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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Strike 4! I'm out!

My jaw has been swelling since Tuesday..dentist office is closed for the week, but I found some bactrim at my mom's and a friend brought me some ketoprofen, which helps with the pain. Today I finally caved and called my dentist at home, but he was out of town. He called me back tonight and said that what I was taking was alright, but if I needed something else tomorrow, he would try to find a pharmacy open. It's always something!

Strike 3!

My brother went to lunch with our cousin, who is a doctor today. Finally, someone could convince him to go get an MRI....in fact, he called from the restaurant and set up an MRI for my brother today. Results showed stenosis in his back, a cyst in or on his spinal column, and a spot on his kidney. Cousin is setting him up with a neurologist as soon as possible to see about his back and our cousin will check out his kidney, since he is a urologist. He has been in such pain for such a long time. I am so glad our cousin made him do something! He's already worried about not being able to help much with Mom if (when) he has to have surgery. I just want him to feel better. I can take care of Mom....well, me and the rehab!

Christmas Day!

We brought Mom to my house for Christmas dinner. She enjoyed it and so did we.

Merry Christmas!

8 weeks since the stroke....7 weeks of therapy completed. Still tiny progress. One of the aides told me she heard mom crying today and went to see about her. She had wet her clothes because the aides that put her down to rest didn't take her to the bathroom first. Don't know why...they are usually very good at that. Mom has yet to push the button for help. We can't make her do it. The aides and my brother and I all told her that it was not her fault and she should not worry about it. First Christmas Eve in many, many years that we did not spend it with our friends. The friends came to see Mom today, but tonight my brother and I went to be with her in her room. Thanksgiving in the hospital and Christmas in the rehab center! Maybe next year! Merry Christmas everyone! I still have much to be grateful for and am happy to spend another Christmas with my mom...no matter where it is! Tomorrow we are bringing her here to my house for a Christmas lunch. I am ready! I think I need to straighten out the table cloth! :)

Rough day!

I spent most of the day crying because something was wrong with Mom and neither I nor any one else there could figure out what was wrong. She cried and I cried. After about 3 hours, I left for a little while and called my brother. The aide told me she went to sleep after I left. I stayed gone a couple of hours, but my brother went to see about her. She was sleeping when he got there. All was well when she woke up, except that she was all wet with sweat from a low blood sugar. Once we got that regulated, she was fine. We both left tonight never knowing what was wrong. When I got there this evening, my brother was in conference with the directors of nursing. He had a run-in with one of the aides last night that was in no hurry to get in there and help the other (very pregnant) aide help Mom go to the bathroom. The helpful aide was not even Mom's designated aide...the other lazy assed one was and my brother had a few words to say to her about not getting in there to help the other aide. My brother doesn't get angry much, but he was mad as hell last night. He told the directors that he didn't want that aide back in his mother's room and he also didn't want any retaliation for his going off on her. He is afraid she will take it out on Mom. She is the only lazy, disagreeable person we have encountered. Whew! I need to go to bed!

THE DIGITAL STORY OF NATIVITY - ( or Christmas 2.0 )

mom

Third week in rehab facility completed. Seven weeks since the stroke!

Merry Christmas

I was supposed to have the day off to take care of things around my house...like leaves! My brother was coming to be with Mom at the noon meal, but he called at 12 and said he was on his way when he got a fire call. As volunteer Fire Chief, he needed to go, since he couldn't find another fireman. I hurried up to help Mom with lunch and when I got there, her sister was there helping her. I was a mess because leaves are dirty. I hadn't even washed my face today, but I went on. The speech therapist came by and said she did really well today and could say "Merry Christmas" very clearly. She did say it for us several times and even said my name for the first time....and my brother's name. Yesterday, when I went there at 5, she was sitting in the wheelchair and said to me very clearly as I walked in the door, "This is mama!"

 They had her dressed like a clown today! She likes to match and we had a beautiful new light velour outfit there with a zip up top. We intended for them to put the top on as a shirt. They had  another non-matching shirt under the zip up jacket. I went right out and bought a shirt that would match to go with that outfit. I don't want to get there and find her dressed like a clown again!

Look at these leaves! NONE of them are mine! They all blow in my yard and swirl up against my house and stay there. I get to suck them all up with my blower/vac. Not an easy chore!

More Mom

Second week in this rehab is completed. She is showing some tiny advancements and saying a few more things more clearly, but they are mostly things she doesn't have to think about. I tried to get her to learn to say Stewart, my brother's name, before he came back from Branson. She actually said it pretty good for him, but only copying what we tell her to say. I have been reading up on a concept called Earthing that I was told about by a friend. It basically just uses a pad connected to the ground part of a plug that the user places his/her feet on barefooted while  sitting. I ordered one for her. I already bought a bed sheet for me that is grounded and already feel  a bit more energized after 3 nights of sleeping on it. Here is the website. I have read the book that came with mine and I am quite impressed. It certainly can't hurt anything. We have disconnected ourselves from the healing properties of the Earth by wearing shoes all the time. Who knows....this might help her re-connect those broken connections in her brain!

Mom update

Today is the end of her first week in rehab. We believe she is making progress, but it is hard to see because it is just baby steps. She is trying really hard and still tries really hard to tell me something. I see her twice a day, so I guess it would be hard for me to discern the subtle changes. My brother is leaving tomorrow to go to Branson. He goes every year at this time. Last year Mom went in the hospital from her blood being dangerously thin on the day he left. She got out of the hospital on the day he returned. This year she can't even talk to him on the phone. I know it will be hard for him to leave, but he needs the break. He will call me every day at least once. That boy loves his mama.

another mom update

Yesterday she got moved to a rehab facility. I was not happy with it yesterday for many reasons, but today was better. I think they are going to take care of her, but yesterday I wasn't so sure. When I got there today, they had her up in a wheelchair, she had had a bath, and her bed was made and changed. She had already seen the weekend therapist. I talked with the therapist and I am feeling better now. Next week she will get evaluated by all the therapists and get her hair did~! She is happy about that!