After six weeks, an outing to get a perm

I have not been out of this building in what seems like forever. The last time was April 4 with my sister for shopping and lunch. But that was a quick outing not a long one.

My friend Mike was coming up to take me to get a perm. I don't like to talk too much about going out. But I did tell therapy that I probably would not be here. I did ask if they would help me to transfer to the bathroom and into my power chair after breakfast. Ms. L/therapist emailed they could do that. I hoped it would happen to make things flow better..

Last night, I wished someone could start the van. It never gets driven. Dead batteries have been replaced twice in the last three years, well, AAA replaced them twice and jumpstarted the van twice. A car battery will not stay charged if the vehicle is never driven, or started.

With some trepidation I moved towards this morning. I told Mike the van would probably be dead and would need to be jumped at least. But I hoped I could get out in front of that.

Then, without thinking about it, I forgot to ask if my power chair was plugged in last night . It usually always is but an activity aide was working the floor and that's not her regular routine.

This morning I discovered my chair wasn't plugged in. When I asked an aide to plug it in, they got all bent out of shape. They all said it was not their fault it was not plugged in. I never inferred that it was. I was trying to correct second or third shift's error of forgetting to charge it. The aides plugged it in – just 10 minutes after my last request to do it.

Then E/aide started my van and the battery was dead. I wanted to call AAA. But I had to get ready for the day. So I asked if the receptionist here could call them for me.

They were to be here in 45 minutes. They said I needed to go out and take my ID to prove who I was. I said they could try taking it because I needed to get ready. They took out my ID and AAA card and saved me a trip.

Getting ready was slow. Therapy was not here to help me stand to transfer so the aides had to use the Hoyer – which is slower.

So I went without makeup. Who needs makeup anyway when you're getting a perm that drips all over your face?

I wonder if AAA documented somewhere that a nursing home resident's minivan had a dead battery because the facility did not regularly start her vehicle.

AAA has given my van and me a lot of service. My sister pays for AAA membership. I paid for 20 years of membership a long time ago. I never got one emergency service, battery, or jumpstart from AAA because I never called them. I guess now they are paying up.

After all that drama, I got to the salon and the perm started about 30 minutes later. I wasn't finished until almost 2 PM. My hair is curlier and it got trimmed. It also has more life in it – at least for today.

This morning it was the perils of Pauline. But this afternoon turned out to be better.

A day out  with a friend to get beautified and a lunch of pizza and salad afterwards was special.