As I wrote yesterday, Eileen and I spent from around 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM in the Emergency Room with my Mom. We returned around 5 PM to check on her and drop off her hearing aid charger and a book. She was sleeping soundly in her room.
Eileen and I had to don protective clothing to enter her room. She was suspected of having C. diff. C. diff or Clostridium difficile is the name of a bacteria present in the gut which is normally harmless.
But when it gets out of balance it causes potentially life threatening diarrhea. This condition is also apparently highly contagious. I’m expecting to learn more about Mom’s condition this morning when I go over and visit her before my first Ballet class.
Despite the ER trip, I had a very nice birthday.
I got to spend a lot of time with Eileen and did some catching up on my reading while we hung around at the hospital. I met with my violinist who is performing this Sunday at church. She gave me a birthday gift of a bottle of fancy looking vodka. She told me that she doubted if she would be playing violin at this point in life if not for me (and presumably the piano trio). I don’t think she’s right about that, but it’s a nice compliment.
She also told me that she had purchased my gift out of money she had made with her violin. Another nice compliment and one dear to my heart. I love to see musicians get paid.
After this rehearsal I had a very good chat with my boss. We talked about the errors that have been cropping up in the weekly bulletin and also some of my own ambivalence about the extremes of philosophy in Episcopalian church music I have been pondering (See Monday’s blog post). Jen has some good ideas about restoring her control and leadership at Grace which has been a bit looser than she likes.
A workman came yesterday and regrouted sections of our shower. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the grout has to “cure” for 72 hours. That means I have to shower upstairs until then.
Tonight is the first choir rehearsal of the season. I feel reasonably prepared but wish I had had more time yesterday to prep myself for this evening. I have stuff scheduled from 11 AM to 2 PM (Ballet classes and staff meeting). After that I will rest up for this evening.
Both Eileen and I were exhausted after yesterday’s ordeal. I can imagine how hard it was on Mom. I continue to wonder how my energy and health will hold up under my new schedule.
Today’s goal is to live through rehearsal tonight.
Review: In ‘Black Man in a White Coat,’ a Doctor Navigates Bruising Terrain – NYT
The author of this book was on the PBS Newhour last night. I think the book sounds interesting.
The Concert Hall as Refuge in a Restless, Web-Driven World – The New York Time
Observations on attention span and classical music.
Justice Breyer Sees Value in a Global View of Law – The New York Times
Breyer sounds like a very bright judge.
John Lewis: How we won, and are losing, the right to vote – The Washington Post
John Lewis review Ari Berman’s Give Us the Ballot. He is a major player in the book which I am madly trying to finish before its due date to be returned to the library.