Paying The Piper For Gardening

Mom spent all day yesterday doing yard work. This has been going on for a week. I kept going out and telling her to come in and that she was over doing it. That means nothing to her as she cannot remember, and therefore relate in any way, to the fact that she has collapsed in the past. I kept telling her to just sit down in a lawn chair and enjoy the yard. Her response was, "Who says I'm not enjoying it?" Part of her activities was to clip the lilacs and to "weed" an 8" swath of grass — bless her heart, she didn't miss a blade — even though the area was part of the lawn!

And therein lies my dilemma. Do I let her work in the yard, which she clearly enjoys, so that she can get some exercise and fresh air? Or do I up her meds so she sits in front of the television like a zombie? I have chosen to let her work in the yard. My father dropped dead in our backyard essentially doing the same thing and everyone said, "At least he died doing what he loved."

Today, however, mother is paying the price. She is totally spaced out and has pain in her neck. She doesn't know where she is, what a "yard" is, or much of anything else. She does remember going to the cemeteries two days ago although she thinks we went this morning.
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