transit of tutu - Tuesday's post

I wish I could post the astounding picture of tai chi tutu we received Tuesday afternoon. She looks focused as she stands with arms out at her sides, shoulder height. A pose I doubt we could get her to recreate, let alone hold. I can't share the picture because tutu no longer has the capacity to give me permission. She was diagnosed as having had a series of small strokes a few years ago and her ability to manage daily tasks has been in incremental but inexorable decline.

For the past couple of years, mom, dad, and Sis C and her family, with assistance from wonderful home care worker S have attended to tutu in her condo by taking shifts to ensure 24hr coverage. This schedule was undertaken out of their desire to support her staying in her home until she needed more professional structure to keep up a quality of life.

So Tuesday marked another milestone. My grandmother started her first day at the senior care home the family had agreed on when my dad's brothers were in town last year for tutu's 90th birthday. The home calls itself a "residential memory care facility (RMCF)."

Mom's illness did not speed up the timeline. According to mom it was dependent on tutu's condition and, after the first opening was declined in September, the family decided the next opening would be accepted. In the meantime mom got sick, and they learned the next expected opening was after the middle of January.

I took mom's evening shift last week and expected to continue to do so until I left in January, but fate DOES move in mysterious ways. Sis C called me while I was working and asked if I had been by RMCF the evening before. I was a bit puzzled by her question, then she explained.

Tuesday, a resident had fallen, broken a hip and had to be hospitalized. The director called Sis C and said a spot might be opening immediately. Fortunately for me, tutu wasn't my only witness to having been with her in her condo most of the previous evening. Friends came over to visit and, as they're both lawyers and officers of the court, I can categorically state that I was no where near that facility during the time the unfortunate accident occurred.

With relief more than thankfulness (after all, someone did fall and was not able to get up) Sis C and her kids moved tutu into RMCF today. My niece Little E wasn't prepared for the suddeness of the move, though she told me later she knew it was going to happen sometime. They had to decorate tutu's room in the dark because there was a power outage that morning and as they worked by lantern light, Little E told Sis C that she could not be a party to this and perhaps the power outage was a sign that they should not be abandoning tutu to the clutches of RMCF. Ok, I added that last part.

Fortunately for all, the transition was easier for tutu than Little E. The director told Sis C as she was leaving that it was the smoothest he had seen. The picture of tai chi tutu arrived later in the day with a note that she was participating in all the activities and the staff was enjoying her.

I hope the happy glow lasts.