Instead of Business Meeting

RantWoman went to see Jana today after Business Meeting. Jana asked how Business Meeting was. Another Friend was also visiting. RantWoman and Other Friend looked at each other. We looked back at Jana. We looked at each other again. "Everyone came out alive, as far as we know." (RantWoman is humble about her own contribution to the nature of this process; that is grist for another post.)

Upon hearing that it was that sort of Business Meeting, Jana announced that, although she and Warren most assuredly would have been glad to see people, she was glad of what they did instead: Warren and Jana went to their house. Jana made it all the way up the stairs to their main level by hopping the stairs! RantWoman thinks she and Warren had lunch.

Jana talked of setting things out on the table after Warren brought them to the table. She talked of feeling dizzy while putting things in the dishwasher. She talked of thinking about doing one thing at a time and after one set of things gets easy trying something harder. She talked of how getting up the stairs requires a lot of upper body strength which she likely will develop more of and that getting down is easier.

All of this is huge steps even from when RantWoman saw Jana on Wednesday. Jana had about 10 visitors who either went or arrived while RantWoman was visiting on Wednesday. Jana showed off her brace and spoke gratefully of the friend who went to Value Village and got her soft shirts to wear under the brace. RantWoman was glad to hear that between padding and soft clothing the brace really did not hurt, especially since Jana is supposed to wear it all the time unless she is lying flat on her bed.

Wednesday Jana also mentioned working with her therapist about how to get up from the floor. Jana reported that the therapist thought Jana would not need this but had to learn it just in case, so she can get up without having to call 911.

RantWoman is enjoying hearing Jana reconstruct what she has been told about the early days after the accident, about all the things her daughter tells her she did. RantWoman also continues to be in awe by all the friends from different circles of Jana's life who have appeared in Jana's hospital room. Finally, RantWoman has been with Jana several times when Warren has left for the night. RantWoman is touched by the tender security both Jana and Warren show when they part: Jana to be at the hospital and Warren to be at home apart from each other.

RantWoman thinks having the day when Jana will go home on the horizon this very week seems both miraculous and a little sobering. Going home is a major step on Jana's journey back from the accident. She will have physical therapy exercises. She looks forward to reading, knitting, having people over in small groups. On the other hand, if one thinks one has one's eyes on a return to work, it could get discouraging for instance to get dizzy around the dishwasher. This is the first time in all of RantWoman's visits that RantWoman has detected a note of question about the future. RantWoman feels very, very tender about times when one must simply do the next thing, be present for the beauties of different moments, and let bigger pictures work themselves out. RantWoman blesses the new horizons and holds Jana and her family in the Light at the same time.