OOPS! I DID IT AGAIN

OOPS! I DID IT AGAIN!!

I need a bigger bag!

$#^(#@

Hmm! Should I begin with a line from a Brittany Spears song, “Oops, I did it again” or go with my more familiar Brooklyn NY attitude, “Damn! What an idiot!”

Maybe both!

I’m a part-time home health care / companion aid. The woman I help has a physical instability that affects her walking. One day she’ll be walking fine, (naturally using her walker) as if there’s nothing wrong. The next day, rather than using a proper walking gait, she shuffles. I can’t say she takes baby steps because I’ve seen babies walk faster and more properly that she does even taking longer leg-strides. I have to be ever conscious when she stands, so I can watch should her legs don’t weaken which would cause her to fall.

There are times during the day when she’ll let me know when she wants to veg on the couch, put the TV on, and take a quick nap.

I won’t go into all my responsibilities because that’s not what I’m writing about. It’s irrelevant. She isn’t the problem, I am.

You see, in addition to taking care of Ms. G, I take care of my husband. No, he isn’t an invalid (not exactly), but he does have a number of health issues.

At my age, I have my own health issues, but I try to take care of them the best I can, so I’ll be healthy enough to care for those who depend on me.

Yes, I create my own problems and do that successfully by not paying closer attention to minor details.

For instance, you can read all my work here on Vocal to see where my mind goes. However, to complicate matters, there are times when I want to jot down a note or two about a new story. As soon as that lightbulb in my brain lights up, I need to jot down that thought or, you guessed it! It’s gone!

Take today, for instance. I was making lunch for Ms. G. when a thought, as quick as a bolt of lightning struck me. Being in the middle of cooking for her, I neglected to find a piece of paper and a pen. No, I didn’t have my notebook with me! (My Brooklyn: Damn!)

By the time her lunch was consumed, the dishes washed, and her exercises completed, I totally forgot about whatever thought I had. It’s been four hours since that idea gave me a mental spark, but it’s gone now. No clue! Not even the hint of my imaginative juices that flooded through my head like an unsuspecting tsunami.

Once home, I rummaged through my closet and found a tote that I used occasionally. It just might be large enough to accommodate my needs.

In this tote will go my everyday items: wallet, the separate document holder where I keep my necessary medical and insurance papers, driver’s license, keys – you know the usual stuff.

Since I know whatever smaller items I would want to put in it will probably fall to the bottom and never be found for weeks, I’ll be using a purse organizer to keep that from happening. That will use up a decent amount of room. But now, I’ll have a place to carry my water bottle, perhaps if I’m in the mood, a small snack, AND a notebook and two pens.

Yeah, two pens! What would I do if I’m in the middle of jotting down a thought and I run out of ink? Huh? Yeah, two pens.

Oh, and I can’t forget a book to read, just in case I have a brain fart (which happens periodically). I also need my small calendar book where I keep track of doctor’s appointments. Yeah, I know I can keep them on my phone, but I have a problem with my phone. Again MY problem, not my phone. And the problem is that I can’t often figure out a few things on the phone, especially when I’m in a hurry.

If I’m on a phone call and need to switch screens to look at my calendar, by the time I figure out how to get back to the call, I’ve already disconnected it.

Hey, as I said, there are too many bees buzzing inside my head. So, yes, I carry a physical, paper booklet calendar to keep track of things.

All that said, now, let’s see have I forgotten anything?

Maybe I should get a bigger bag and try carrying the kitchen sink around with everything else!

Damn, if I did that, for sure, I wouldn’t have enough room for my little notebook.

I’d better forget the kitchen sink. I really don’t want to begin anything else with, “Oops, I did it again!”