☀️ The Atmosphere in Urasoe, Minatogawa, Okinawa This Morning
This morning in Urasoe, Okinawa, the weather is sunny, with temperatures around 31°C and humidity at 76%, enveloping us in a typical midsummer atmosphere. At this time of year in Okinawa, the muggy heat sets in early in the morning, and changes in atmospheric pressure before typhoons can easily cause health fluctuations. Our daily rhythm also tends to be influenced by the weather. Today, I’ll be documenting this morning’s scene in Minatogawa and a typical day in our caregiving life.
🌿 Morning Care and a Leisurely Start
Even when I call out, “Time to wake up~,” there’s no response. It takes several exchanges before my mother finally gets up. Lately, her appetite has been waning, and she seems to be suffering a bit from summer fatigue. Thanks to her eating well this spring, her weight loss has been gradual, but I’ll need to keep a close eye on her as the season progresses.
I had a croissant and coffee, while my mother had half of yesterday’s leftover roasted sweet potato. Time flows slowly as we care for her during this quiet morning in Minatogawa.
🧺 Pre-Typhoon Laundry and a Hectic Morning
Today is the day before the typhoon. That’s why I ran the washing machine twice starting this morning—I want to get everything done by mid-morning.
Between laundry loads, I stopped by the “Tomato” pharmacy. I went because they said the medication I couldn’t pick up yesterday had arrived, but the parking lot at Dōjin Hospital was full. The security guard directed me to a temporary parking lot on a narrow, sloping road built on the site of a former residential area. It was barely wide enough for one car to pass through, so it might be a bit challenging for female drivers.
After picking up the medication and returning home, I immediately hung up the laundry and started preparing lunch. It’s been a hectic morning so far.
🍳 Today’s lunch is somen champuru
Since my mother said, “I don’t eat cold somen,” I made somen champuru today. In Okinawa, we tend to have leftover somen in the summer, but stir-frying it makes it easier to eat, and I’m glad it’s also easy on the stomach as a meal for someone receiving care.
After lunch, I got ready to take her to her afternoon day care program. Under the strong, summery sunlight of Minatogawa, another day gets underway.
🌺 Tips for Caregiving in Okinawa During Summer
The height of summer in Okinawa brings high humidity from early morning, making it easy to lose energy. When providing care, the following tips are helpful:
- Drink fluids early in the morning
- Set the air conditioner to “low dehumidification” to avoid overcooling the body
- When appetite wanes, offer small portions of easily digestible foods like sweet potatoes, eggs, and tofu
- Do laundry and run errands during the cooler morning hours.
Even in areas like Minatogawa with a sea breeze, the muggy heat intensifies before a typhoon, so managing your health is very important.
🌼 Summary
Today, too, the morning in Urasoe and Minatogawa, Okinawa, began with the muggy heat typical of summer. While caregiving often involves hectic moments, recording each event like this helps you see the accumulation of daily life. Let’s take it easy this afternoon as well, moving at a pace that doesn’t strain us.
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