Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Superman brother!

I spent several hours at the hospital yesterday waiting during my brother's back surgery because his wife had to go back home to take care of the dogs.( They train retrievers) As she was on the way back to the hospital and I was on my way home, she called and said he was coming home! What! Yep.....came home after back surgery. He waited until I got to Mom's room and he called so she could hear his voice. Made her grin from ear to ear!!!


Yesterday seemed to be good for her. She would not lie down for her afternoon rest until I got back and gave her a report on her baby boy. When I walked in, she really lit up and was thrilled when I told her he was coming home. He is not able to go visit her yet, but I doubt that will last past tomorrow. He cannot stand to not see her.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Good day

I took Mom to my brother's for lunch today. An aide got her in the car, but when I got her to my brother's, he was not there yet. I was able to get her out and into her wheelchair by myself. She helped a lot. She had some physical therapy today and walked with a different kind of walker. The therapist said she did real well, but was real nervous about it. She doesn't have confidence in herself and is scared a lot. Tonight after I spent the evening with her, the aids came to put her to bed. She was just fine until I told her I was going to the hospital early in the morning to be with my brother for his surgery. Then.....she started crying! Then....I started crying. I just can't help it. I can't stand to see her cry and not be able to tell me why she is crying. She has never been one to cry. I cry watching TV!

Strange brain!

This week while Mom was napping in the afternoon, the aides heard her yelling out, "Get her away from me" several times. They rushed in to see what was wrong and she was asleep. They woke her and told her she was dreaming, but they told me she said that very clearly as if nothing had ever happened to her brain! The brain is a strange organ!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Oops X 2!

Ooops #1...I took a video with my iphone of Mom trying to talk today, but it is too big to upload to blogger and I don't know how to make it smaller.

Ooops #2...As I was leaving the rehab facility tonight down the same path I take several times a day and every night, I fell and busted my butt, but I didn't drop my iphone. I know what's important!! !Forget the busted knee and elbow....the phone is saved!

And....I missed my first parade today. Won't be participating in any of my krewe's activities this year and I am really sorry because I really like our captain this year. Don't really care about missing the ball as I am not much of a dress up kind of gal anymore, but I did enjoy riding the float in the parades.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Negative!

I just got back from seeing Mom for the first time tonight. My brother was with her at noon and I stayed home and was lazy. He just called me and said she was not acting right. I told him that she was not acting right tonight either. Just doing some strange stuff....not normal...and not understanding much of anything. She was tired, so I got them in there to put her to bed and I was home by 7. Highly unusual! Don't know what is going on with her.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Every night I stay with Mom until the...

Every night I stay with Mom until they put her to bed and I know she is comfortable. Last night, her gown was bunched up under her, so I got the aids back in the room that put her to bed to straighten it out. She still was not happy and none of us could figure out what was wrong. She ended up crying and I ended up crying because I couldn't understand her and didn't know what was wrong. I finally left, but didn't sleep well last night because I was worried that something was wrong with her. Today, she doesn't remember why she was unhappy and crying. I told her I didn't sleep because I was worried about her. She very clearly said to me, " I'm sorry"! She was happy tonight when I left her, so I think I will sleep tonight...Oh, wait, I slept this afternoon. My brother called and told me he was with Mom at 4 and there was no need for me to come then, so I waited an extra hour to go there. An extra hour at home is very helpful to me.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Sorry

I just realized that I have been quite remiss in updating on Mom. It's just because there is nothing earth shaking to report. She continues to make tiny improvements, but continues to do some mentally really strange things...like blow her nose  in her hand!!! WTH! We have tissues right in front of her, but she can't grasp the concept all the time. Her mind is just not quite right. That part is really hard for me because she has always been so smart!

My brother saw his neurosurgeon today and has surgery scheduled for the 24th for his spinal stenosis. Doc said maybe a couple of days in the hospital and light duty for a couple of weeks. This will be his second stenosis surgery and the last one, he stayed in the hospital less that 24 hours. He thinks he's indestructible! Superman!

Friday, January 07, 2011

Check it out!

Mom is moving her right foot on her own now! WooHoo! The therapists wanted me to see her walk today, so they came back and got her after lunch and brought her back to therapy so I could see how well she is doing. I am thrilled! My brother had ultrasound on his kidney today and got the all clear! Nothing wrong there! Wednesday he sees the neurosurgeon about his back.

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Well, duh!

Family friends brought their 3 month old twins to see Mom today. What was I thinking when I didn't take a picture of Mom holding one of the babies! We had to keep a hand under the babies, but she was so cute talking to those babies and we knew what she was saying. The word spread quickly and all the rehab staff was in her room to see those babies.

My brother told me that she walked 70 feet yesterday with a therapist on both sides and someone following behind with a wheel chair. Woo Hoo! Of course, someone is still having to move that right leg at the right time trying to retrain the brain to make it work on its own.

Tomorrow my brother goes to see about the spot on his kidney and next Wednesday, he goes to see the neurosurgeon about his back. Surgery is probably in his immediate future. We need him well and feeling good.

Saturday, January 01, 2011

Time to take care of me!

I used my Map my Walk iphone app today determined to get more exercise in my life. Love that app so much. It has a GPS which pinpoints where I am when I start and traces my walk the whole way while telling me how far I have gone and how long it took. Today I chose to go away from my home to get started, so I parked at the hospital in downtown Minden, got the app going and the ipod feature cranked up and took off. As I was walking down Main Street, I passed Milly Rose's antique shop. Sitting out in front of her shop was an item that I believe to have been crafted by my father. He used to do a lot of wood working and these garbage cans were one of his items. I still use mine. I showed the picture to my mom and my brother and they both thought it was Dad's creation.

My brother called this morning to see if we could manage to get Mom to his house for cabbage and black eyed peas. WE DID! I went to get her and the staff helped get her in the car. My brother got her out at his house and he said it wasn't nearly as hard as it was just last Saturday when we brought her to my house.