Back Home, Head Spinning

I’ve been home for four days, after helping my younger daughter in Bend, who had ankle surgery, and her two little boys, ages four and six and a half.  I slept for one whole day after my return, and felt foggy for three more. Today I feel like myself, but, let me tell you, the day has been very irritating.  First, I attached a new modem to my computer, which wouldn’t connect to the internet. All of the wires were hooked up exactly the way the old wires were to the old modem, but no luck.  I had to call the phone company and it took the tech about a half hour to figure everything out, and voila, I’m back on line.  The tech was very helpful and patient, much more so than I, but the whole thing left me feeling somewhat discombobulated.  Because of my week in Bend I was going to write about care-taking today, which I’ll now attempt to do.  I used to be everyone’s caretaker, but through hard work over many years have shed that role.  Donning it again was not easy.  My daughter was very appreciative every day, which certainly helped.  I also enjoyed all the time we spent together, her lying on the couch with her foot in a huge black boot, leg up on three pillows, and me sitting beside her, my legs up on an ottoman.  My older daughter, who lives two houses away, was in and out of the house, and very very helpful.  We all laughed and joked, once Leah was off Percocet, which had made her loopy.  I walked the six year old to and from school, made some meals, and helped keep the household running.  It was exhausting, and sure made me feel my age.  Glad to help, and glad to be home.  The entire experience also made me appreciate my life: the help I receive from my partner, the time I spend writing, the time I spend reading on my couch, seeing friends, and walking in the woods across the street from our home.  I no longer have any interest in care-taking anyone but myself, which my time in Bend reaffirmed.  Better to reach psychological health at 70 than not at all!