Update on Grandma, what to do this weekend, a little help

Mama took Grandma and Grandpa to the doctor yesterday. Grandma is seeing a gastroenterologist for her continuous bowel discomforts. He once again reassured her that her diverticulosis is a common ailment in our American culture– often remaining undiagnosed in as much as 50% of our population over 50 years old. He reaffirmed that diet can make a huge difference. Advising Grandma to increase her dietary fiber intake. He also said that the recent scan they did on Grandma showed a small fibroid mass on the top of her uterus. It may be the cause of some of the pain Grandma is experiencing. He is not overly concerned, but he is advising Grandma to get a colonoscopy to ensure there is noting internal that is also contributing to her pain. I know this information because Mama insisted – against Grandma’s initial objections – that she sit in on the consultation with the doctor. Grandma tends to either not remember or to remember wrongly most of what she hears. Especially critical pieces of information. This information was too important to let Grandma be the only one who heard the report.

Grandma has not been successful in the past taking the required fluids to evacuate her bowels to have a successful colonoscopy. She is not usually ably to keep the fluids down long enough to cause her bowls to move sufficiently to completely empty her colon. If that is even possible. Grandma is always constipated. Having only one bowel movement per week – if that often. I cannot imagine the shape her colon is in after years of that kind of irregularity. Anyway, she is going to try again. When I did my only colonoscopy, several years ago, I remember the fluids I was required to drink were unpleasant, but not overly so. Whatever nausea came, passed quickly. But even still, the doctor performing the test told me my bowels were still not quite as cleaned out as they would have liked. From the time I spent on the pot, I found that hard to believe. So, pray for Grandma that she would be able to do all that is required for the test to be successful, thereby allowing the doctors to accurately diagnose any ongoing, treatable issues. Her body would greatly benefit from having the colon emptied. Even if it lasts only a short while.

This weekend is supposed to be really nice – weather wise. I have a very long list of things that need to get done. Some are urgent and will probably get priority. Some are fun. Those will be a distraction from the urgent projects. Several are tedious and/or unpleasant but need to get done none-the-less. Those will probably get worked on in small starts. None of the tasks on that list are urgent. I can always stay busy through the limited hours of daylight available regardless of what percolates to the top of the list. That is my focus. To stay busy. To get as much done as is possible. I do not know what Mama’s focus is for the weekend other than cleaning and organizing in preparation for guests. But her focus often sets or upsets the agenda I meditated on.

I have not gotten a call from the guy in our beekeeping club to formalize going with him to gather bees from the inhabited smoker in Gross, TX. If he calls, I will go. If not, I have plenty to fill my time. I did receive the cheap bee keeping suit I ordered. As far as the suit itself is concerned, it fts well and should be adequate. Time will tell. However, neither Mama nor I could figure out how to attach the hood and veil to the suit. So, I looked up a video on how to get that done. There is almost always a video to do any task you could search. When I watched the very short video, I had to chuckle at myself for now seeing the operation without help. But it is like most new actions. Once you see how to do it, it seems simple. Without that little bit if help, it seems impossible – as if things you are trying to figure out were not manufactured correctly. I didn’t feel stupid, but I probably should have.

Thank you, technology, for that little bit of help. And for the gracious nature of the man in the video presenting what he obviously thought was an overly simple task.