change can come very quickly.  Perhaps the warning signs were there and no one was paying attention.  Saturday morning, as I was getting ready to come to the Windy Knoll I received a call from the rehab facility stating that mother’s health demanded attention at the emergency room.  I have never gotten out of the house so quickly.  I called a friend in the Windy Knoll area and this friend was, once again, a life saver.  Mr. Clyde Hasty got Daddy to the hospital to see about Mother.  I also called Donna who had just gotten home the previous evening.  She and her husband, Brad, quickly got in the car and made tracks back to Alabama.  I was bringing up the rear as I have the longest distance to cover.  Mother was very, very sick.  She had a fever, infection, and several other issues.  She was admitted to the ICU at Marshall Medical Center South.  She is still there.  Two different infections have been identified – one in her bladder, the other in the area of her surgical incision.  She is responding well to the antibiotics and is scheduled for surgery to clean infection from the hip replacement surgery.  She is still quite sick.  I will keep you posted.  Now for some a lighter posting.

The Walk

Daddy and I have spent many hours at the hospital in the past two days.  Mother was resting well, and we had about five hours to go before we anticipated the doctor we wanted to see.  We decided to come to the house to rest for a while and then return for a few hours this evening.  I suggested a walk in the shade garden.

It is a time of transition in the bloomers, but that is not the

topic of this post.  I want to tell you about the walkers.  Daddy and I were not alone!  Sister and both cats went with us.  The cats followed along just like they were dogs.  They did not stay very close, but I could tell they were following us.  Sister would see a squirrel and be off after it.  The cats would cut across and be waiting for us.  I knew this was not the first time they had made this walk because the humans took a wrong turns and the cats waited for us back at the place where the trails split.

Health, and loving animals are such a part of country living.