Thought I'd make a few notes about things going on here around the holidays. Joe, Julie, Stacey, Levi and Micah left early Sunday morning for Auburn Alabama for a short visit with Erin, Eli and Elsie leaving Mom and me here to care for four dogs, two birds and a turtle - and each other. So far, so good, I think.
We had a good Christmas. Mom has been fairly disconnected about it all even though we have been baking and putting the tree up and going to church a few extra times. She sat with us around the tree on Christmas morning and took her packages, having to be prompted and helped to open them. It was probably a little overwhelming and confusing. But it was a good day for all.
I took today off in order to take care of a few things like laundry and tidying up around here and just relax with everyone gone. Mom and I made banana bread - she mashed the bananas and creamed the butter and sugar. While the breads were baking, we played with play doh and cookie cutters at the kitchen table making shapes and stories. Mom is very confused about where everyone is and even who everyone is. Tonight she asked me if I had ever visited her and Dom when they lived "up there." I said that I had and she told me a story about a young man wanting to take some girl with him across the street and asking Dom if it it was okay. At one point today Mom wandered to Julie's room where I was cleaning and then could not find her way back to her room. Over dinner of chicken sandwiches from Sonic (when we went to put gasoline in the car) Mom asked me if the other people left me here by myself to take care of everyone very often.
But the BIG news is that she got her hair cut. I kind of snuck it in yesterday during a outing to the dollar store where we had to buy booties and a blanket for the baby doll she got for Christmas, and a quick trip to the grocery store. Kroger's is in the same plaza as Pro Cuts, which is right next to Subway. I pulled into a parking spot and turned to her to say that this was a good time to get her hair cut. I got the stony stare straight ahead and a "no way" through clenched teeth. I pushed. She could get her hair cut here or I could cut it for her at home. Silence...and then "just two inches - only two inches, it had better not be anything else!" A slow, limping walk in (she does this for effect, only) and Mom was in the hairdresser's chair in no time. I got a chance to whisper to the stylist that Mom has Alzheimer's and is very confused. I let Mom do the talking with my support and she got a great haircut! A little more than two inches, of course, but she does not know that. I told her that she was absolutely right, two inches was just right. Her WHOLE objection was that it had to be long enough to curl under by her ears because - well you all know her prideful stories about her curly hair! It does still curl under at her ears, bot more importantly, it is not so long in the back that she can now actually brush all of her hair herself - more or less.
I may have told you that it is getting more difficult to report on Mom these days. Pretty much there is no drama but what has become more of a way of life for us. Mom does not have "behaviors" as much as she just needs much guidance and assistance and tomorrow she may need guidance and assistance with things differently than she did today. We speak simply and directly in order to communicate, often using visuals when possible. For instance: when asking her if she wants coffee, we show her the coffee cup and ask it more than once. After Mom mashed the bananas today, I had her cream the butter and sugar and said we were making banana bread. She asked if I had bananas.
That is life in Texas. From our family to yours - Happy New Year!! Plan to visit us this year!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
PRECIOUS MOMENTS
You know what? We are all doing great! We have been baking cookies, making candy, baking special breads and making Christmas tree ornaments. Last weekend, Micah and I did some baking. Before that, Stacey and I made a big batch of pizzelles. I brought home from Michael's last weekend, some small easy Christmas ornament projects that Julie and Micah worked on. In all of this, I can't say that Mom participated or understood what or why we were doing it, but she hung around and did not retreat to her room. She even gave us advice about the pizzelles that they needed to be darker when we took them out of the iron. Then they had to be stacked. We took her advice and she was happy. She had refused to do the crafts when Becky asked her to, but today, I sat at the table and started some and asked her to help so we would not have a naked tree. She worked on some of those things like the ones she used to do that are already sticky for a little while.
During the day, Becky reports that Mom comes out of her room dressed with her jacket and purse ready to go pick Julie up from work. Since we began this, Mom has not spent as much time in her room other than for about 15 minutes at a time; I suspect it is because she does not want to miss going to pick Julie up from work. From Becky I know that Mom sits in the patio room in a rocking chair by the window and sings to her favorite Alan Jackson CD and plays with the dogs. Sometimes she sits in the Memory Room and Becky says that she has even sat on the sofa in the living room with her - which she never does when we are here. Becky is VERY high energy and it is difficult for her to just sit, but she has learned that if she gets up to do something, Mom will go back to her room. So she has practiced sitting with Mom when Mom wants to talk. I will include some of the statements from Becky's daily log to give you an idea who we live with these days. By the way, Becky gets Mom to change her pad and panties by refusing to go pick up Julie until she does. Mom pouts, puts on her stony, stubborn face. Becky tells her "you don't scare me!" And mom marches off to do what she was told to do. Becky follows her these days to make sure she does it too. Some daily notes: on Monday, she talked about wanting to go to church because she had not been since she got here; on Tuesday, Becky reported that her reception was iffy and words were jumbled; on Wednesday, Mom talked about her accidents, injuries and when she died (she meant Dinky), said she was going to kick Heidi's ass for pooping in her room and ate some sweet potato pie I had baked; on Thursday, Becky wrote "alert and receptive but still confused about when it's time to get Julie. Showed constant concern for my health because I had just given birth."; on another day, Becky wrote "seemed very confused and words were a mess. Words stayed a mess."
On Tuesday, Becky knew that I planned to take Mom to church for the Feast Day, so she talked to Mom about going to church when I got home and maybe she should get a shower. At some point mom said okay, so Becky went to get the water running and set out towels and stuff. She went back to the kitchen and let Mom know that the shower was ready and Mom did not know what she was talking about. Becky went through it again Mom said no. Becky tried some more and finally Mom got up and said "SHIT" and went to take her shower! I took her to church. She did not know why we were there, she said, but got into the swing of things.
On Thursday night, I knew that Joe would not be home until late after taking the train to Dallas for a conference, so we had a girls night out. Julie, Mom and I went to the little Italian restaurant in town. Mom wore about 6 necklaces and talked jumbled stuff to the owner about being Italian, speaking with an accent and about the Italian ladies at church, imitating them with her hands and accents.
This is only such a small part of our lives, of course. But they are precious memories to us. Sure, Mom spills her food, wears two different shoes, won't eat anything black or brown, etc. etc. etc. But even these are who and where she is and we get to be a part of it. When I think about what I could be writing about next year at this time, I know it will very possibly be something entirely different but no less precious to us. In many ways this year seems like an important Christmas season to me. We will probably put up our tree tomorrow and plan to decorate it not with the hundreds of individually wrapped fragile angel ornaments that I have collected over the years, but with the handmade decorations of our family.
Precious Moments. And just so I don't mislead you and you start petitioning the pope for my eventual sainthood, I will give you Joe's interpretation: "Better living through chemistry". A little Xanex goes a long way some days!
WE LOVE YOU!!!
During the day, Becky reports that Mom comes out of her room dressed with her jacket and purse ready to go pick Julie up from work. Since we began this, Mom has not spent as much time in her room other than for about 15 minutes at a time; I suspect it is because she does not want to miss going to pick Julie up from work. From Becky I know that Mom sits in the patio room in a rocking chair by the window and sings to her favorite Alan Jackson CD and plays with the dogs. Sometimes she sits in the Memory Room and Becky says that she has even sat on the sofa in the living room with her - which she never does when we are here. Becky is VERY high energy and it is difficult for her to just sit, but she has learned that if she gets up to do something, Mom will go back to her room. So she has practiced sitting with Mom when Mom wants to talk. I will include some of the statements from Becky's daily log to give you an idea who we live with these days. By the way, Becky gets Mom to change her pad and panties by refusing to go pick up Julie until she does. Mom pouts, puts on her stony, stubborn face. Becky tells her "you don't scare me!" And mom marches off to do what she was told to do. Becky follows her these days to make sure she does it too. Some daily notes: on Monday, she talked about wanting to go to church because she had not been since she got here; on Tuesday, Becky reported that her reception was iffy and words were jumbled; on Wednesday, Mom talked about her accidents, injuries and when she died (she meant Dinky), said she was going to kick Heidi's ass for pooping in her room and ate some sweet potato pie I had baked; on Thursday, Becky wrote "alert and receptive but still confused about when it's time to get Julie. Showed constant concern for my health because I had just given birth."; on another day, Becky wrote "seemed very confused and words were a mess. Words stayed a mess."
On Tuesday, Becky knew that I planned to take Mom to church for the Feast Day, so she talked to Mom about going to church when I got home and maybe she should get a shower. At some point mom said okay, so Becky went to get the water running and set out towels and stuff. She went back to the kitchen and let Mom know that the shower was ready and Mom did not know what she was talking about. Becky went through it again Mom said no. Becky tried some more and finally Mom got up and said "SHIT" and went to take her shower! I took her to church. She did not know why we were there, she said, but got into the swing of things.
On Thursday night, I knew that Joe would not be home until late after taking the train to Dallas for a conference, so we had a girls night out. Julie, Mom and I went to the little Italian restaurant in town. Mom wore about 6 necklaces and talked jumbled stuff to the owner about being Italian, speaking with an accent and about the Italian ladies at church, imitating them with her hands and accents.
This is only such a small part of our lives, of course. But they are precious memories to us. Sure, Mom spills her food, wears two different shoes, won't eat anything black or brown, etc. etc. etc. But even these are who and where she is and we get to be a part of it. When I think about what I could be writing about next year at this time, I know it will very possibly be something entirely different but no less precious to us. In many ways this year seems like an important Christmas season to me. We will probably put up our tree tomorrow and plan to decorate it not with the hundreds of individually wrapped fragile angel ornaments that I have collected over the years, but with the handmade decorations of our family.
Precious Moments. And just so I don't mislead you and you start petitioning the pope for my eventual sainthood, I will give you Joe's interpretation: "Better living through chemistry". A little Xanex goes a long way some days!
WE LOVE YOU!!!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
We Are Thankful
Happy Thanksgiving!
Joe was determined that just because it was just the four of us for dinner like it is everyday, he wanted a turkey dinner. So he made one. He did a great job and it really was special for everyone. We sat at the dining room table, Mom at one end and Joe and the other. Joe carved the turkey and we passed the dishes of mashed potatoes, green beans etc. after prayer and each saying what we are thankful for. Mom was thankful that we were all here together. As we passed the dishes, Mom took what she wanted and passed it on. (we usually fix a plate and put it in front of her because she frequently refuses foods if we let her choose) However, she took a little of everything mostly. At the end of the meal I asked if she wanted anything else and she did say that no, she had had enough and that she had some of everything. I advised her that she had skipped the green beans and that she needed to have some. She was a good sport and offered to eat one. And she did! Now Mom had eaten a little of everything. I am sure Mom does not know the significance of Thanksgiving or the connection to having turkey, but because we did it all together and have pecan pie for dessert, she is having a good day. I know that Mom is bored, laying in her bed, sitting at the table, wandering around. But there is little to engage her in and I have to admit, I am the worst for sitting with her and doing nothing. Or even puttering with her on her stuff and listening to her mostly made up stories. It was easier to do the first hundred or so times.
It is also difficult to let her be independent and I know that the more I do for her, the less opportunity she has to connect sequential thoughts. But we almost always have mishaps. Spilled coffee, dropped jar of jelly, creamer in her water, clothes on over pajamas. For instance, this morning, when Mom got up from the table to put the jelly in the refrigerator and the peanut butter in the cupboard, I took them from her and told her that I was going to use them. I had prepared a cup of coffee and let it sit on the counter by the coffee pot, which is on the same counter as the sink. I turned to fix my toast and Mom got up to take her glass, knife and spoon to the sink. I let it go, seeing her out of the corner of my eye. I turned with my toast to pick up my coffee and found her dirty silver ware in my coffee! Joe and I got an exasperated giggle out of it and I had milk instead. Mostly what we got out of it as we talked, was how precious these times are and the regret we have that others are missing out on these day to day moments.
Like earlier, as I sat with Mom at breakfast and stretched my fingers out and one of them cracked. Mom asked "can you fly now?" I assured her that I could now fly and someday I might just fly away with her. Mom was good with that, and although we noted the moment with our eyes, did not dwell on how we got to flying when my finger made a cracking noise!
Moments of Joy and Thankfulness! We are thankful to have this time with Mom. I wouldn't/couldn't have it any other way. We love you all for sharing this time with us by keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!
Joe was determined that just because it was just the four of us for dinner like it is everyday, he wanted a turkey dinner. So he made one. He did a great job and it really was special for everyone. We sat at the dining room table, Mom at one end and Joe and the other. Joe carved the turkey and we passed the dishes of mashed potatoes, green beans etc. after prayer and each saying what we are thankful for. Mom was thankful that we were all here together. As we passed the dishes, Mom took what she wanted and passed it on. (we usually fix a plate and put it in front of her because she frequently refuses foods if we let her choose) However, she took a little of everything mostly. At the end of the meal I asked if she wanted anything else and she did say that no, she had had enough and that she had some of everything. I advised her that she had skipped the green beans and that she needed to have some. She was a good sport and offered to eat one. And she did! Now Mom had eaten a little of everything. I am sure Mom does not know the significance of Thanksgiving or the connection to having turkey, but because we did it all together and have pecan pie for dessert, she is having a good day. I know that Mom is bored, laying in her bed, sitting at the table, wandering around. But there is little to engage her in and I have to admit, I am the worst for sitting with her and doing nothing. Or even puttering with her on her stuff and listening to her mostly made up stories. It was easier to do the first hundred or so times.
It is also difficult to let her be independent and I know that the more I do for her, the less opportunity she has to connect sequential thoughts. But we almost always have mishaps. Spilled coffee, dropped jar of jelly, creamer in her water, clothes on over pajamas. For instance, this morning, when Mom got up from the table to put the jelly in the refrigerator and the peanut butter in the cupboard, I took them from her and told her that I was going to use them. I had prepared a cup of coffee and let it sit on the counter by the coffee pot, which is on the same counter as the sink. I turned to fix my toast and Mom got up to take her glass, knife and spoon to the sink. I let it go, seeing her out of the corner of my eye. I turned with my toast to pick up my coffee and found her dirty silver ware in my coffee! Joe and I got an exasperated giggle out of it and I had milk instead. Mostly what we got out of it as we talked, was how precious these times are and the regret we have that others are missing out on these day to day moments.
Like earlier, as I sat with Mom at breakfast and stretched my fingers out and one of them cracked. Mom asked "can you fly now?" I assured her that I could now fly and someday I might just fly away with her. Mom was good with that, and although we noted the moment with our eyes, did not dwell on how we got to flying when my finger made a cracking noise!
Moments of Joy and Thankfulness! We are thankful to have this time with Mom. I wouldn't/couldn't have it any other way. We love you all for sharing this time with us by keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Nothing is Something
I know, it has been awhile. Maybe because, I worked on a perfectly good post almost two weeks ago and as I finished up, I hit a mystery key and in less than a blink of an eye - GONE - nowhere to be found! No draft, no minimized version at the bottom of my screen, no record of it that I could find. I add "that I could find" because it is quite possible that one of my computer savvy daughters would have known where to look and I wouldn't have been so disheartened.
This week what I have to write about Mom is NOTHING. Nada. No change. No drama. I guess that's something after all. So here are a few updates.
1. We had a regularly scheduled appointment with Dr. Birdwell. Mom is healing well. No pain
pills for over a week.
2. 6 month check-up with ophthomologist - no change, come back in 6 months.
3. Occasional nights when we awake to the kitchen light shining in through our bedroom door
to find Mom sitting at the kitchen table. I put her back to bed.
4. Receptive and expressive language is challenging for all of us. She gets frustrated when she
can't tell us what she wants to say.
5. Still dressing herself but not well. Sometimes we have pajamas over clothes or vice versa.
Frequently the top is different from the pants and all are different from the socks. She likes
to be color coordinated and has even in the past hung her clothes according to color.
6. Is very bored. Mom sleeps or sits at the kitchen table. We have found that when we sit there
with her or work in the kitchen, she will sit there. Conversation is difficult because Mom does
not understand what we are saying and she has a difficult time responding if she does
understand us. The minute we leave the room to do something else, she is in bed. Crafty
activities have ceased. We try to give her little things to do to "help out" from her chair at the
table, but mostly she is unable to follow through.
7. Mom likes going places. She and Becky have been picking Julie up from work every day. Joe
takes her to the grocery store (to push the cart he says) but she tires easily. I am quite less
inclined to take Mom anywhere but church on Saturdays after I have personally watched her
shower and put on clean panties and pad. Otherwise, she quite frankly, can smell like a dirty
diaper. Unless I get in her face and stand right there with her, Mom will not change her
underwear or pad. The week before last, Becky let me know that when she told Mom to
change her pad and/panties, Mom had done so. But when I went to Mom's drawer one
morning, I found 3 opened pads that Becky had handed to her and a wadded up pair of
panties stashed under the socks. Becky and I chuckled and wondered how so much of her
thought process is lost, but the devious part is still in tact!
8. Some days it must seem to Mom that my only interaction with her is negative. You can't be
mean to the dog. You can't go outside now, it is dark and cold. You have to change your pad,
you don't smell very good. You have to have some dinner before you have ice cream. Stop
picking at your skin, you have sores and blood all over your arm. There are germs under
your fingernails. Please wash your hands again, you just went to the bathroom. It is NEVER
ending.
9. Joe is clearly not as rigid as I am. And, I don't know if any of you have ever noticed or put it
together, but Mom likes men. Not a newsflash, I know, but if there is a man in sight, she is
there, being sweet, touching, hugging, flirting...It's shameless! I know now that Mom has
always been like this, but it did not affect me. Given now that I know my parents were never
married, Mom was married before and has some mystery history there and some other stuff,
I have pretty much decided that our family was pretty much the "white trash" that Mom
called other people! (boy, I haven't heard that term in years)
So, I have rattled on long enough. Before I turn this into a dumping ground instead of an update on Mom, I'll say that we are all well and blessed and thankful this Thanksgiving week. I have been thinking of Thanksgiving as just a much needed long weekend for me. But Joe brought home a BIG turkey from Kroger's so I am thinking he has another agenda. We do love you ALL.
This week what I have to write about Mom is NOTHING. Nada. No change. No drama. I guess that's something after all. So here are a few updates.
1. We had a regularly scheduled appointment with Dr. Birdwell. Mom is healing well. No pain
pills for over a week.
2. 6 month check-up with ophthomologist - no change, come back in 6 months.
3. Occasional nights when we awake to the kitchen light shining in through our bedroom door
to find Mom sitting at the kitchen table. I put her back to bed.
4. Receptive and expressive language is challenging for all of us. She gets frustrated when she
can't tell us what she wants to say.
5. Still dressing herself but not well. Sometimes we have pajamas over clothes or vice versa.
Frequently the top is different from the pants and all are different from the socks. She likes
to be color coordinated and has even in the past hung her clothes according to color.
6. Is very bored. Mom sleeps or sits at the kitchen table. We have found that when we sit there
with her or work in the kitchen, she will sit there. Conversation is difficult because Mom does
not understand what we are saying and she has a difficult time responding if she does
understand us. The minute we leave the room to do something else, she is in bed. Crafty
activities have ceased. We try to give her little things to do to "help out" from her chair at the
table, but mostly she is unable to follow through.
7. Mom likes going places. She and Becky have been picking Julie up from work every day. Joe
takes her to the grocery store (to push the cart he says) but she tires easily. I am quite less
inclined to take Mom anywhere but church on Saturdays after I have personally watched her
shower and put on clean panties and pad. Otherwise, she quite frankly, can smell like a dirty
diaper. Unless I get in her face and stand right there with her, Mom will not change her
underwear or pad. The week before last, Becky let me know that when she told Mom to
change her pad and/panties, Mom had done so. But when I went to Mom's drawer one
morning, I found 3 opened pads that Becky had handed to her and a wadded up pair of
panties stashed under the socks. Becky and I chuckled and wondered how so much of her
thought process is lost, but the devious part is still in tact!
8. Some days it must seem to Mom that my only interaction with her is negative. You can't be
mean to the dog. You can't go outside now, it is dark and cold. You have to change your pad,
you don't smell very good. You have to have some dinner before you have ice cream. Stop
picking at your skin, you have sores and blood all over your arm. There are germs under
your fingernails. Please wash your hands again, you just went to the bathroom. It is NEVER
ending.
9. Joe is clearly not as rigid as I am. And, I don't know if any of you have ever noticed or put it
together, but Mom likes men. Not a newsflash, I know, but if there is a man in sight, she is
there, being sweet, touching, hugging, flirting...It's shameless! I know now that Mom has
always been like this, but it did not affect me. Given now that I know my parents were never
married, Mom was married before and has some mystery history there and some other stuff,
I have pretty much decided that our family was pretty much the "white trash" that Mom
called other people! (boy, I haven't heard that term in years)
So, I have rattled on long enough. Before I turn this into a dumping ground instead of an update on Mom, I'll say that we are all well and blessed and thankful this Thanksgiving week. I have been thinking of Thanksgiving as just a much needed long weekend for me. But Joe brought home a BIG turkey from Kroger's so I am thinking he has another agenda. We do love you ALL.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Here It Is!! The Lost Blog!!! (thankyoustacey)
It's another Sunday night. No church or IHOP this week. We have spent the weekend managing Mom's pain. It seems as though she is either sleeping from the pain pills or up sitting at the kitchen table holding her side and leaning over a little. It is difficult to determine just how much pain Mom is in. If I ask her if she is hurting and needing a pain pill, she says "no". But then she holds her side, wheezes and gives a pathetic cough. So I give her a Tramadol every 6 hours or so. It has only been a week since her fall and it could take a while for bruised ribs and sore muscles to heal. The doctor said to let her know if Mom showed signs of an altered mental state to let her know - right! Mom is confused and disoriented a lot these days. She has a routine doctor appointment on Thursday at which we will mention the fall. There isn't anything to do about the mental deterioration but will check out other health issues - which have remained very stable.
I just put Mom to bed. She slept in her clothes last night. I went to bed early but said Mom came out at 11:00 dressed still and her put her back to bed. Tonight Mom had her ice cream and pills and went to bed. I followed her in there and she was in bed in the same clothes. But she was open to the suggestion that I help her put her pajamas on. Mom has refused to change her pad since her shower yesterday so tonight I was able to get her into clean panties (after redirecting her when she tried to put them on without taking the others off) and pad. When she took the soiled ones off, she tossed them with the pad still in them, into the waste basket. Which, I confess, I have done before when - never mind, too much information I think. Anyway, with gloved hands I salvaged the underwear.
Mom has been picking at her skin again. Her left upper arm has a dozen or so scars from sores that have healed and now, more open sores. There is a spot on her right forearm that she picks at also, but it is healed again for now. So, I dressed the upper arm with band-aids and tucked her in.
The END
I just put Mom to bed. She slept in her clothes last night. I went to bed early but said Mom came out at 11:00 dressed still and her put her back to bed. Tonight Mom had her ice cream and pills and went to bed. I followed her in there and she was in bed in the same clothes. But she was open to the suggestion that I help her put her pajamas on. Mom has refused to change her pad since her shower yesterday so tonight I was able to get her into clean panties (after redirecting her when she tried to put them on without taking the others off) and pad. When she took the soiled ones off, she tossed them with the pad still in them, into the waste basket. Which, I confess, I have done before when - never mind, too much information I think. Anyway, with gloved hands I salvaged the underwear.
Mom has been picking at her skin again. Her left upper arm has a dozen or so scars from sores that have healed and now, more open sores. There is a spot on her right forearm that she picks at also, but it is healed again for now. So, I dressed the upper arm with band-aids and tucked her in.
The END
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Fall Back - Chapter Two
Guess where I spent a good part of the day? Yep! The Emergency Room. When I checked on Mom this morning before I left for work, she was in tremendous pain and could barely move in the bed. Our initial assessment on Saturday saw no contusions, scrapes or bruises and although shaken, did fine at IHOP. Mom was more sore on Sunday and more on Monday, but that is how bruised ribs and muscles are - progressively painful for a few days and tender for a very long time. By this morning, I feared she might faint from the pain as I tried to help her up. And being in so much pain on the left side under her ribs, she could not cough and that is the thing we work on every day - getting her to cough up the congestion! Which she won't do anyway without protest! So now I thinking she could get pneumonia from not getting rid of all that gunk. I got Mom dressed in some easily removable clothing, fed her half of her PB&J and gave her morning pills with a Darvacet. By the time we got to the hospital, the Darvacet had not touched the pain, so after x-rays, she got a couple of injections, one being morphine. A CT scan, blood analysis and urine sample by catherization later, we got the news that nothing was broken, just bruised as we thought. We came home with a prescription for Tramadol for pain to go with the Darvacet. Mom slept comfortably all afternoon.
When she came out about 4:30 she had the other half of her PB&J and some 7 UP. By 6:00 I had her eating a bowl of chicken corn chowder. By 6:30 I was cleaning up PB&J, 7 UP and corn chowder and her bottom dentures that came out with it.
Mom is back in bed in flannel pajamas and has had her night time pills and another pain pill.
Tomorrow will be a better day. Oh, and I didn't mention that yesterday, Julie called me at noon to pick her up because she was sick. Last week she called me at work to say she needed a change of clothes and feminine supplies. Today, I got to work by 1:30 and she called me at 4 to say she was feeling icky, could I come and get her?
Things I am thankful for today: Mom had no further injuries. I have a VERY understanding boss. AND with enough notice, she'll approve time off for my nervous break down!
Now you get another chance to guess in case you didn't get the first one right. Guess where I am going now?
Did you guess "to bed"? If you did you are correct and your name will be put into the drawing for a week's vacation in Texas - while I take a week of vacation someplace else.
Winner will be notified after the nervous breakdown! You know I love and appreciate you all!!
When she came out about 4:30 she had the other half of her PB&J and some 7 UP. By 6:00 I had her eating a bowl of chicken corn chowder. By 6:30 I was cleaning up PB&J, 7 UP and corn chowder and her bottom dentures that came out with it.
Mom is back in bed in flannel pajamas and has had her night time pills and another pain pill.
Tomorrow will be a better day. Oh, and I didn't mention that yesterday, Julie called me at noon to pick her up because she was sick. Last week she called me at work to say she needed a change of clothes and feminine supplies. Today, I got to work by 1:30 and she called me at 4 to say she was feeling icky, could I come and get her?
Things I am thankful for today: Mom had no further injuries. I have a VERY understanding boss. AND with enough notice, she'll approve time off for my nervous break down!
Now you get another chance to guess in case you didn't get the first one right. Guess where I am going now?
Did you guess "to bed"? If you did you are correct and your name will be put into the drawing for a week's vacation in Texas - while I take a week of vacation someplace else.
Winner will be notified after the nervous breakdown! You know I love and appreciate you all!!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Fall Back
Let's see...Sunday night again. Mom's clock, as messed as it is, did not "fall back" with the others. She was up today as I tried to engage her with activities. This morning we sang to the Alan Jackson CD that she likes and made cookies - the kind that come pre-formed and frozen that the neighborhood kids sell for fundraisers. So, I put the baking trays in front of her with a bowl of cookies and suggested she put them on the trays while I attended to the pretzels I was baking. I turned around and she had piled almost 4 dozen cookies on one tray. As tactfully as possible, I advised her that they would bake better if there were only 12 to a tray, three across and four down. And we counted to twelve. One tray of cookies at a time. But it never did connect. Nice, warm chocolate chunk and pecan cookies. If Mom asked me once, she asked me a dozen times, "what are you going to do with all these cookies?" Um...Julie and Joe will take them to work. Or, maybe Julie and Joe can take them to work. And Julie and Joe will take them to share at lunch this week. As it turns out, some went home with the guy who was here working on the ceiling, some were eaten before they got to a zip-loc bag, and what was left went into the bag and went home with Micah.
It was such a beautiful day that I scrubbed down the gazebo and Mom sat out there for some time. We even ate our hamburgers and hot dogs out there. Mom stayed out with us for quite some time. And later she sat in the patio room watching Joe work on the pool pump and then she sat outside the front door for awhile. Lots of fresh air.
We did have an incident last night as we left church and Mom was getting into the van. Having pushed both Joe and me away as she always does, and leans on the car to step down from the curb, I averted my eyes for a second and Joe turned to put the walker in the car and Mom lost her balance and fell backward on her bum. She did not fall all the way back but rolled onto her left side. We assessed and were able to get her up and into the van. Mom still wanted to go to IHOP across the street, so we continued assessing as we drove there. I knew she would be achy, so I gave her Tylenol with her pancakes. By the time we got home she was hurting, so we added a Darvaset to the evening pills. Mom is still complaining about pain under her left breast. She has a three month appointment with Dr. Birdwell, but I will try to get her in tomorrow to be checked out. We had to trust our judgement after the fall. Go to hospital to be checked out? I am wishing we had, just to be sure, but Mom wasn't hurting and was more interested in pancakes than in spending five or six hours in the ER. So, we went to IHOP - she with visibly went pants, but with no complaints.
The clock on the computer says 8:03. My clock says it is time for bed too. We love you all! Good-night!
It was such a beautiful day that I scrubbed down the gazebo and Mom sat out there for some time. We even ate our hamburgers and hot dogs out there. Mom stayed out with us for quite some time. And later she sat in the patio room watching Joe work on the pool pump and then she sat outside the front door for awhile. Lots of fresh air.
We did have an incident last night as we left church and Mom was getting into the van. Having pushed both Joe and me away as she always does, and leans on the car to step down from the curb, I averted my eyes for a second and Joe turned to put the walker in the car and Mom lost her balance and fell backward on her bum. She did not fall all the way back but rolled onto her left side. We assessed and were able to get her up and into the van. Mom still wanted to go to IHOP across the street, so we continued assessing as we drove there. I knew she would be achy, so I gave her Tylenol with her pancakes. By the time we got home she was hurting, so we added a Darvaset to the evening pills. Mom is still complaining about pain under her left breast. She has a three month appointment with Dr. Birdwell, but I will try to get her in tomorrow to be checked out. We had to trust our judgement after the fall. Go to hospital to be checked out? I am wishing we had, just to be sure, but Mom wasn't hurting and was more interested in pancakes than in spending five or six hours in the ER. So, we went to IHOP - she with visibly went pants, but with no complaints.
The clock on the computer says 8:03. My clock says it is time for bed too. We love you all! Good-night!
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