The Last Post For Mama

Well, this is probably the saddest post...As most of you already know, I lost my precious Mama today.  At 1002 this morning, my beautiful Mama passed away.  There are absolutely no words to describe the pain in my heart as I come to terms with this incredible loss.  Although we started losing her in March, to lose the physical being after the long goodbye is amazingly heartbreaking. 

The doctor who initially saw Mom at the UofA thought it best if we leave well enough alone but the second fellow thought if she were HIS mom, he'd treat her.  So, after thinking long and hard and weighing all the facts (with the help of my son, Jason), I/some of us, decided it would be in Mom's best interest to, at the very least, give her a fighting chance before giving up on her.  At the time, my thoughts were that if they could treat the issues, perhaps she stood a good chance of recovering to even 75% of the baseline she was at prior to her illness.  I would not and could not spend my life wondering "what if" I hadn't given her that chance to at least fight for that recovery.  What kind of daughter would I be?  And so began the long goodbye...

As it would turn out, her fight would ultimately weaken her whole body, not the other way around.  I guess the toll the internal bleed and then the massively high levels of hormones released into her body when her thyroid went askew, as well as the fatally high INR she had upon admission to the UofA, only contributed to a lethal concoction that would take three months to destroy her little body.  If only we mortal humans were blessed with the ability to see into the future...perhaps I could have seen what kind of problems life might have held for her, rather than wondering "what if?"  But alas, I am not a psychic and pushed to take my chances in hopes that she had enough strength to make it through that battle...not knowing what was in store for her.

Half way through the battle, it was determined that her little heart was only functioning at 10%...however, it never really functioned at much more than that following her surgery in 2005, anyway.  I may not remember the exact number, but I do know that it wasn't much more than that, if any...and that's why they implanted the defibrillator/pacemaker.  She had virtually zero strength on the left side of her heart and without the defib/pacemaker, she would die.  So, I didn't see this 10% "issue" as being much of a challenge...at least not for a woman who'd beaten the odds a number of times before.  But again, I guess she'd been beaten down by the Alzheimer's just enough that her brain wasn't going to cooperate to the extent we needed it to.  Thanks in no small part to the previously mentioned internal bleed.  You see, the Alzheimer's fed off of the internal bleed in that it starved the brain of blood flow/oxygen because her body was trying to heal itself...trying to stop itself from bleeding to death...so, unbenounced to any of us, it accelerated the progression of the Alzheimer's while working to save her life.  That's where her personality started to change.  It should have set off warning signs all over the place.  But, the doctors thought it only temporary...so much for temporary.

Because she'd been bedridden for so long, Mom ended up with a urinary tract infection (UTI) because she'd had a Foley catheter in for far too long - which can, in the elderly or those with Alzheimer's, become critical or fatal.  That's what sent her on another trek to the hospital to where she would change even more...and where she would meet up with the two doctors who would change our lives with their vastly different opinions...and the rest, starts at the beginning of the blog...

By all accounts, every medical professional I spoke with insisted I'd made the right decision when I told them about giving her the chance to fight.  There wasn't ONE person in the medical field who thought otherwise...except for the FIRST doctor who thought I should pull the plug before even running ONE test.  And regardless of what anybody thinks or says, I still stand by my convictions - I did make the right decision.  I wouldn't change anything.  I did not make a mistake by standing my ground and giving Mom a fighting chance for the past three months.  Nobody can predict the future and to "pull the plug" without knowing all the facts is just wrong.  I can honestly say, the only person who knew whether she had a fighting chance or not was the woman who gave it her all, succeeded on some days and failed on others; but ultimately it was her body that made the decision nobody else could make for her...She still knew I was Sue, still said, "I love you" at least once as I finished my daily visit with her (even on Tuesday), sometimes told me she loved me FIRST, and above all, knew I was with her as she drew her last breath.

There is no greater love than that of a Mother's love...I shall treasure your memory always, Mama.  And I will love you with every fibre of my being until my dying breath...

Your precious, little girl...Sue

Still Not Much New

Hey, everyone.  Yes, I know it's been a while since my last post and for that, I'm sorry.  It's been a hectic week as I've been on course and been quite busy. 

Mom's progress has been slow this past week and not much has changed.  Her cognitive abilities haven't progressed much, nor have her physical abilities.  I'm not certain the physical abilities will change much without physical therapy or the chance to get up and move around as she's becoming lazier and lazier.  I ask her now if she wants to get up to take a walk and her answer is no more often than not.  It's kind of disappointing but understandable.  She's just not getting the stimulation she should be.  While I understand staff limitations, there's got to be an alternative.  I'm thinking I could bring in a private therapist to work with mom.  That may help, but first I have to talk to the physio staff and the occupational therapist.

Otherwise, as I said...there's really not much to report.  I'll try and post more often now that I'm not on course anymore...thanks for stopping by...xo

A Migraine AGAIN

The bad day was a migraine AGAIN...whew!!!  She seems to be in much better spirits!  The only problem I had today when I went to see her is that the staff had her dressed in her roommate's clothes AGAIN!  UGH  Now, I know Mom's lost a lot of weight recently but the woman in the other bed is still two sizes smaller than Mom.  I can't figure out HOW on earth the nursing attendants can possibly pull up the pants without hurting Mom.  After all, they've likely got to struggle immensely to get the damn things on!  What the heck!  Needless to say, tonight I think I finally hit my breaking point!  I actually walked down the hall and found the first person in a hospital uniform and "ordered" them to find me someone to help me change mom out of Agnes's clothes and into something that wasn't cutting off the circulation to the poor woman's legs!  They were so tight around her hips and knees it's surprising Mom's feet weren't asleep!  Jumpin' Jimminy!!!  Oh, I was angry!  I went back to Mom's room, wrapped my arms around her and started to cry.  I tend to weep uncontrollably when I'm that angry.  The LPN came into the room to give me and hand and she tried to calm me.  We helped Mom change and she must have felt 10 X better.  Poor, dear little soul!

Aside from wearing the wrong sized clothes, Mom seemed to be in a fairly good mood.  One of her dining table mates passed away this morning.  I helped feed Muriel the other day.  What a sweet lady.  She'll be sadly missed.

The other day, one of Mom's friends was in pain...I believe she has Parkinson's...and between Mom, me and another lady, we were able to help Anita settle a wee bit.  Anita wept from the pain and she reached for me for a hug, Mom spoke to her to comfort her and the other lady held her hand.  Poor dear.

Well, that's about it for now.  Thanks for stopping by...xo

The WORST Day in a LONG Time

Hi,

Well, yesterday was a totally uneventful day but today was the worst day I've seen with Mom in probably two and a half months!!!  I haven't seen her like this since she was admitted to the hospital in mid-March.  I can only hope that this was just a really bad day and that she hasn't had a relapse.  At least the last time this happened, she could tell someone she wasn't right...this time, she can't.  Today, she was in pretty bad shape and I'm not sure where things will go from here.  Again, hopefully it's just a really bad day and tomorrow will be a better day.

That's all I have for now...thanks for stopping by...

On Her Butt

Hey Everyone,

Well, it appears that dear, sweet, Mama is still trying desperately to get up and walk around...however, when she tries to sit again, she walks to her wheelchair and regrettably, plops on her bum!!!  The stupid wheelchair doesn't have brakes on, so when she attempts to sit, it moves!  UGH  Poor, little girl.  So far, knock on wood, she hasn't injured anything more than her pride.  I sincerely hope that continues.  The last thing we need is another incident that puts her in the hospital with more internal bleeding.  That would effectively be the end of her...as I'm certain she couldn't bounce back from another bout.  She's fallen on her butt a few times with no lasting effects.  The thing I question the most is if her wheelchair is 'alarmed' why is it that nobody is watching her...the alarm definitely gets their attention!  Go figure!!!

In any case, while I was with her last night, she was rather agitated and wanted nothing more to go home.  I'm still trying to figure out what home is.  Is it the Rutherford?  Is it Wetaskiwin?  She's even mentioned Calgary!  Hmmm, there are far too many homes for her and I guess it just depends on where her memory is on that particular day.  Heck, home for her could be with Nana & Grandpa...I guess I may never know for sure!  Either way, while she's healing mentally, I do what I can to understand what she wants.  When she's effective at articulating what she's after, it's easy...when everything is a word salad...it's not so easy...lol  But again, one day at a time...

Anyway, that's about all I have to report.  I'll be back there to see her again tonight and should have more to let you know.  For now, thanks for stopping by :)  xo

Oops

Yup, an oops...

I got to Mom's and was informed that she'd taken a bit of a spill...she didn't appear to be harmed at all but I guess she's been standing up so much on her own that she's not taking care to ensure her chair is behind her or something.  My guess is that, if the wheelchair is behind her when she's standing, either the chair rolls away a bit because the brakes aren't put on and when she tries to sit down, she misses the seat OR she's trying to sit down and the chair moves out of the way because the brakes aren't on and she fell out.  Either way, apparently they found her sitting beside her chair.  They'll check again later this evening to ensure she's got no lasting damage to her little bones...or a bruise that could turn into internal bleeding again.  Dang...she's so wanting to be independent but has to be so very careful or we're back to square one!

When I got around the corner after my arrival, she exclaims, "There's my little girl!!!"  Awww, how wonderful is that!!!???!!!  I just love hearing that kind of thing...it's still so nice to know she's recognising me and knows who I am.  That's definitely an improvement, too.  There was a time not so long ago where she didn't remember who Jason was, or who I was.  Not a good thing.

Anyway, I dropped off a few more toiletries she was in need of and we visited for a while.  I also had a Gingerale for her.  She was soooo happy to enjoy her Gingerale as she hasn't had one of those in a long time!!!  Maybe tomorrow is a Dairy Queen day!  Who knows...treat day is always appreciated!  :)

Well, thanks for stopping by...xo

I Wanna Go Home

Hey Everyone,

Yesterday was a pretty good day for Mom.  She was happy, chatty and generally in a good mood.  She was ready to go, go, go.  We went for a walk and then we sat down outside the elevators for a chat.  THEN, she says, let's go back to my room...so off we went!  But not with her sitting in her chair!  Nope, we were gonna walk the whole distance...and it was quite a walk.  She did well but boy was she exhausted when we got back to her room.  She was definitely ready for a drink of water and a chance to sit - well, after she powdered her nose...which is an event in itself...lol

Anyway, we visited for a while longer and then it was time for me to head out. 

My visit today was okay...she was a bit tired, though.  We headed down to the auditorium for a game of carpet bowling and half way thru, she decided she was tired and wanted to go...NOW.  So, off we went!  We headed back to her room and sat in there to chat for a while...then, I had to leave.  So, in essence, it was a rather uneventful visit. 

The good thing is that her physical health is still fairly good.  She's a bit unbalanced on her feet but at least she's getting back up on her feet again...albeit slowly, and she's getting more exercise than she's had in the past two months.  I guess we've still got to take this one day at a time. 

The only part of the visit I didn't like on either day was that she kept telling me that she wanted to go home.  I still have to remind her that, "this is home, Mama."  :(

Anyway, thanks for stopping by...xo

A Stand-Up Day

Well, last night was a huge night for Mom.  I walked around the corner to find her standing up!  She'd figured out how to unbuckle her seatbelt on the wheelchair they have her "strapped into" and she was brushing off some crumbs from her lap.  The only concern I had was that she was trying to step over the feet supports.  She came close to tripping, so I hustled over and gave her the balance she needed so she didn't fall.  As I was moving, so were about three other nurses and the Occupational Therapist.  As it turned out, she didn't need any of us, but it's always a good thing, just in case.  Needless to say, the Occupational Therapist told the nurses, etc. that she shouldn't be buckled in at all anymore and that the leg supports should be removed and put in her closet.  Nice.

So, I'm hoping now that she's making her next move, she'll be noticed (especially now that the OT has seen the moves) and she'll get more attention when it comes to physio, etc.  One can only hope anyway.

After her stand-up performance, they asked her to sit again.  So, Mom & I went for a ride to her room, I hid my purse and we went to play dice for a while.  She was a bit shy about it at first but once she got into it, she had a blast.  It was nice to see her feeling comfortable enough to participate in games.  Then, she'd had enough, we went back to her room, I collected her clothes and my purse.  While we were there, she asked me, "Where does a girl get a drink around here?  I'm so thirsty!!!"  Well, off we went to find a drink for her!  After she'd had her drink, she asked for more.

Anyway, I'm thinking she's on the road to more recovery and with any luck this will continue.  I'm of the belief she may never be exactly the same as she was before her fall, but hopefully she'll come close.

Thanks for stopping by...xo

A Total 360

I think I must have nailed it!!!  The odds that Mom wasn't feeling well both yesterday and the day before (and quite possibly on Saturday) are pretty good.  I went to see her today and she was excellent!  She was sitting up, looking around, smiling and chattering away.  When she saw me, she smiled and said, "Oh my, how are you?"  It was like she was a whole different person.

I did receive a phone call from the nurse this morning and her THS (thyroid) level is at 3!!!  She's totally back to normal!!!  In fact everything is normal right now...EVERYTHING!!!  They did every kind of test you could imagine and she's totally normal.  So, now we wait.  It's been two months and she's finally physically back to normal...I guess I have to keep reminding myself that it could take another two months to find out if she's going to be back at that baseline.  Perhaps I could allow myself a tiny bit of optimism...although, I do have a difficult time doing that because I don't want to be disappointed.  However, it is nice to see her the way she was today!

Anyway, there's not much else to tell.  I am just happy to tell you how well she was doing today and that all tests have come back normal now.

Thanks for stopping by...xo

I THINK I May Have Figured It Out

Hey Everyone...

I think I may have figured out why Mom's not feeling well...it's raining here.  The temps went from 24 yesterday to 6-8 degrees here today.  A barometric pressure change of that significant a change gives her a migraine EVERY time.  Had Dave not had a headache this morning, I may have never thought of it.  There's so much going on in my mind, I didn't even think of it!  Needless to say, when I saw Mom today, she was sleeping again, in her bed this time.  When I got there, she woke up...I immediately asked her if she was in pain, she said she was...I asked her if she had a migraine and she said she did.  What a stupid woman I am!!!  How could I not think of it!!!

Anyway, we've got it figured out now.  If only I can continue to remember, we just might have it sorted out!!!  Now, IF I've got it figured out, with any luck when she's feeling better, everything will be okay - or I hope so anyway.

During my visit today, Mom did have a yogurt and drink of cranberry juice...so I suppose that even though she had a migraine, she was still hungry.  Other than that, there's really not much to tell you.  Maybe tomorrow will be a better day and she'll be feeling better.

Thanks for stopping by...xo

Sleepy Day

Well, definitely not much to tell you about yesterday...All Mom did was sleep throughout my entire visit.  She'd peek thru her closed eye while I fed her.  She was in the dining room when I arrived and hadn't eaten a thing!  So, I sat down beside her and convinced her it would be a good idea to eat.  So, thru sleepy bites, she ate her supper.  I'm not quite sure what's going on, but I don't really like it.  The staff was telling me she was like that all day. 

The day-time RN and I spoke about a week ago and she was telling me that they were giving her (and likely still are) a medication to lower her blood pressure...which is already quite low.  Go figure.  That might be why she's so sleepy.  Hmmm...

Anyway, that's about all I have to tell you...pretty boring, huh?  Thanks for stopping by...xo

Not Such a Good Day

Hey,

Today, Brenda was up again with Krystal and her boyfriend Beau.  We were clearing out the Rutherford and getting things ready for storage or to take to Mom where she is now.  B & the kids had a few minutes to run up to see Mom before they headed south so we took advantage of the time.  Sadly, Mom wasn't having a very good day.  She didn't have her teeth in and wasn't wearing her glasses.  It's kind of sad to see her like that because she's always been so very concerned about her appearance.  And of course, it bothered me.  She was not very coherent today, either.  However, she did say hello (sort of) to Beau before I got her teeth into her.  I think what it is with Mom is that she doesn't like having her dentures dirty and after a few days of not having them cleaned, she gets fed up with the build-up and just takes them out!  Once I soak them and give them a good brushing, she seems to be just fine with them.  I can't understand why the staff won't soak them for her - DAILY.  Oh well, I think I'm going to have to write this stuff down and when we have our little meeting after Mom's been there for six weeks, I can air my grievances then.  And I'm beginning to have a few!!!

Anyway, B, Krystal and I took Mom for a walk after Beau went outside for a bit of fresh air.  We were sitting in the main foyer by the fire and I have no idea what happened but we were sitting there and Mom was just staring at Krystal.  She just couldn't take her eyes off of her.  It was so very weird.  I asked Mom what was going on and she didn't have anything to say.  After a while, I asked her again and had to repeat myself over and over.  Finally, I said, "Darlene!"  And she answered, "WHAT?"  I said, "That's your Krystal!!!"  She replies, "Bullshit!"  LMAO  I guess Krystal's looks have changed so much that Mom was having trouble recognising her.  What a hoot. 

Anyway, after B & the kids left, I took Mom back to her wing for supper and she kept telling me she was sorry.  When I asked her why she was sorry, she kept telling me she was sorry for Krystal.  The only thing I can figure is that she's sorry she didn't recognise Krys.

Mom sure wasn't feeling well today, though.  I could tell.  She was quite pale and didn't really have much energy.  It truly wasn't a great day for her.  It was another day where I left her feeling so very sad and so very lonely for my mama.  I really don't like days like this and still wonder sometimes if I've chosen to do the right thing.  When she has good days, I think I'm right in giving her that fighting chance because so many medical professionals say they've seen people bounce back from a thyroid episode like this before...but it takes time.  But when she's having a day like today, I hear those damn words echoing in my head...you should just let nature take its course...the one thing I do know for sure is that on days like this, my heart hurts.  I guess all I can hope for is that tomorrow will be a better day.

Thanks for stopping by...

Improvements :)

Did you miss me???

Things have been looking up for Mom!!!  I WAS able to stop by briefly to visit with Mom on both Wednesday and yesterday.  On Wednesday, it was a breeze in and a breeze out...but I did see her before I dropped off her clothes and gave her a kiss before I left.  She was sitting at the table awaiting the arrival of supper!!!

Later in the evening, Jason dropped in and visited with her for a while.  He asked her if she remembered I'd visited and she replied, "Yup!"  He asked her if she knew why I visited and she pointed at her clothes!!!  Hmmm, could this be more improvement in her short-term memory???  Maybe!  I sure hope so.  Anyway, I guess she was very tired but she was still in a fabulous mood.  That's always a good thing.

Yesterday, I was able to visit her in the afternoon for a while.  She was waiting to go to "Happy Hour"...yup, you read that right...HAPPY HOUR!!!  When we arrived in the auditorium, we were offered beer, coke, juice, tea, coffee or water.  Mom had orange juice and a cookie, I had a small glass of beer.  Too funny!  Then, there were a couple of fellows who played guitars and sang some of the older songs...you know, songs the age group in the residence would remember...written in the stone-age!!!  I hardly knew any of the words except for maybe to Goodnight Irene.  As I'm singing along, I leaned over and gently put my head on Mom's shoulder and what do I hear?  Mom singing along to the song...and she knew most of the words!  Another improvement???  Maybe!  So I began listening more closely to other songs and there were a few choruses she remembered as well.  Now remember, she's not that old, so she's not going to remember most of the songs written in the stone-age, either...LMAO  However, the songs they did by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and folks like that, she definitely remembered.  Nice.

So, after we finished singing, we meandered back to her room for a moment and decided we'd like to go for a walk...well, actually, it was MOM who decided she'd like to go for a walk...and she kept walking, and walking, and walking!!!  We got to the nursing station this time before she decided she needed to sit!  Then she wanted her Girl Friday (me) to run back to her room to fetch her wheels!!!  That figures!  So, off I went to snag the wheels!  By the time we got all of that done, I had to get going, so she was left in the ever-so-capable hands of the nursing staff there, as she had to powder her nose.  That was my cue to go.  So, I gave her a kiss and a hug and bid her adieu until today.  She was a happy girl when I left...I think she had a fantastic day but I think she was getting a bit tired.  They had part 1 of a movie scheduled for the evening and I'm hoping she was able to join them for it.  I'll find out later today.

Anyway, that's about it for now.  I'll post more later...sorry for the delay in getting details out...but I guess better late than never... LOL

Thanks for stopping by...xo

Good News

Hi!!!
Well, I got some very good news today.  Mom's thyroid numbers have come down to 6!!!  That's outstanding.  They did the test on 5 May and that was the result.  I'm very pleased to know that.  They're going to test her again at the end of May to see if there's any change.  Her INR is good; everything is getting back to normal.

Now we wait.  Again, the doctor said we would have to wait a good 3-4 months before we'd see any definitive changes.  Right now, we're seeing some small improvements but nothing of any substance.  However, it's only been two months.  There's still two months to go.  I can say that really all we can do is hope for the best and prepare for the worst. 

We read another chapter in our book last night and when I was almost done, she said, "That's enough."  Okay!!!  LOL  Then we went to the auditorium for Pet Therapy...they had some wonderful dogs there...They brought smiles to the faces of every person in the room...Mom smiled over and over again...it was wonderful.  I even heard her laugh a couple of times.

Today, I returned to help Mom shower.  She can't have a "sponge bath" with their bathing products or dry shampoo because it affects her skin terribly and she breaks out in rashes.  So, I volunteered to go in half way between her regularly scheduled bath time to help her shower.  By the time we were finished, I don't know which one of us was more soaked, me or mom!!!  

Anyway, when we were done showering, I was taking her back to her room for a drink and snack and she wanted to walk back to her room.  Nice!  Nurses and aides were watching and were quite impressed that mom was up and walking.  I kept telling them she was able to walk but for some reason they just didn't believe me.  I'm glad she's up and moving, too...her legs and ankles are a bit more swollen from fluid retention than they were when she arrived there...so she's not moving around as much as she should, nor are they keeping her feet elevated enough.  She was also extremely tired today, so she was "hanging" her head quite a bit.  I'm sure hoping tomorrow will be a better day for her.  Again, we all have bad days and good days...today just wasn't such a good day for her.  Here's to hoping tomorrow will be better.

I guess that's about all the news I have for now.  I won't be up to see her tomorrow or Thursday, but I'll try and get information so I'm able to post how she's doing.

Thanks for stopping by...xo

A Fairly Good Day

Mom had a fairly good day today...she was a wee bit tired when I got there but we went for a bit of a walk (her in a wheelchair) to the main area where the leather sofas are and I put her feet up on the sofa and rubbed her legs.  They were a tiny bit swollen today and she said it felt good to have someone rub them.

Then after we sat there for about 20 minutes, we decided to take a walk and look at the chicken fingers, er, I mean the chicks...she definitely loves those little critters!!!  When she was taken into the dining room at lunch time, she exclaimed to the nurse, "They're soooo cute!!!"  And again, when she and I were sitting there, she repeated the same thing to me.  We chatted there for a while, too...then the snack girl came around and we decided we'd like a cup of tea and the two of us decided we were going to read a book neither of us have read before.  So, every day I go to see Mom, we'll read a chapter or two - depending on how much time we have.  I'll read the book aloud and then we can both enjoy it together.  She thought that would be a fabulous idea!!!  She's quite looking forward to our next chapter!  Me too!!!  This time, we're reading 206 Bones by Kathy Reichs.  I hope we can finish it before she moves.  :)  Maybe it would behove me to BUY a book neither of us have read so that way it wouldn't matter WHERE she was, we could enjoy it at any time!

Anyway, while we were reading, Dave showed up.  I looked up from the book, said hi to Dave and Mom exclaimed, "HI, sweetheart!!!"  Seems she's got no difficulty remembering people, anyway.  This is definitely a good thing.  I sure hope this is a sign she's regaining some of her memory.  There was a point where she wasn't remembering my name OR Jason's name...and considering we're the two that visit so frequently, that just wasn't a good sign...especially MY name, as I'm there pretty much daily!  Now, she calls out for me if I'm behind her or if she can't see me while I'm visiting.  That's a good thing, too.  Whew!  Let's hope that continues.  Once again, I guess only time will tell.  Some of her sentences are clear as a bell...others are just "word salad" and I'm not sure if that will change.  Again, time...

Anyway, I won't be up to see her tomorrow...I have a prior commitment, so Jay is heading up to see Nana and I will ask him for an update so I can post an update for you.  Have a great night...hugs & hearts, and thanks for stopping by...
Me

A Visit With Brenda

Last night, Brenda came with me to visit Mom.  I think Mom was so very happy to see B...it seemed to me that Mom was going to cry when she finally realised B was there.  When we first arrived, Mom was in the auditorium bowling!  Apparently, she was doing so very well playing!!!  Then we stole her...lol

Anyway, we took Mom for a walk and Mom showed Brenda the dozen chicks that Youville must have hatched for Easter.  They're just adorable!  I joked they'll be ready soon for chicken fingers!  Then we showed B where Mom's room is and Brenda met Mom's roommate.  Agnes is such a wonderful lady.  We chatted a bit with Agnes and then we went for a walk to the main sitting room.  We must have chatted for a good while and then Brenda suggested to Mom that they call Dan.  Mom thought that was a fantastic idea.  They got on the phone to Dan and he got a few words out of her...she told him hello, that she was feeling well, and of course that she loved him, as well as a few other short answers

By the time we got back to Mom's room, the nurses were there with night-time meds and it was good we got there when we did.  Mom was a bit tired last night so she wasn't a woman of many words.  She did say a few things and said a few cohesive sentences - which was good.  She smiled for a few photos for Brenda and that was about it.  The nurses reminded us that the Health Care Aides were on their way shortly to assist in getting residents ready for bed, so we said goodnight and thought we'd head out.  We got a few kisses on the cheek as Mom wasn't being very cooperative with her kisses - until we finally got a REAL kiss, and then we were off.

Needless to say, it was a relatively uneventful visit last night.  Until next time...thanks for stopping by...
xo 

A Big Day

Well, Mom had a good day yesterday.  When I got there, she was visiting with a "friend" who was sitting beside her.  It was nice to see she'd made a friend...someone to talk to.

I visited another residence yesterday afternoon that will be moving into Eaux Claires in November.  While the residence isn't what I'd call luxurious (it's actually a bit cramped), it's clean, well cared for, and bright.  The residents are happy and appear to be well cared for as well.  I stopped to chat with a fellow and asked him if he was happy there...he emphatically said, "YES!!!"  Then I asked him whether he liked the nurses and whether he was well cared for and again, "YES!!!"  The last thing I asked him was weather he liked the food...he told me he'd gained weight since he got there, so yes, he thought the food was great...LOL

I've asked that Mom transfer there so she can become familiar and perhaps bond with the staff there, so when they move, it's not too difficult for her...which I don't think it will be.  She's adjusted well to a few moves so far.

When I told her about this last night, she seemed to be happy about it.  I told her what was going on and low and behold, a few minutes later, she mentioned Eaux Claires!!!  It blew my mind!  We talked more about Eaux Claires and I reminded her that she'd have to be patient and wait until they moved.  She said she was okay with that.  WOW, another small step in the right direction.  For all those times I started to weep because I second-guessed myself, there was that little bit of progress I was looking for.  Short-term memory is a great thing in heading in the right direction.  Perhaps she's on the mend.  The doctor DID say it would take 3-4 months and we're just now at two and a half months...hmmm

Anyway...thanks so much for stopping by...I'll try and post again later...I couldn't post last night as Blogspot was down for whatever reason and I couldn't get on.

Have a wonderful evening... xo

Not Much Going On Today

Hey...

There's really not much to post about today...Mom was tired and a bit grumpy.  She was very fussy and wasn't in a good mood at all.  I'm not certain what bee was in her bonnet but she wasn't all that happy about anything.  Didn't matter what we did or said, she just wasn't going to smile or anything for anyone.  UGH, I don't like days like this at all...

Oh well, I spent a great deal of time talking to one nurse or another today...trying to get the last of the paperwork done...and I wasn't able to.  I guess there was one RN for two floors today.  Wow, talk about short-staffed.  That's just awful.  Still not sure about the place.  It's nice and all, but first impressions are so important and although I'm still giving it a chance, I'm still not "in love."

Thanks for stopping by...
xo

A VERY Long Day

Holy Freeholy!!!  This has got to have been the longest day!  I think Mom did okay but the two of us were pretty exhausted by 1800 hrs.  She was going to go to the Auditorium to watch a program on bugs or something just to kill some time this evening but I had to come home.  I'd been at the new residence since 1200 hrs.  I met her there and had meetings with the Social Worker, nurses, health care aids, all kinds of staff.  And we're not done, yet!  UGH...  I have a feeling I'll be getting phone calls over the next few days.  There were several delays between meetings.

I was with Mom over lunch and supper and she did eat well.  Thankfully!  Funny thing was, she insisted on sitting on the visitors' chair while I was there, so I sat on the foot of her bed...then I got tired of no back support, so I grabbed one of her pillows, propped it against the foot-rail/wall and promptly the two of us fell asleep in our respective positions!  This was between visits as well...lol  I think we were both so very tired.  I just hope she enjoyed the program she watched this evening.

I really hope she sleeps well tonight.  I guess I'll know more tomorrow.  Oh yeah, turns out one of her nurses is a nurse who used to work at the Rutherford!!!  So we have a familiar face who knows Mom AND Dad!!!  What a pleasant surprise!!!  She absolutely adored Dad and still adores Mom...so this is a bit of a relief!  It's so nice to have someone there who already knows Mom. 

I think it will take a few days for her to entirely adjust to her new residence...as well, it will take me a few days to adjust.  I'm also now doing her laundry until I find out the residence's routine.  I have no idea if they do it or not.  If they do, I suspect they'll need her clothing labeled...yeah, like I have a clothing labeller just hanging around here...hahahaha

Anyway, I'm so very ready for bed...Thanks for stopping by...
xo

A Tired Mama

Mom was pretty tired today.  Dave & I got there just as she was starting supper.  She is moving tomorrow so Dave took the TV and I packed up most of her things because the transport will only take two bags and mom had WAY more than two bags full of things from clothes to photos to cards.  Everything had to go.  I left her with a change of clothes and a few toiletries.

After Dave left with the TV and the photos, Mom and I sat and chatted for a while.  I packed up her things and then it was time for me to leave.  After all, I was hungry.  We went up right after work...still hadn't eaten supper yet.  Mom was okay with it as I told her I'd meet her at her new digs tomorrow.  They'll call me when they're ready to move her so I can meet her there.  I do need to sit with the manager and complete paperwork, get Mom settled and make sure she's comfortable before I leave there.

THEN, perhaps after a few weeks, I'll scale back visits to once every other night...then after a few weeks, once every third night...After visiting her every day for so long, I'm likely to have withdrawal...

Ah, the joys...anyway, I'm hoping Mom will be better rested tomorrow and will be chipper and looking forward to her new "adventure."

Thanks for stopping by...
xo

Another Coup

Hey!  Another coup today...she's still asserting her independence...love it!  While Mom's still progressing slowly, I do have to admit, I was a little excited to know that she's still keeping up with asserting her independence.  Keep it up, Mom...the more you do yourself, the more it shows you're getting better :)

The words were difficult in coming today, but I don't expect miracles every day.  If it's a little independence one day and no increase in articulating words...or an increase in articulating words and no independence, I'll take it.  Again...we still have two months to go before we'll see Mom get close to that "baseline" the doctor thinks she'll get back to.

One day at a time...and she loved her Mother's Day gift and card...so I think that's okay, too :)

Thanks for stopping by...
xo

WOW

Mom took a big step today...she did something by herself she hasn't done in a couple of months!  I won't divulge the details...just suffice it to say it was fabulous!  I'm just so pleased she's finally asserting her independence again.  It's just one more step to "healing."  I guess there's something to be said for patience...but you know me, Miss Impatience!!!

Our visit yesterday was so nice.  We went for a walk and the only support Mom needed was to hold my hand.  That in itself speaks volumes!  We didn't get too far but we did go for a walk almost unsupported!  She's definitely making small strides to her independence...

Otherwise, our visit was filled with chatting and holding hands and just being close.  Not much else happened...but it was a good visit.

To all you moms out there...Happy Mother's Day!  I wish you love, peace, and happiness always.

Thanks for stopping by...
xo

An Interim Blog for Today

Great News!!!  Mom's been placed in her new residence!  I got a call at lunch time.  She's going to be so happy.  It's a wonderful place.  I toured it on Tuesday and although it's not my first choice, it's REALLY nice.  They have physiotherapists and occupational therapists that will assist her in continuing her fight to get better.  Right now, she'll have to share a room but the woman I spoke with told me it won't be long before she can move to a private room.  And, the private rooms are pretty close to equivalent to the size of her suite at the Rutherford, without the kitchenette.

There are all kinds of friendly people there.  The staff appeared to be extremely friendly and while I was on the phone with the woman, I confirmed that the doctor(s) were competent enough to deal with the complex health issues Mom faces on a daily basis.  She assured me they were.  They also have a Nurse Practitioner on staff Monday thru Friday.  That's also a huge relief.  A Nurse Practitioner is basically the same as a doctor without the "MD" behind their name.

Things seem to be looking up for the Queen Mother...lol

Thanks for stopping by again... :)

Better All the Time

Another good day yesterday :)

Mom was sitting in the dining room area when I arrived last night.  She was happily chatting with the LPNs, Nurses, residents and anyone else who would chat with her.  I asked her if she'd like to visit quietly in her room and of course, she said she would.

We wheeled into her room and the two of us visited until Jason arrived.  She was thrilled to see Jay.  The three of us visited for quite a while.  One of Mom's care team came in and advised us that Mom's getting up out of bed at night and wondering out to the main area just to chat.  Uh oh...they're concerned she might fall.  After all, she's been confined to either her Geri-chair or a bed for six weeks.  I have a feeling she's wanting to get up and walk now that she has that freedom again and now that she's feeling so much better physically.

While we were chatting, Mom was chiming in and quite often making sense.  Occasionally, she'd flub up her sentences and she'd do the blah, blah, blah thing with her tongue.  I suspect she KNOWS what she wants to say but her mouth isn't cooperating with her brain yet.  Hopefully, that will improve with time as well.

Other than that, there's not too much to tell...I'll post again later.  Looks like things are heading in the right direction.  She's been awake all day for three days in a row.  Hopefully, that's a good thing...

Thanks for stopping by.  :)

We're Lookin' Up

Wow, today was a pretty good day for Mom.  She was up doing physio after breakfast!  I guess they figured she'd like to get moving.  The only thing is, once they got her moving, they couldn't stop her!  She kept wanting to get up all the time.  They ultimately had to have her busy in the physio room and in the Occupational Therapist's room...lol  Eventually, they asked her to sit for a while in the Geri-chair.  By the time I got there she was sitting quietly awaiting supper.

I left her suitcases in her room for a while and went to visit with her in the dining room.  While we waited for supper to be served, we went to her table and got her set up.  At the hospital, they generally fed her because they wanted her to finish her meals quickly.  As such, the "orders" that came from the hospital were that she needed to be fed.  Consequently, they asked me to feed her.  I thought it a bit ridiculous but said I would.  She and I joked about her needing to be fed because she's just the Queen Mother...she laughed and in a British accent said, "Well, of course I am!"  I gave her a few bites, which she enjoyed immensely, and while I was chatting with an LPN, Mom grabbed the utensil out of my hand and promptly began feeding herself because I wasn't feeding her Majesty fast enough!!!  LMAO  She doesn't need any help feeding herself, she does just fine. 

The other thing I was astounded with, was that at the hospital they were giving her a sleeping pill at 5pm.  NO WONDER she was sleeping by the time I got there so often!!!  What a ridiculous time to give anyone a sleeping pill.  And no frickin' wonder she was so tired and napping during the day.  She wasn't sleeping through the night, so she was tired during the day.  What a mess!!!

Anyway, her colour was good today, her disposition was good today and she had been up walking.  I sure hope she continues to improve like she has the past few days.  She's finally been given the chance to bloom again.  She's moving from the Rutherford and her address will no longer be there.  Any correspondence to Mom should be sent care of me now...We're not sure where her permanent place of residence will be but mail will continue to go through me.

That's all for today...thanks for stopping by...xo

A MUCH Better Day :)

Mom had a much better day yesterday (sorry I didn't post last night).  She was transferred to a transition unit while we wait for a place to open in her new, permanent home.  She was awake, alert, smiling, laughing, sitting up straight, chatty and having "fun" when I arrived to see her at the transition unit yesterday.  I was shocked after seeing her the past few days.  No sleepyhead for her!!!

We chatted for quite a while, I unpacked all of her things, put them away in drawers or in the bathroom and got her out of bed.  She had to use the bathroom...which was a coup for her!  In her temporary "home" she has to get up out of bed, get washed up, brush her teeth, get dressed and freshen up BEFORE breakfast.  She then goes to the main dining room for breakfast.  Then she can return to her room for a rest if she needs it.  They'll get her up and moving once again during the morning, then she'll be up and moving again for lunch.  She can return to her room for a rest period if she needs it again in the afternoon and then she gets up and moving around again once more in the afternoon.  THEN, then get her up and going again for supper.  Then she can return to her room for the evening if she wishes to watch TV or rest if she chooses.  They have daily activities planned for the residents to participate in, and encourage all of them to attend.  I think she's going to be far happier in the transition unit. 

I checked out yet another extended care facility yesterday.  It was nice, but not quite as nice as the first one.  Although, this place also had lots of attendants and lots of activities planned for the residents.  Once again, I have to wait until we find out where she ends up getting placed.  She's on a wait-list and gets placed wherever they find a room for her.  If I'm not happy where she ends up, I'll put in a request to have her moved.  Although, I don't like the idea of continually moving her.  However, she certainly didn't suffer the effects of being moved yesterday.  In fact, she seemed to have improved...this time.  Dave saw her for the first time in quite a while and thought she looked really good.  She had huge smiles for him and was ever so delighted to see him.  That's always a fantastic sign, too!!!

We have to take this journey one day at a time...yesterday was a good day...with any luck today will be a good day...and tomorrow the same.  She needs to be challenged, I think...and this is the way to do it.

Until I post again, thanks for stopping by... xo

Sadly, Not a Good Day

Well, this wasn't a very good day...just didn't seem like Mom was progressing at all today.  Maybe she just had a bad day.  We all have them, so I suppose it's okay for Mom to have one every now and then, too.  However, I get disheartened when Mom has a bad day. 

She slept through my visit, with the exception of about three minutes while I tickled her trying to wake her up.  Didn't work very well :(

I toured an extended care facility today.  I wanted to see just what they had to offer.  In essence, it's exactly like the Rutherford; with the exception that it has hospital beds instead of personal beds and there are more nurses.  I'm touring another one tomorrow afternoon and have yet another one to see on 11 May.  In the meantime, I got a phone call this afternoon just as I was leaving the Citadel, that Mom's likely going to be transferred to a transition unit some time this week.  That could be good and bad...good for her in that she'll get a bit more attention regarding physical therapy, etc., the bad for her in that, she's going to be moved again...which will cause her more confusion.  That's not always a good thing for people with Alzheimer's...I sure hope it doesn't affect her too much.

I found I was incredibly sad today...I don't know if it was because of the tour or whether I've just been missing Dad or I'm a bit disheartened about Mom.  Perhaps it was a combination of the three.  The tears came very easily today and very often.  Today was not a good day for me.

The one thing the Social Worker at the Citadel told me was that, should Mom be placed there, AFTER she's settled and happy, the Social Worker doesn't want to see me around there for a while...she wants me to "go away"...hahahaha  I told her I wasn't going anywhere.  She said she didn't mean to literally go away...simply, that she was going to ensure that I took some "time off" because historically the "position" of care partner falls to one child regardless of whether there's a geographical distance or not, and that one child tends to need a great deal of TLC...HA, I told her I cared for Dad, too!  She nearly had chickens on the spot...lol  She told me she didn't want to see me!!!  HA, I told her!  I'm always going to be involved in Mom's care.  She was happy to know that, but she wanted to ensure I was taken care of FIRST, because if I'm not taken care of, I'm no good to Mom...She told me Mom would be safe and well cared for.  I sure do hope so.  It was so sweet that a virtual stranger was so compelled to feel such compassion toward me.  Oh, by the way, the Citadel was beautiful - well cared for, friendly, clean, lots of activities...and all residents are encouraged to attend, regardless of their "condition"...I found that a wonderful note to leave on.  :)

Anyway, enough of my babble for one night.  I'll post again tomorrow...hopefully, with better news - AND an evaluation of the next extended care facility.

Thanks for stopping by...

A Somewhat Good Day :o|

Hey All,

I went up to the hospital after I'd had a chance to go to Mom's apartment at the Rutherford.  I picked up some Green Tea and some Chamomile tea for her.  I also picked up what was left of her huge bag of cheezies (the one she got in her stocking at Christmas) and a package of Mango-Peach fruit cups.  There were also two packages of Strawberry Ensure in her fridge that I decided to take up with me as well.  She's not eating as much as I'd like her to, so I thought there'd be no harm in taking up the Ensure.

Anyway, when I arrived, she'd just finished lunch and was sitting quietly, pondering life (I think).  When I peeked around the corner I got the biggest smile and a "Hi Sweetheart"...that's always nice to hear.  We chatted for a while, she drank an Ensure, I made her a green tea, she ate one of the fruit cups and then the snack fairy came along with some yogurt, so we mixed in what was left of the fruit in the fruit cup and she ate that, too!  Well, most of it anyway.

I asked her how she was doing and she said she felt pretty good today.  That's nice to hear.  However, she's still having trouble articulating her words.  She'll start a sentence and get half way through when it turns to a word salad...I asked her if she was happy and she said yes.  I asked her if she understood everything that was said to her and she said yes (well, actually it was "uh huh."  I asked her if she got frustrated sometimes when she couldn't get her words out to tell someone what she wanted and she answered me with, "All the time."  So she's well aware of what's going on and quite frustrated about it.  We're working through this, and I know she's fighting and I know she's frustrated.  Sadly, she knows she's frustrated, too.  However, I can usually figure out what she wants.  It takes a bit for the nurses to figure it out, but they eventually get it...they just have to ask and be patient.  I'm trying to "teach" them how to work with her.  I suppose it's a fruitless effort as this is an interim stay.  She's slated to be moved once they can find appropriate accommodations for her.  She can not return to the Rutherford because the quality of care she received there was not acceptable.  The doctors at the University WILL NOT release her to the Rutherford.  She needs to be carefully monitored - her INR, her thyroid, her potassium and her fluid retention all have to be close watched.  They weren't doing that at the Rutherford.  They were watching her INR at the Rutherford...well, the pharmacist was watching it...and she ended up in the hospital with it at 10!!!  That's not appropriately monitoring it...and they WEREN'T monitoring anything else...or she wouldn't have been off the map (at 43) with her thyroid...anyway, I've already been on this rant once!  I'll not go there again.

Mom's doing all she can to fight to become healthier and with any luck, she will win.  We still have a good three months to determine whether she has been successful.  For now, she's taken baby steps!

Anyway, thanks for stopping by today...more tomorrow...
xo

TWO Posts In One

My apologies for not posting yesterday.  Getting onto the computer is a bit challenging when I don't have my own :(  Oh well, I'm here now.

Let's see...yesterday was a pretty good day for Mom.  She was awake, alert and chattering again while I was there.  I stayed for nearly two hours and held her attention for pretty much the whole time.  She's still determined to fight and wants to get well.  As I said in an earlier post, I ask her almost daily and her response is always the same.  The only thing I can see right now that might give her any trouble is her ability to articulate her words.  Regrettably, it doesn't appear right now that she's doing very well in that aspect.  One can only hope that will change as things continue to progress.  She eats better at breakfast and lunch than she does at supper time...but then she always has.  She'd prefer to have a sandwich or bagel at supper time and a large lunch.  Sadly, that's not the way the hospital does it...lol  Meh, she'll adapt eventually.

Oh, one thing she did yesterday that she hasn't done in a long time is play our "Love You" game.  I have always said, "I Love You" and she always says, "I love you, too."  Then I'll reply, "I love you more!!!"  And she'll reply, "No, I love YOU more..."  And this can go on and on...while we giggle.  Up until yesterday, the I love you game would end at my saying I love you more.  Yesterday when I left, she replied, "No, I love YOU more!"  What a pleasant surprise that was to hear!!!  I'd have to say that was definitely a step in the right direction that she's remembering our little game.  It might be a silly, little game, but it's something that I've noticed that's coming back to her.  :)

Today was another relatively good day, although she did begin to get a headache again.  Seems she gets lots of those - but then again, she always did get a lot of them.  We managed to get some acetaminophen and she was okay, for a while.  And, she was ready for a nap!  That's okay though, I was able to get nearly two hours of visiting time in with her (again) before she wanted to nap.  The visits are getting longer and her periods between nap-times are getting further apart.  Hopefully, that's also a good sign.

Otherwise, I really don't have too much to say...but then again, I guess I've said enough...yeah, yeah...for those of you who know me well, you`d be inclined to think I`m full of hot air anyway...hahahaha

Have a great night...more tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by... xoxo

Sleeping in BED This Time :(

Well, I'm not sure WHY, but the little Mama is sooooo tired of late!  She was actually sleeping in her bed tonight when I arrived!!!  That's just not like her, so she must have been totally exhausted!  She did wake up a couple of times - once when we HAD to wake her to take her meds, and once an hour and a half after I arrived when I bent over to kiss her good-bye :(

Oh well, I suppose there are going to be days like this.  I can't expect miracles EVERY day...perhaps tomorrow will be a better day.  Her Patient Watch Staff said she was awake, alert and chattering up a storm earlier today.  I guess I'm just catching her after she's had a long and busy day and she's just plain tired.  Tomorrow... :o}

Sorry I don't have more to tell you...until I post again...

Thanks for stopping by,
Me

A Sly One Tonight ;o)

Tonight's visit with Mom was fun!  She WAS napping when I first arrived - and she'd just fallen asleep!  I wasn't about to have her sleep thru my whole visit again so I started bugging her until she told me I was driving her crazy!!!  LOL  She finally opened one eye and watched me with a Cheshire Cat grin...and of course, she was giggling.  Needless to say, that just made me want to bug her even more.

Eventually, I guess I drove her crazy enough that she decided to sit up and visit with me.  So, for an hour and a bit, she and I chatted...well, I did most of the chatting and she did most of the listening and/or answering.  For some reason, tonight her words were a bit jumbled...bugger!!!  Oh well, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. 

She's looking better, feeling better - except for being tired so often - and she's now wanting to get up more on her own and walk around by herself.  They're still not wanting her to do that, though, as she's not too steady on her feet after sitting for so long.  Perhaps with a couple more weeks of thyroid treatment under her belt, she just may be able to.  Who knows for sure.  The one thing I do know is that she IS getting better, slowly but surely.  There's just such a long road ahead of her still...and when I ask her how she's feeling, she says good but tired.  When I ask her if she's happy, she says yes.  If I ask her if she wants to keep fighting, she says yes, I'm not ready to go yet.  When we talk about what happened to her, I ask her if she understands and she says yes.  We discuss it in detail and I tell her how sick she was and how she still has a long road of treatment and "fighting" ahead of her and she says she's okay with that.  I do ask her often because I need to know if this is what she wants.  As long as she continues to be positive about her future, I'm going to continue to be positive about her future.  As long as she wants to fight to be healthy physically and mentally, I will help her fight.

In the meantime, I'll laugh with her, make her giggle, keep driving her crazy while she's trying to nap and be the face she sees every day.  We'll go for more walks as she continues to get stronger; and together we'll dance again and we'll sing again.  It's what she loves to do and I'll be there with her as she fights to regain those small abilities.

Until tomorrow, thanks for stopping by...

A Sleepyhead :oO

Yesterday, Mom slept thru most of my visit again.  However, I was able to rouse her long enough to eat for me.  She has her awake times and her "nap" times.  I guess I just hit the hospital during her nap time.  UGH!

The one thing that I was kind of disappointed about is that she was sleeping when I got there and her lunch was getting cold!  Needless to say, by the time I woke her long enough to eat, she was not in the mood to eat COLD food...so I was on a quest to find a microwave...they don't have one at her temporary location.  Now, that was a challenge!  I finally found one but by the time I arrived back in Mom's room, she was sleeping again...oh well, I woke her again and she ate quite a bit!  Then she had her apple juice (a very small one), her milk (not at the same time) and a huge drink of water.  It's quite hot in the hospital during the day with the weather now improving...so I think the patients start to become rather parched...I know I am while I'm there.

My apologies for not posting yesterday...by the time I got home, I had to get busy preparing supper and when I sat down to post my blog, I was heartbroken to discover I have a virus on my laptop... :o(  So, it's been sent to the laptop doctor for a medical...lol  With any luck, I'll have it back soon.  In the meantime, I have to share the main computer with Dave...so I might not get on nearly as often as I like.  I'll try my best to post as often as possible.

Thanks so much for stopping by...
xo

Another Good Day

Hi Everyone,

Well, Mom had another good day.  Sometimes I have to wonder if she's just having good days when I take Tim's up...hahahaha  All kidding aside, she was awake and alert when I arrived and was very happy to see me.  We chatted and had lots of giggles today.

The lady in the bed beside Mom's was telling me that Mom gets lots of wonderful care there and that all of the nurses really seem to be good to her.  I like to hear things like that.

I stayed for nearly two hours and for the entire time I was there, Mom didn't nap at all...at least not until I was nearly ready to leave...then it was nap time.  So, I guess that was my time to go, anyway :)

Things are still progressing well...slowly, but well all the same.  I'm very pleased with Mom's progress and with any luck, she'll continue to make positive progress through the summer.  Sometimes it seems like such a long time away but if it brings Mom back to where she once was - or even close to that, I'm just fine with waiting.  I've come to understand that I have to be patient...

Thanks for stopping by...I'll have more for you tomorrow...

Love you all,
ME

Not Much of An Eventful Day

Hi Everyone :)

Today wasn't much of an eventful day.  I arrived earlier than normal at the hospital today, only to find Mom snoozing.  Apparently, she didn't sleep very well last night...oh well, neither did I.  Needless to say, we didn't chat very much.  She was a pretty tired little girl. 

Dr. Tran stopped by while I was there and although she was disappointed Mom was sleeping, she did say that she's happy with the progress Mom's making.  She's happy with how well Mom's responding to the thyroid meds and while we were forewarned the end result would take 3-4 months, she was also seeing minor improvements.  Mom still has many moments where she has some confusion but she responds well to questions and does answer some questions with cognisant, well formulated sentences; albeit not terribly long sentences...10 words or so.  I think that's a great start!

Anyway, that's about it for now.  Not much more I can fill you in on, so I'll not babble on about nothing...LOL  Happy Easter to you all...and of course, thanks for stopping by.

Don't forget to consider sponsoring me for the Memory Walk for Alzheimer's.  I'll be walking 5kms on 18 June.  There's just not enough funding for Alzheimer's research and every bit of support helps.

I love you all,
Me

A Good Day ;)

Today was another good day for Mom.  She was sitting up watching TV when I arrived this afternoon.  She enjoyed some apple juice with me and had a couple of cookies.  Her disposition has changed and she's still happy and smiling.  It's good to see her like that again.  I'm thinking with time, she should hopefully continue to improve.

Mom & I watched a couple of episodes of Criminal Minds while I was there and discussed how foolish some criminals are...LOL  It was great to see her critique some things...hahahaha

Anyway, thanks for stopping by...

Love,
Me

A Post Script for Today :oD

Today was a pretty good day for Mom.  She was awake, alert and very talkative today.  She certainly enjoyed her Cheezies and apple juice.  In fact, I think if I'd taken her up three bags of Cheezies, she'd have eaten them all in one sitting!  LOL  I think she missed her Cheezies!

I asked her if she'd like to start watching some TV and she replied, "That would be nice."  So I asked her what kind of TV she'd like to watch...Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Criminal Minds, CSI?  She said, "Yup, all of them!!!"  LOL  So, she's got TV for a week...we'll see how that goes.  At least she's got something to do other than sit in her Geri-chair and do nothing.  That's got to be pretty boring.

Anyway, we visited for quite a while but then she got tired and wanted to have a snooze before her supper came, so I bid her goodnight and came home.  I'll see her again tomorrow.  As much as I would like to "have a life," my life is being Mom's care-partner (that's the new word the Alzheimer's Society has given to those who share the disease and care giving responsibilities...it gives more dignity and respect to those with the disease...and I like it).

On a footnote...I received a newsletter from the Alzheimer's Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories today.  In it was a pamphlet for the Investors Group Memory Walk.  I'm thinking of doing it.  If I do, I'm hoping you'll all be kind enough to support me in my effort by sponsoring me...I would be so very grateful.  This is the most important cause to me right now.  I support both the Canadian Cancer Society and the Alzheimer's Society.  Anyway, I'll let you know... :)

Thanks for stopping by...

Love,
ME

A Bit of Good News :)

I just spoke with Mom's doctor and have been advised that she's responding well to the thyroid meds.  Her thyroid numbers were at 43 when she was admitted (not the "over 25" like I'd originally thought).  She's currently sitting at 24.9 as of 17 April!  That's such a huge change. 

I hope she continues to respond to the treatment.  She still has quite a bit to go, but she's definitely heading in the right direction.

More later...thanks for stopping by :)

A Post Script for Today :)

Wow, what a difference a couple of days makes.  I wasn't able to get up to see mom last night, so as I mentioned earlier, Jason was up to see her.  When I went up tonight she was up and standing outside her room door.  When her security staff saw me, they pointed me out to her, she turned around and saw me and started to cry, saying, "I missed you, I missed you!!!" 

We had a wonderful visit tonight.  She was chatty, smiling, laughing, making more sense than she has in a long time.  It was good to see.  I guess that's two days in a row, now.  Jason said she was pretty much the same way last night.  I guess she ate all of her supper tonight, she and I had a tea together, I convinced her she's far more attractive with her teeth in her mouth (although I'm thinking they're a mite uncomfortable because she's lost quite a bit of weight - yes, even in her mouth), and she was more alert tonight than I've seen her in a while. 

Hmmm, I'm wondering if it's a small improvement...perhaps she's finally responding to the thyroid treatment.  The one thing I won't do is get my hopes up too much, yet.  She's still got quite a long road ahead of her, considering her INR was 10 when she was admitted; her thyroid level was over 25 (the normal person's is .5 to 0.5) and she was pretty messed up.  Her INR is normal and stable now (and should remain somewhere between 2.5 and 3.5 - yours and mine is, on average 1)...thankfully, her fluid retention appears to be under control...finally; and perhaps this is the VERY tiny victory I'll take for today!

Anyway, I will bid you adieu for today and will fill you in when I see Mom again tomorrow...thanks again for stopping by...
Love,
Me

Another Day, Some Improvement

Seems like Mom was alert, aware and GRUMPY last night :)

I wasn't able to get up to see her but Jason was there.  He said he had a good visit with her except she was a grump...lol  I suppose we're all allowed a bad day or two.  Heck, I've had several bad days in my lifetime...although I would challenge any of you to agree with me...hahahahaha

I had a chat with the nurse earlier and she was saying she visited with mom earlier today and that, even though she couldn't understand what mom was referring to, Mom was laughing and smiling and making "funnies!"  Yup, that's Mom.  I'm glad to know that the grumpiness is gone, at least for this morning.  I wonder what she has planned for me tonight.  I guess I'll find out later... ;)

I'll post more later on this evening or tomorrow...thanks for stopping by!

Love,
Me

P.S.  Happy 94th Birth Anniversary, Nana <3  I miss you

Another Day, Another Visit ;)

Today was a somewhat good day :)
Mom was awake and sort of alert when Jason and I arrived to see her.  She was "chatty" and full of mischief of sorts...she had her typical potty mouth when something wasn't to her liking, though!  Just like Mom!  She ate a wee bit but when she decided she didn't want anymore, she made it known!  Then it was nap time and time for us to leave...

I spoke with her medical people today and was told that her thyroid level is still significantly high.  The "average" level is around .5 to 5.0 and Mom's is still at 24.3!!!  This is what's causing her confusion, her fatigue, her lack of appetite (to a degree), her feeling of being cold all the time (aside from the cumadin), and of course, the exacerbated levels of dementia.

Well, only time will tell...and the doctor told us there will be no extreme difference for 3-4 months.  I'm just so impatient!

Thanks for stopping by :)
Love, Me

Not Much to Tell :o\

Today was a pretty uneventful day...Mom slept thru my visit, so I have nothing really to report.  Although, the caregiver for the lady in the bed next to Mom said she was alert, laughing, chatting up a storm and walking around this morning.  Boy, did I miss all the adventure :(  Oh well, there's always tomorrow!!!

By the time I got there today, she'd finished her lunch - well, what she was going to eat, anyway!  They brought her up macaroni and cheese...and we're not talkin' the real deal here...you know, good ol' Kraft Dinner!  It was soggy macaroni topped with melted cheddar cheese - YUCK!  And peas as a side dish.  What a lousy combo!  No wonder people lose weight in the hospital.  I wouldn't eat that crap either!  LOL

To those of you who pray for her, thank you.  Your love and prayers mean the world to us.  We can only hope that with each passing day, her mental health returns to where the doctor hopes it will.  While I'm guardedly optimistic, I can't help but give up hope some days.  I draw my strength from all of you but there are times where all I want to do is give up.

Anyway, without boring you any more, I'll take my leave of you until tomorrow. 

I love you all...

Me

Same Day, Another Visit

Well, I find myself thinking the same thing I did yesterday after I left Mom.  Not much has changed, really.  She pretty much sat in the Geri-chair throughout my visit!  Although, she was really happy to see me...could be because I took Tim's Green Tea and a box of Timbits up for her!  She ate quite a few of the Timbits and was so happy with the tea.

She's not eating very well right now and has to be encouraged to eat.  It could be a side effect of having been reintroduced to her antidementia medication.  Sadly, it takes about two weeks to really take effect.  On 30 March, it "somehow fell off her chart" and she wasn't receiving any for eight days.  This was picked up when her doctor called me and asked me why she wasn't being prescribed any anti-dementia medication.  I told her she was, and had been for close to five years.  Needless to say, the doc flipped back a few pages and discovered the "mistake."  She immediately put Mom back on her Reminyl but as I said, it takes about two weeks to really see any effects.

Dr. Tran also increased Mom's Synthroid from 100 mcg/mg to 150...which is a pretty big jump.  She wants to see her thyroid respond to treatment.  So, we wait.  The wait will be a long one as the lack of thyroid activity Mom had when she arrived at the hospital a month ago was devastating to her physical and mental health.  Right now, mom's physical health has improved about 40%, however, her mental health is quite a bit behind that.  The doctor says that's to be expected.  I on the other hand, expect the improvement to be NOW.  I'm one of those people who seems to think medication should work immediately; it doesn't work that way!!!  Whoda thunk it!  It bothers me that my expectations are so high because when Mom has a bad day or two, I have a hard time seeing her in the condition she's in and continually second guess myself.  What I have to do is learn to celebrate the small victories...one day at a time.

Until tomorrow, let's all hope for a small victory.

Thanks for stopping by...love,
Me

A Visit to Mom

Hey everyone, today is my first BLOG, so I hope you'll be patient while I mess this up LOL :)
Yesterday, mom was somewhat confused but every now and then, she made perfect sense.  Otherwise, not much has changed one way or another.  She was up walking around, smiling, dragging me everywhere and just trying to get better.  It's been three weeks since they made the diagnosis to get things on the go with her thyroid.  The doctor said three to four months before we see any major improvement.  That's a long time for anyone to wait...we can only hope for the best...sure hope she improves.
More tomorrow :)  Or later today!!!