Wednesday, August 24, 2022 7:52 PM

Hello, thanks for joining us.

  Larry was sleeping from the beginning of the visit almost to the end, with a few 'awake' moments in between. A bit of coughing, but more peaceful time without. Iris, his nurse said he'd been awake & alert all morning. He had another Holter monitor attached to his chest. I was told that the 1st one was fine, but that they always do it twice.

  The physio came by. Larry woke up for her. She asked if he'd like a change of scenery & go to the gym. He shrugged his shoulders as if to say "I guess so!" I really enjoy it when Larry makes a cheeky gesture, which says more than words, especially these days. It was exciting to see Larry leaving his room in a wheelchair, not to mention go to the exercise room. He was really looking around while Ava & an assistant hoisted him up with the sling, to transfer him to a bench type surface. So hard to know what he could be thinking, consciously or sub-consciously. One physio was kneeling behind him so that he could rest against her if he needed to. He supported himself fairly well, including his head which was a little like a 'bobble head' doll. He quickly started snoring. And that was the end of his participation in the session. The physio positioned his legs & arms, to assess him, then back in the wheelchair he went. She will try again on Friday, as tomorrow he will have dialysis. It felt strange & I can't explain it, to see Larry as a patient in a setting that he worked in, helping hundreds, probably thousands of people over his 35 years as a therapist. It was kind of a 'shock' feeling, or even PTST. It left me numb! I quietly exited to go have my lunch with no thoughts in my mind, so I didn't invite any either. A rehab gym, is a whole new world. Larry's nurse & physio both told me to take him out of his room when he's in his wheelchair, to a lounge area with a big window, floor to ceiling. Hopefully that can happen each day.

  Back in his bed, I took advantage (no, not of him) of his stillness sleeping, & trimmed his mustache & beard. Oh my, handsome Larry once again! He's rarely looked like a shaggy dog, so it was lovely to see him looking his old self, but with more defined cheekbones, with his weight loss.

  Larry only peeked with eyes half open, to see 2 friends that popped in at different times for a visit.  I did manage to get 2 minutes of his eyes meeting mine, & then 2 great kisses at the end of our visit. After all the sleeping he did during this day, I was hoping that he was saving his 'awakeness' for his 'little' sister who came as I was leaving.

 Tomorrow will be, what tomorrow will be! And, whatever that is, my holding Larry's hand, stroking his face & rubbing his feet while I sing "You'll never know just how much I love you!" will be a part of it.

God bless you. If there's someone who's life will be lifted up by you telling them that you love them, I hope you do! xoxo