When I arrived at Barnes in June I tried ever so hard to "walk the hall" each day in order to exercise. All the way around the floor is 500 ft, so 10.56 or 11 times around is a mile; I never could quite make that mile in one day this past summer.
One of the great benefits of my brief reprieve in Urbana was that despite a great loss in large muscle strength due to my extended stay at Barnes this summer, I worked up to being able to walk one mile, slowly of course; amazing what walking up and down one's slightly inclined driveway can do! So, when I returned to Barnes a few weeks ago, I was determined to try and keep up my walking so as not to lose the muscle strength I had just worked so hard to gain back.
This past week I was taking my morning walk in the hall and each time I passed the Family Lounge I smelled something akin to moist earth. I was a bit concerned because I thought live plants were not allowed on the floor and so I peeked into the Family Lounge where I spotted two huge potted plants, one white and one red mum. I voiced my concern to the Charge Nurse on the floor and mentioned that my "Chemo Nose" (highly sensitive to smells since chemo) had detected live plants in the Family Lounge and that I could smell the wet earth in the hall. He said he would check it out and get back to me. Well, the next morning Stephen was here with me and of course I related the story to him as we walked around the floor pointing out the exact location I had smelled the wet earth the day before. He went into the family room, came out and said: "Oh yes, your "Chemo Nose" detected two plastic plants!" We broke up laughing; a plant biologist's fantasy perhaps?
Hi Deborah, Glad you're keeping up your muscle tone--with or without live plants!!! Met your mom at the Urbana game last week (and URBANA won on that beautiful new field!!!) Missed seeing you there--you are so like your mom!
ReplyDeleteSending lots of prayers and well wishes your way.
Maeve and the Reillys
Dear Deborah and family,
ReplyDeleteShana Tova to you all. Hoping that this year brings some good to you each day and better things ahead.
So they are making artificial plants even more realistic these days? Who knew? (Who nose?)
An old poem for your hall wanderings:
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
May God be with you and bless you:
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.
May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home
And may the hand of a friend always be near.
May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.
Cheers!
--Kari
Hi Deborah,
ReplyDeleteWell, my eyes have been fooled by plastic plants LOTS of times lately! I keep pinching them when I see them, and it's still hard to tell sometimes. I never thought to smell them :) Thank your for your cheerful post. I think of you often.
Kathy S.
Deborah,
ReplyDeleteI was at someone's house a few months ago where they had silk flowers that smelled like roses (although the flowers weren't roses, so a bit weird). Supposedly the scent lasts for about 30 days! Maybe since potted plants don't smell of much (whether real or plastic), one way to make fake ones appear more real is to add a moist earth scent to them. Who knows/nose?!
Catherine
Deborah,
ReplyDeleteI was at someone's house a few months ago where they had silk flowers that smelled like roses (although the flowers weren't roses, so a bit weird). Supposedly the scent lasts for about 30 days! Maybe since potted plants don't smell of much (whether real or plastic), one way to make fake ones appear more real is to add a moist earth scent to them. Who knows/nose?!
Catherine