That was the line I found myself saying to the bro-in-law over the phone just now. Well, to be precise, I should re-phrase that to "it takes 3 men to look after a homemaker", yet we (or at least me in the matter) still feel inadequate, all these 2 weeks or so.
Mum fell down from an unsuccessful skipping incident after losing the 3-way fight between seat-belt, an umbrella and her feet when she was exiting the car on Mother's Day. After 2 visits to an ortho, she is still on a wheelchair, with the few aided walking exercise she managed daily. As I tell myself in preparation in getting back to my missed calls & messages; It was a stressful 2 weeks + indeed.
But as with God's plan, we were never sure of the things we had to do and how we'd question on it might be of use in the grander scheme of things? Somehow it became clear this time around, or at least we would like to comprehend. There was a moment last year that Mum half-lamented quasi-joked that her remaining two children would spend their time caring for other people's parents: but as it played out now, Harry and I came back with experiences for this trying period. (well, Harry's more vital imho)
Dad, well Dad has been recuperating from his gallbladder op last year or at least in his own mind's view he has healed completely with the grace of God, since he is practically back to his merry-way of strenous-lifting and gorgeous eating habits; only for several instances when he felt pain and some crucial piece of advices (with the same bottomline) from his respected doctors that he needs to be watching his activities and diet as he is only less than 6 months after his surgery so please don't think you are on a super-soldier build. (ok, I made that last part up)
Dad spends his time waking Mum up in the morning (since the kids are doing the night shifts) and doing market and fish runs (yes, the in-house 'chef' is spared from touching and preparing his dreaded fish still) and doing the wash (which we were barred from doing too, it seems Dad is the 2nd best in doing laundry, so we kids haven't got our level-5 clearance or some sort)
But Dad is Dad, the impatience to literally pull Mum up or very insistence to wheel her when she should be having more walking exercise.
Now on to the 2nd help : Harry.
His time as a caretaker/driver & co-driver/ nightwatch/ listener & co-conspirator with his boss' father has him picking up some invaluable physio and cardio tips. He dispenses and reminded Mum to work on her leg numbness and getting in & out of the bed. Aside from that, he's also the main night-watch here as well, as their rooms are closer.
And so it is my turn. I'm the resident 'chef ', and it has been a stressful albeit fun time to learn Chinese cuisine in such a way that I get to exercise my mental notes and own synergy of flavors with what we have here (and in the tiny fridge). Been cooking quite a bit, that I've abandoned taking any more x4 speed videos and only on occasions I remembered to take pictures of food. Aside from this I am the hyper-mart go-getter as well as the seconds in day-watch and night-watch role; though I am chiefly the main tuck-her-to-bed fella. Oh and cold/ice pack jockey, too. I just created new roles as I go huh?
oh, last but not least (since I have a wee bit of time today, with everyone awake at this hour, coincidentally it's supposed to be my nap-time, but since I slept/K.O.ed last night from the previous morning's montage-making for Heidi's In Memoriam, hence this blog piece today) on the 4th 'person' in this household: Angèl, her grand'cat'
He is, well, his role is pretty undefined, but he is smart enough to not bother Mum for fish, and occasionally massages (kneads) her, and well in that process probably purrs their cat's rejuvenating healing factor sonar rays or somewhat. Oh, and he watches Mum when she sleeps too, but in a capacity of being bed-buddies and watching her from his hiding spots among her boxes nearby.
Add his usual role prior to this of ridding the house of lizards and bugs, cats and stray dogs, you have the reason why he is the mascot of this house ... until God willing, he gets to share the title with my Chance when I get him back.
Ok, time to get ready to cook.
this is the 1 rare occasion of Angèl being wheeled
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oh, today is Sunday, where I (ehem, we) don't cook, sort of a day off of the week from the kitchen, Normally its a lunch meet-up after our respective churches' service followed with a dine-out; but these 2 weeks are rather a dine-in. So perhaps it is a telling sign for me to get back properly on the net (please, let the connection be good tonight) and mayhap blog another post about, yesterday itself, too.
As I re-read back this post, I realized I kinda rushed the end eh? as in there isn't any ending since I thought I need to log off and prep the dish that I didn't end at all (well, perhaps took a bit too much in detailing the respective people's roles I guess)
and I missed out the watering of plants duty and actual house clean-up chores too, and the graces bestowed upon Mum by her church friends in the form of visits, calls, prayers, & walking aids and my take on Mum's motivation to get better soonest possible (that somehow mirrors the reason why I wanted to blog about this in the first place)
Oh well.