Well,
that’s the silly season over for another year. Here’s how I spent my Christmas
Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day;
Christmas
Eve was my first official day of holidays! See, I’d finished blasted
seemingly-unhelpful hydrotherapy for mother on Monday, occupational therapy on
Tuesday, land physiotherapy on Wednesday and sessions from the exercise
physiologist on Thursday; I woke up going yay I’m finally on HOLIDAYS!
Seriously, I’ve had multiple therapies several times weekly since the very
beginning of the year and surely I deserved a break because Christmas was
arriving the NEXT DAY!
Pity that I
had to endure a super-stressful morning at the hands of mother … not really the
ideal way to begin my holidays, but hey. It wasn’t anything spectacular; just
mother gleefully forcing me to do things whilst in standing. See, nowadays, I
do most things while seated (ie. I even shower whilst seated in a shower chair)
and when necessary, I can walk short distances (and how easily mother forgets
that the doctors in the hospital told her I’d NEVER WALK AGAIN! ><) but
the hardest thing for me to do is just stand. I guess it’s coz I’ve got such
sh*tty standing balance; whenever I’m upright I’m terrified I’ll fall over. I
realize I do tend to harp on about falling over a lot and for that I apologise,
but it’s just because were I idiotic enough to fall over, I physically don’t
have the capacity to get myself back upright, meaning I’d just be seated on the
floor, waiting for someone to come over and pull me back upright.
Anyhow,
somehow I endured that and then Kim came to take me out to lunch at 12:30pm ! See, this year, usually every
Monday arvo I’ve got physio at UQ; since mother hates driving she’s organized
for a carer to drive me to physio and back but since I’ve finally finished
blasted physio for the year, we went out for lunch at the Warrigal Square Sushi
Train instead! Pity mother gleefully restricted me to only three plates (her
orders were to eat two and take one more home or arvo tea) coz I would’ve
really loved some udon, but hey. Mother’s FOREVER coming up with ways to
restrict me. >< *sigh*
Lunch over,
Kim sees me home showered before leaving at 3:30pm . I happily plop online for my most
important hours of the day. Well, if you ask dad, the most important hours of
the day should be the time I spend towards improving my mobility and become
more able/less dependant, but if I can’t call those two hours the most
important of my day, I’ll call them the only two hours of the day for myself.
See, perhaps I attend physio for dad and all these other therapies for mother,
but the PISSY two hours I’m allotted per day are the ONLY TWO HOURS FOR MYSELF.
Like, I’m free to check e-mail, browse Facebook, play Bejeweled, etc. it’s
like, Optus yes time? Emily me time. XD
Christmas
Eve night time sees the parents and I attending church for the CM Christmas
party!
Upon
entering, I’m dismayed to see that the seat most to the left has already been
taken. See, post disabling brain injury, one of the many disabilities the cruel
and unfaithful God has abandoned me with is complete left hemianopia, meaning I
have absolutely zero side vision. Meaning if you sit on my left and I look
straight ahead, I simply cannot see you. Hence why whenever I sit, I’ll always
aim for a seat to the most left. I guess I just feel nervous when I can’t see
everyone beside me? But come on, I’m at CHURCH; the chances of someone jumping
at me from the left and tearing my head off are remotely slim. XD Thankfully,
whoever set out the chairs set them up in like three/four little columns; I
just grab the seat to the most left in the column across and don’t feel too
insecure, phew.
Thankfully,
‘twas a night of performances, meaning we weren’t asked to stand, yay. But what
a night it was! Pastor Samuel played the saxophone (he told everyone he’d
started learning the instrument back during high school to win Aunty Harmony’s
heart XD), the little kiddies all did the Lord’s Prayer in sign language and
partway through the night, the hall was even invaded by a troop of Star Wars
Stormtroopers! I wonder who was behind each costume and how did they even
source the costumes in the first place? Anyhow, ‘twas all really cool~
Afterwards,
I hiked downstairs and used the bathroom once before grabbing the most left
seat downstairs, which was thankfully unoccupied this time. For supper, I
thought dad was awesome and had gotten me a little plastic cup of vermicelli,
but when I mentioned this to mother, she rather indignantly screeched, “Hey, I
got you the vermicelli, not dad!” I just smirked back. “Oh, really? Then please
explain to me why you got me this cup of vermicelli when you know full well I’m
not a fan of curry?” Mother just feigns innocence. “Oh, really? I didn’t know!”
Well, perhaps her nose was taking a strike for Christmas, the moment I raised
the cup to my mouth to begin eating, I’d already found that out! XD
Apart from
other nibblies for supper, someone also offered me a cup of grass jelly! Only I
think that stuff’s revolting but being diplomatic, I replied, “I’ve already had
a cup; thanks anyway.” XD
Randoms
like Dr. Lee and Lisa did wander over to say hi~
When the
parents decided ‘twas home time, I hauled myself back up to the car and mother
tootled me back home.
Repeat the
usual nightly routine, zzz~
Christmas
Day;
I only woke
after the sun had risen, when dearest dad walked silently down the hallway and
unpopped the lock leading into the garage. When he entered my room, I sat up,
gave him a big hug and wished him a very Merry Christmas before returning to
happy snorings for awhile longer before mother entered my room and told me to
get up.
My
Christmas present from her this year: she’d gotten me a spoon for my breakfast
porridge! Usually, she doesn’t bother; I’ve gotta grab my own slice of toast
from the toaster and spoon from the drawer. Sometimes I’m tempted to just skip
the toast and just drink the porridge straight from the bowl, but figure mother
will probably bite my head of for that. XD
Since BCAC
wasn’t holding a Christmas service but mother insists we attend church on
Christmas Day, we went to Redeemer Lutheran College
Afterwards,
dad tootled us home, I used the bathroom once then tootled online.
We had a
visitor for Christmas lunch; dad’s high school friend, whom he’d not seen since
they graduated! She’s got one son who’s slightly older than me; born June 1986.
Over lunch, we took selfies; she and dad happily reminicised (sp?), catching up
on everything they’d been through since graduating high school. Mother eagerly
inserted herself into their conversation whenever she had a chance; me, I just
silently finished lunch then happily continued reading the book I was going
through.
In the
arvo, mum takes me to see Aunty Ann for a comfy massage. Have I explained
before? The practice started years ago, when one night when I was out shopping
with a carer/life coach/support worker/whatever they’re called now XD I had to
buy mother a present, and my carer suggested why not buy her a voucher for a
massage? Mother enjoyed her massage so much she started taking me for one every
week also. My masseuse lives in Calamvale; in the same street as Aunty A
actually, but just at the very end. I enjoyed her firm ministrations for one
hour while mother enjoyed yapping unceasingly at Aunty Ann for one hour. XD She
claims I’m biased against her but seriously, from what I’ve heard, mother yaps,
Aunty Ann gives some affirmative sound/comment and mother starts off again! XD
After the
massage, I use the bathroom once then always sit and drink one mug of water
before leaving. Suddenly, Aunty Ann presents me with a gift: a Christmas card
(personally signed by both her and Uncle Tai) and a gift voucher from the
Coffee Club! “Go eat a plate of your beloved eggs benedict,” she instructs,
grinning. I’d dearly love too; mother hasn’t lemme enjoy one whole plate of my
favourite dish at all this year! Personally, I think whoever invented
hollandaise sauce deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. XD
Back home,
I tootle online for my most important two hours of the day and mother heads
upstairs for her arvo nap. Hours later, when she tumbles downstairs and orders
me off to go shower, I comply.
From
memory, our dinner guests arrive just as mother’s helping me retie my
shoelaces; once I head outta the bathroom and reseat myself back in front of
the computer, Joanne goes hey Em, I’ve brought you a Christmas present! I say
thanks; please leave it under the tree and I’ll unwrap come Boxing Day!
We just
chat until dinner’s called; I use the bathroom once then join everyone at the
dining table.
Truth be
told, I can’t really remember what Christmas dinner was. XD I’m sure there was
rice, fish and veggies … maybe even a Chinese mushroom? Someone breaks open a
bottle of wine; me, I stick with orange juice.
Over
dinner, we all just chat about random things and after dinner there’s birthday
cake for mother coz she’s baked herself one!
Everyone
takes their leave around 9pm ; I let mother boot me off to bed at
9:45pm .
Boxing Day:
when mother lets herself into my room to hit me with the eye goo, I sit up,
give her a big hug and wish her a very happy birthday, because today’s her
special day! Me, I’m excited because we’re hitting the Boxing Day sales, I’ve
got thirty bucks (twenty from my Australian godmum and ten from Besta) to spend
and am thinking of either grabbing Matthew Reilly’s newest book or Raymond E.
Feist’s.
After
walking out to the garage, I check to see that my manual wheelchair’s inside
the boot. It is, and I can only hope beyond all hope that the parents will
lemme use it; from memory, last Boxing Day they wouldn’t and ‘twas a dreadful
shopping trip coz I couldn’t browse. Like I’ve explained before, when I’m
upright I’m only focusing on reaching the next place where I can sit.
Dad tootles
us off to Westfield Carindale and on arrival, pops the boot to get my manual
wheelchair out! Hallelujah, that means I’ll get to browse for items today;
suddenly this shopping trip looks awesome!
With my
thirty bucks, I wanna make a beeline for the closest bookstore but first must
wait along the hallway when dad spots one of his favourite shops, Robin’s
Kitchen. Only I musnt be very impatient/dad takes too long there coz I spot a
Target next door and tell the parents, “I’m going into Target. Come find me when
you’re done.”
Several
minutes later, mother finds me browsing an aisle somewhere; I haven’t made it
very deep into the store because while I can wheel and steer myself just fine
with only one more-or-less fully functioning arm and leg, I’m rather slow. XD
Mother
finds Dymocks! Even before I enter the store, I see the two books I’m after
sitting right out the front! Of course, new releases are always expensive and
sure enough, I’ve only got money to buy either one, but after I read the blurbs
I’m no closer to making a decision on which I should buy! See, Feist is my
absolute favourite author ever and Reilly’s really exciting to read! Hmm … do
you think mother would be willing to shout me the extra money so I can buy both
the books? Nah, she’s not THAT nice. (Actually, if you ask me, she’s not even
remotely nice at all, but shh … XD) in the end, I walk away with neither,
because mother says don’t spend your cash on books; go buy clothes instead!
Yay that
there’s a JayJays in Carindale; more than two years ago, when mother still
allowed me to use my manual wheelchair on my fortnightly shopping trips at
Garbo, Jay Jays was my favourite store! I remember once visiting their website
and finding out that it’s a store that catered for like twenty to twenty-five
year olds; I’d asked my carer, “Um, should I find a new favourite shop now? Coz
I’ve outgrown that age bracket. My carer had grinned back. “No worries. You’re
Asian and Asians look younger; Jay Jays can still be your favourite shop.”
Score. XD
Anyways, at
Jay Jays, I picked up two/three tees; that’s my Boxing Day sales shopping done
for the year!
Shopping
done, dad tootles us home. Mother hits the sack upstairs, I pop online for my
most important two hours of the day and dearest dad starts whipping up a
birthday dinner for mother!
When mother
tumbles downstairs from her long nap, I’m ordered off to shower. After I’m
nearly all redressed, ding dong! Our first guests arrive; it’s the Kwoks!
Joey’s come with but not Matthew; I presume he’s got other plans for Boxing
Day.
Once I’m
all set, I make my way out of the bathroom. Upon seeing me, Joey calls, “Hey
Em, I brought you a Christmas present!” to which I reply, “Sweet, many thanks!
Please put it under the tree; I’ll unwrap it tonight.”
It’s about 6pm ; I’ve just tuned into Nine’s news
to watch their 6pm bulletin, when dinner’s called! Oh, and the
Slams arrive also~
One more
loo trip for me before I join everything @ the dining table.
My dearest
dad’s prepared a sumptuous spread for everyone: there’s duck, tofu, prawns,
fish, veggies and rice. Someone else opens a bottle of white wine; I laughingly
tell our guests that when they leave tonight they’re to follow the colourful
footprints my dad has stuck onto the floor; if they can’t walk in a straight
line then before reaching the front door take the last left and sleep on the
bed there; that’s my bedroom now but I’ve also got one upstairs and I’ll hike
up one floor to sleep tonight should you prove incapable to walk in a straight
line, thus obviously rendering you unfit to drive. XD
Over
dinner, everyone just chats. I ask Joey how come Matthew didn’t join us
tonight; she tells me he’s got other plans and actually just returned from a
work trip in India
Afterwards,
mother’s prepared a cake, because Aunty Catherine, Aunty A Anna and her all
have birthdays in December! I rather like this cake; I probably think it’s
particularly delicious because she remembered to add unsalted butter and not
salted butter, like she did for my SALTY birthday cheesecake. XD
Everyone
takes their leave around 9pm ; I wave Uncle Calvin and Uncle Slam
to proceed me down the hallway then following them before declaring at the
entrance, “Good, you can both walk in a straight line. That’s why I’m allowing
you to leave. Else you would’ve just turned left here and slept on that bed.”
XD
After
everyone had taken their leave, I visited the loo once more then sat down to
unwrap my presents from Santa!
… What can
I say? Thanks for my presents, but I’m rather disappointed, Santa; you didn’t
get me very many at all! >< XD When I mentioned this sad fact that to
mother, she rather unkindly jeered at me, “Well, duh. You’re OLD now. Old
people don’t get presents.” Huh, I’m still gonna keep writing Christmas
wishlists to Santa asking for Christmas presents; you try and stop me! ><
XD
anyhow,
that’s how I spent my Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The silly
season is now officially over for another year!
Next post
here … well sorry for being rather unorganized and not blogging about the 24th,
25th and 26th of December until now; 2019 arrives the day
after tomorrow, and I’ll haveta post my reflections for the year that’s about
to leave us! Anyhow, until then~
Cheers,
Em. ^^
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