A Slow Saturday

Still recovering from that fall. Nothing was broken but she is still having trouble with her left knee. You know, I just don't know how much is drama and how much is pain. It appears that when no one is looking, she bops around with no problem. But give her a little intention, and she hobbles and rubs her leg. At any rate, I have decided that she will not go to church tonight for two reasons: if it really is painful, she should not be on it; if it is drama, she won't have an audience. I informed Mom moments ago that she would be staying home and she is a little confused. She has not had her shower yet today because I did not think we needed to manage that. Last night we took her to DQ for ice cream and she had difficulty getting in and out of the car and was slow going into the store and coming out. But she was in no pain when she was socializing with everyone and hovering over a little boy. Just trying to figure her out. I am giving her a pain pill about every 6 hours because I know that she has to be hurting - how much I do not really know.

One other note: since the seizure and fall, Mom does not recognize Janice as the caregiver prior to the hospital. When I got home Thursday from work, Mom was holding Janice' hand and telling her she loved her. She told Janice that she did not like the other person and was glad she was gone. So, we haven't told Mom the truth and have avoided using Janice' name.

I know this is all just random stuff today. But by the time I get it all figured out, I'll have Alzheimer's and will have forgotten what I came up with! So I hope that someone is taking notes and will use the information when they are blogging about me someday. Of course, blogging will probably be as out of date by then as an electric typewriter is today! That will be their issue!

Just a little more drama in Texas...

Thank-you to those who suggested a name for the soap opera. Honestly, I had totally forgotten about Another World! And I liked that one with Rachael and Mac! Anyway, I know I had something to tell you all yesterday, but I cannot remember what it was, being overshadowed I am sure by more recent events. Janice and I spent the morning in the ER with Mom. Last night as she went to her room after a snack Mom had another seizure. I did not follow her into her room and did not realize it until I heard her call for me over the monitor. By the time I got in there, she was on her left side just inside the doorway and had vomited. It took about 5 minutes for her to come around enough to respond to us as we attempted to assess her and decide whether to call an ambulance. After some time when she thought she was ready to get up and we had poked, prodded, questioned and wiped her off a little, Joe and I were able to get her to a chair where I cleaned her up more and got her clothes off of her while Joe began cleanup on the floor. Mom was still dazed but did not respond as though she was in pain so we got her to bed and monitored her off and on until I finally quit going into her room or listening to the monitor and finally fell asleep. This morning, Mom could not get out of bed without extreme pain on her left side. It brought tears to her eyes to turn enough to get out of the bed. Janice and I did manage that and did further assessment. I had Mom eat a little breakfast and take a pain pill that the doctor had prescribed two weeks ago for her back. An hour later when I was ready for work and Mom had finished breakfast, she was still in extreme pain - a little after 8 a.m.. We got her painfully into the car and to All Saints ER where she was totally checked - ex rays, blood, lungs, etc. And oh yes, she was given a little bit of morphine to help with the pain. By 11:30 the doctor had determined that she had nothing broken but was pretty well bruised at her hip and knee. We were home by noon after having driven through Wendy's for a large Frosty! She was not feeling much of anything and was, in fact in a great mood. By the time I got home from work this afternoon, she had told Janice that she loved her. (Janice would like to include a touch of morphine in her medications everyday.) Mom is at this moment, sitting outside enjoying our nice spring day. All is well that ends well! Today maybe we were General Hospital? Or The Doctors?

Name That Soap Opera

So I ended up spending the day at home even though Janice was prepared to come here after her doctor appointment. I expected that Mom and I would get out early to run errands and be back by the time Janice was available around noon. I indicated to Mom last night and this morning what would be happening, advising her what time we should be ready to go, about 9:30. She went back to bed after breakfast at 8:30. I got ready to go. Mom got up and got dressed an hour later...and got back into the bed even though I was telling her that we could go so that we could be done by the time we had to pick Julie up. By noon I had spoken to Janice and made the decision to just take the day off and agreed to be in touch within the hour so that Mom and I could stop by her apartment to pay her. I prepared my lunch of a sandwich and banana; mom came to the table and sat down, watching me. Knowing that Mom had been preparing her own lunch during the week, I did not prepare anything for her. As I set my plate by the coffee pot, Mom advised me that I could take the banana off of the plate because she does not eat bananas anymore. I let her know that I intended to eat the banana and sat down with my lunch. I also let her know that I had left everything out for her to make a sandwich if she wanted to. I finished and left the room. When I returned, Mom was headed to her room without having lunch. I asked if she was feeling okay, noting that she had been in bed all day. Mom replied that she had nothing better to do and she didn't like any of my suggestions. I let her know again that I had to go someplace and said that I would call Janice - to which she yelled "no". Within 30 minutes Mom was in the kitchen preparing a sandwich. As I sat with her she deteriorated into anger, crying, mixed up memories - I took her away from her home; she can stay here by herself and does not need anyone with her; she just wants me to let her be herself; she wants to take some pills and die so that she can be with Dom; Dom was there in the house with her and only died last year; why she doesn't want Janice here; when she dies, her little dog is going to be right there on her shoulder; and LOTS of other stuff. And then she became distracted by Heidi in the other room and all was well. She went and got her shoes on and her purse and sat at the kitchen table. I was exhausted and took some time out until it was time to meet up with Julie in town and Mom was still there ready to go. So, we went and I made up an excuse to go to the Dollar store just to extend the outing for her. Mom purchased two small stick-in-the-ground fake flower arrangements that are typically put at grave sites. I did not address it except to agree that they were very pretty. As we checked out, Mom chatted with the lady behind her about them and stated that she had lost her husband. It surprised me that Mom may have connected to what those things are usually used for. Mom told her that she was going to put them outside the garage and added some other statements that made no sense as she stood in the way so that the people could not get out of the store until she had told them all about the butterfly rings, necklaces and bracelets she was wearing.

I don't know why I offered her a Gatorade instead of a Smirnoff! Yes I do! I was saving the hard stuff for me!

But you know what? It was actually a good way to have a four day weekend. Tomorrow is shower day, church day and IHOP day. We like Saturdays.

So what do you think? Days of our Lives? As the World Turns? The Old and the Beautiful? The Young and the Listless?

Warm days - cool drinks

Just a short funny. Yesterday morning (Wednesday), Janice told me that the day before (Tuesday), that Mom had gone to the refrigerator in the garage and come in with a bottle of Smirnoff something or other. 1. Mom has never gone to the garage to get anything out of that refrigerator 2. The wine coolers have been in there since before last summer. 3. There are two cases of bottled water in that refrigerator as well. 3. I can't remember the last time I saw Mom drink anything alcoholic. 4. I don't think she knew what she was getting, but she opened it and poured it into a glass and drank it. 5. She seemed to get a little friendlier and chattier with Janice afterward.

Mom has been exercising her independence during the day. She quit eating what Janice prepared for lunch so now she gets her own sandwich, snacks and "drinks" during the day. I think that Janice just mentions that it is lunch time as a prompt to remind Mom to eat. Mom has been sitting outside the front door on these warm days. In many respects, this is good because she is connecting enough thoughts to accomplish it. However, she has not changed her underwear or clothes all week even though I set them out for her and remind her before I leave for work if she is awake. Tonight she absolutely insisted that she had done this when I mentioned it to her. Oh well! I will be home with her in the morning because Janice has an early appointment and I'll be able to monitor this. Along with being stubbornly independent, Mom walked to the road to get the mail on Wednesday. Behavior we have discouraged because:! 1. She goes out there on uneven terrain without a walker or cane. 2. She gets the mail and if it has her name on it, she takes it to her room and "puts it away" and if it is a bill, medical or insurance information, I will never know. So she got mail yesterday and brought it to me tonight to find out what it was. It was insurance information that I explained to her that I punch holes in and put it into a notebook. Mom let me keep the paperwork this time.

I said it was short and got carried away! That's all for now. If I find any more booze missing I could be looking for the closest AA meeting! Or maybe I should just join her so that she doesn't have to drink alone!

BIRTHdays are Special

I think I left off talking about birthdays! Mom's to be specific. The evening of her birthday, we took her to Tuscany's, a small Italian restaurant nearby. I had taken her to lunch there the previous week. Mom remembers Tony's, the Italian restaurant we used to go to where she forged a small friendship with the owners when she first came to Texas. Now she believes that any Italian restaurant we take her to is that same place. She does not remember the names of the people but is sure that it is the same place and the same people. Tuscany's is no different. The one waiter there is a handsome, outgoing ans sociable young man and remembers us from other visits. We go prior to their lunch or dinner rush so that it isn't busy. That evening, we got Mom to figure out and communicate what she wanted and the waiter was really good with her, remembering that she did not want salad. We let him know that it was Mom's birthday and before we left the restaurant, he had brought her a generous slice of chocolate cake on a big plate with Happy Birthday drizzled in chocolate syrup on the plate. And we all sang Happy Birthday! She had a good birthday.

But now, let me tell you about another birthday and why I did not update this sooner. Elsie Jane was born to Erin and Elijah Beaver on May 7 and I am in Auburn, Alabama with my new granddaughter! It has been a wonderful week here. I hope that you will click on the link to Erin's blog, if you don't normally keep up with her, to see pictures and get the story.

That means, yes, St. Joe is in Texas taking care of Mom, Julie, puppy Heidi, Haley and two birds. And, he is also still employed (thank-you God and Joe). There is no doubt in my mind that they are all surviving. Mom may not have changed her panties in a week and Julie may not have brushed her teeth or hair, and Haley may not have gotten bathed or groomed, and the puppy may not be doing all her business outside...but they are all well. I understand that Mom keeps asking when I will be home with the baby. She early in the week gave Janice a hard time about going with her to pick Julie up because there "is nothing wrong" with her and she can certainly stay there by herself while Janice goes about her business or picking Julie up. They tell me that Mom has had some more nightmares but nothing that got her out of the bed or falling out of bed as in the past. I will be back in Texas on Sunday (reluctantly without the baby) and will get back into her more familiar routine.

That's my update from Alabama. Be sure to check out Erin's blog to see the most beautiful baby and family ever - or at least since Levi and Micah were born!

A pre - Birthday celebration with friends

What a special day it was today! Mom's friends Margaret, Barbara and Dianne brought a picnic lunch of cold cuts, cheese, rolls, chips, fruit, vegetable tray, etc and set it up in the gazebo with garlands of butterflies. Dianne, a professional cake decorator for a local grocery chain, made a beautiful cake with butterflies and chocolate dipped strawberries. We spent the entire afternoon out there in a light breeze on a 75 degree day. Mom felt special and loved. She interacted very little except to answer questions asked directly to her and to notice the mockingbird that visited us throughout the day, sitting on the fence nearby. After they left, Mom tried to take a rest but was up quickly to look at and through her butterfly gift bags. I don't really think she remembered any of them but it didn't matter to anyone. Margaret got pictures of the cake and pictures of everyone around Mom. If she sends them to me, I'll share them here. Mom was in bed early, of course! Wish you could all have been here! More birthday tomorrow!

Sunday Update

Another Sunday afternoon. It has been a typical week for all of us. Mom has been grumpy and rude to Janice mostly, but in some ways, it has been a really good thing! Mom is fixing her own lunch because she stubbornly won't eat what Janice fixes for her. We have had some nice days so Mom has been sitting outside frequently during the day. Last night before going to mass we let mom know that the Bishop had said she could not shake hands, hug or kiss anyone at church because a lot of people have the flu and he does not want her to get it. During mass, I reminded her and she did very well just waving to everyone as if they had all come to see her! Mom gets the sign of the cross correct at the beginning of mass except for doing it backwards, but at the end, when Father is making it in the air as a blessing, she does the same thing. She especially likes the CD that we play in the car on the way there and home and knows most of the words to He Walks With Me.

This will be kind of a busy week for Mom. Tomorrow, some of her friends, Margaret and Dianne, will be bringing lunch to celebrate her birthday outside in the gazebo if it is nice weather. On Tuesday, her birthday, Mom has her annual checkup early in the morning and then either a birthday lunch or dinner. I don't expect anything from her doctor appointment but that she is healthy. I will be mentioning the hallucinations and delusions but I am sure Dr. Birdwell will say that it is part of the dementia.

Anyway, thank-you for the birthday cards. It does keep her in touch with having people somewhere who know her and love her even if she does not know who you are.

By the way, the crochet hooks have not turned up. Mom does nothing during the day now but sleep, play with the puppy until she gets too wiggly, sit outside and fix her lunch. Time to get her some ice cream. More later in the week.