The Time of Her Life

And time goes by. A few details have come up that spell change in the coming days. Joe starts a job on March 24. That means that I have to get serious about finding a caregiver. Mom continues to decline in many ways but in no way in particular. She is not as talkative as she used to be nor is she as responsive to people talking to her unless we get near her, get her attention and speak simply. And if she is talkative, it is mostly jumbled. Deena talks to her every Saturday and can probably tell you some stories about the phone calls. One night last week Mom went to be at her normal time and at 1:00 in the morning I heard her rumbling around in her room (via the baby monitor). I went to check on her and there she was going through her necklaces, butterfly jewelry and stuff on her dresser. She informed me that she had had enough sleep and was ready to get up. I let her know that it was the middle of the night and that I was going back to bed. I checked her pills and realized that she had not taken them before bed. We gave her the meds and she went back to bed and back to sleep. Other than that, we are hard pressed to keep her in crafting materials and we go two or three times a week to replenish her supply. You can all expect an Easter package! If you have the addresses of others we can share with, like Dennis, please send it to me.

So back to the caregiver thing...It has become obvious that we need more than an elderly companion for Mom. Not as much as a support for her but a support for us. I need someone who will assist her with bathing, dressing in clean clothes, etc. That would really support me in that I won't have to do it in the evenings and schedule it around the few outside activities I have and I won't worry about her having an infection or skin breakdown from being in a soiled Poise pad and underwear all day. And she will get out of the house instead of sitting all day in her office! Well, today while Mom napped, I went to Michael's to pick up more supplies for her. As I checked out, I mentioned that I had forgotten to bring my discount coupon and added that I am in the store every week for these supplies for my 79 year old mother with Alzheimer's. The clerk gave me the discount anyway and out of the blue mentioned that she cleans houses to supplement her job at Michael's where she is recently getting only 5 hours a week. She added that if I needed someone to clean my house, she was available. I took a moment and then asked her if she had ever done care giving to an elderly person. She said that she had done it for a lady with Alzheimer's at one time. I took her number and agreed to call her later in the day. And I did. Janice came over to the house and we talked and she met Mom. Janice lives in Crowley, has grown children nearby and dotes on her grandchildren. She is probably my age - I didn't ask. It looks like we are going to give it a try - and get my house cleaned too! I'll keep you posted.

Other than that, it was church and IHOP last night and Mom always enjoys both! She makes the sign of the cross backward or in the air the way the priest does; she sings the songs with different, unrelated words to them; she tries to get the children behind us in trouble by playing with them during the service; and once the Lord's Prayer gets started with me saying it right to her, she can usually finish it with feeling! I went to Claire's today and found some butterfly rings for her and a butterfly necklace - she was overjoyed and thanked me and thanked me! With temperatures in the 80's this past week, Mom enjoyed getting out to sit on the swing in the backyard with me.

Last time I blogged, I ended by saying that it was all good. What I should have said is that IT IS ALL GOD!!! We love you all. Thank-you for you thoughts and prayers.