Happy Mother's Day!

This morning we were invited to join my brother and his family for a Mother's Day Brunch at the Hotel DeLux in downtown Portland.    Before we went, though, Mom had to have her blood pressure taken.

It was 149/66.  Mom did the math - she added it up, as usual, and as usual the calculation was on target!

I then presented her with a bouquet and some flowers.

From there we went to Hotel Delux and into the Green Room of Gracie's to meet with Lawrence, Kathleen, Megan, Frank and Maryann Krebs, Michael and Marc (Kathleen's parents, and her children) for brunch.  It was quite wonderful.  Lawrence was very generous!  He gave Mom a card and some CD's that she will very much enjoy.

From there, we parted ways, and went to St. A's for Mom to change so we could go for a walk.  She thought I should change, as well, from my pants and dress shirt, sweater and tie, but I hadn't thought to pack a bag - so I was stuck.

After a short time, we headed off to Vista House in the Gorge.  However, it seemed at least a quarter of the population had thought the same, and the lines for parking were quite long. So, we thought better of it, and put it down as something to do during the week.  We then headed off for Multnomah Falls.  

We noticed that there were cars everywhere, and many trying to find spots to park.  This was depressing.  We glided gently through the front of Multnomah Falls Parking lot, and found a spot, but Mother was less than rapturous about having to walk along the highway.  "Couldn't we find something else?  Could we go to Rooster Rock?" she asked with gleeful anticipation.  

"Sure!" I responded. 

We proceeded to drive to the I-84 on-ramp.  ON the way, though, we came to Horsetail Falls.  I queried her about parking and just taking a gander.  She thought it a wonderful idea.  So, we parked (a miracle to find a spot so quickly!), and walked over to view the falls.  

She wanted to hike a little ways up the trail - 0.4 miles didn't seem a long distance and very doable - at the time.  We hiked up and up and up the steep trail.  She stopped for breath several times, but she wasn't shuffling her feet.  I worried about her balance, and - voila! she was stooping and looking quite dizzy.   It would seem she was suffering vertigo - not a great deal, but enough.  

We kept going.  She wasn't going to give in - NO!  "We have to get up there!  It's not even a half a mile," she kept stating.  

Finally, after 0.2 miles, she decided it would be best to go back.  She was tired, a little dizzy, and we both worried about her ability to navigate the trail back down if she made it to the top.  

She was disappointed.  However, once we began to head back down, there was a twinkle in her eyes that belied how glad she was not going up any further.  She did not like my idea of just rolling down the hillside to the car lot below us.  

She was so very happy to be out in the open air, getting all the wonderful fresh air in her lungs, and feeling free!!!!

We made it back down without incident (except for the little trip she had from which she recovered quickly and didn't fall), and she rested on the bench gazing at the falls. 

From there, we headed back out to the Dairy Queen in Troutdale for a Strawberry Shortcake Blizzard (for her) which she delighted in!  Remember, she loves ice cream!

I returned her to St. A's after a long and busy day, happily weary, and duly spent.  I put on one of her new CD's from Lawrence while she relaxed in her recliner in her room.  

I then kissed her on the forehead and took my leave.  She had a very good Mother's Day this year!

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Other Updates - 

Thursday we saw Dr. Brad who examined Mom's squishy teeth.  He gave her some gum tools (floss on a handle, and a gum stabber thing for between the teeth).  

I think she has a crush on him!

We will be phoning him again tomorrow because she lost her crown, again......

We then went to lunch at Shari's, and afterward we saw the movie, Heaven Is For Real.  

She really had a fun day, that day.  She was quite upset, though, as she thought I should attend the tea the next day.  Unfortunately, that couldn't happen as I do have a job....

Next week, we see the doctor, and, perhaps, Dr. Brad, and will hopefully have a referral for a neurologist.  

Mom is still trying to figure out how to move back to Port Angeles, and get a car and her driver's license.  She also wants me to quit my job so she can take care of me.  Yikes!

She's doing quite well, though, and she has been in the most positive space I've seen her in years!  Her outlook is rosy, and she's quite optimistic about most things. 

Letters and cards make her misty-eyed, and she loves having them there to share and read over and over.  

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to her life.