Mom started the day with Claudia. She was asleep when Claudia arrived so Claudia took advantage of the opportunity to slowly do mom’s physical therapy and really stretch all her muscles well. Then, Claudia and Dan woke her and tried hard to get her in a good mood. Dan worked on mom moving her left and right legs. Mom was able to lift her right leg off of the bed and touch Dan’s hand 10x. Dan then moved over to her left side and kept asking mom to move her left leg. This is her non-dominant side. Mom said, “Tell him I don’t want to.” Dan saw her move her lips but couldn’t understand what she said and asked Claudia what she said. Claudia told him and he laughed and said she’s a pip. The head respiratory person came in to check on mom while Claudia was there and Claudia asked him questions about the vent. She asked if it is OK to remain steady at a certain number for weeks at a time without varying the vent levels on a mixed ratio. He said that you only vary the levels when a person has a history of lung or pulmonary dysfunction and that since mom’s lungs were and are fine, this is not necessary to do.
Claudia and Ava came back in the afternoon and went to “yoga” and “relaxation” with the recreation therapists. They played soft music and did some simple movements and breathing. Mom took a few deep breaths and Claudia and Ava each moved her arms to the music. After that they all went back to the room. Ava took the therapy ball and softly tossed it to mom. She caught it by trapping the ball with her right hand against her body. Claudia prompted her left hand to help in catching and after a few tosses she started to catch the ball unassisted. Ava asked her to let go of the ball so it would roll down her legs and Ava would catch it but mom has a hard time with releasing things. Claudia wrote the words, “Let go” on the wipe off board to cue mom what she needed to do. When Ava was leaving, mom threw the ball and it rolled out the door! (Of course on her terms!) Claudia also worked on having her pick up pom poms with her left hand and placing them in a container. This was not easy because it takes a lot of concentration for mom to coordinate her left hand to pick up something small and then lift her arm up to place it in the container. Mom placed 10 pom poms in the container. Claudia also worked with mom by placing a push toy in her left hand (the kind that lights up when you push with your thumb – it spins and makes sparks). Mom was able to push independently with her left thumb. She did this over and over and looked puzzle as the toy spun. It kept her interest for a while.
When I came to see mom this afternoon, we did the wooden, vehicle puzzle together. Of the 8 pieces in the puzzle, mom placed 6 in independently. She needed hand over hand help with the remaining 2. Mom and I also used the wooden barbecue set with the wooden food pieces (you have to place pieces of food on the skewers). Mom did some of the pieces but needed a lot of coaxing. Mom looked very down while I was with her. She appeared to be dazed and depressed. She has been this way since her room was changed. She also doesn’t work at her tasks with the same intensity and comfort level either since the move. I left mom with some magazines, a book, her sewing card and I put on some Classical music for her to listen to.
Con, Anthony Michael, Sammy, Rie, Gina and Michael came to see mom just after dinner. She was asleep at first but woke up when they arrived. They did her physical therapy, watched TV, and talked with mom. She smiled at Rie and looked at a Paula Deen magazine. She licked her finger each time she turned the pages. Sam read a story to her and said the wrong word at one point (Coozeen instead of Calzone) and mom laughed. They said she smiled and laughed a few times but was otherwise very quiet and mellow still. Gina sang to mom too!!
Dad and Anthony came to see mom later in the evening. They came straight from New Jersey where they had been all day. Aunt Sophie fell in the basement of her home and had spent the night on the floor of her basement until her neighbors found her there. She was bruised and confused, but otherwise OK thank God. She will be 94 in January. She is in the hospital in Flemington and will remain there on IVs for another 2-3 days. Please keep her in prayer. Our dear Aunt Peggy (also soon to be 94 in December) fell yesterday too in her home. She has a fractured shoulder and many bruises as well and is in the hospital down here on Long Island. Please pray for her as well. My dear friend and mentor and teacher, Sister Miriam, fell yesterday too and had to have stitches in her head---keep her in prayer as well.
Mom continues to heal and for this we are thankful.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!” 1 Chronicles 16:34
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