Hi Everyone,
Mom started her day with "Jo Ann"!!! Woo Hoo! Shout out to Jo Ann! We are dropping like flies! Kathy is still sick and I had a 7:30 appointment this morning so Jo Ann pitched in. Mom was sleeping when JoAnn got there. She tried to wake mom but mom was out like a light so she began mom’s physical therapy. Mom woke while JoAnn was doing her exercises but not all the way. Mom didn’t really wake up fully until the staff put her in the wheelchair. While JoAnn was there, the respiratory people came in and told JoAnn that mom is doing great with her breathing and has been on just the trach collar without any vent at all for over 48 hours now!! The respiratory person said that breathing well hasn’t been an issue for mom in a while and that the vent is there in case of an emergency only!! JoAnn said that mom was able to cough up a lot of phlegm today and this is a good thing. The respiratory therapist said that every time mom gave a productive cough, her oxygen numbers would go up to a nice healthy high level! She had been having difficulty doing that the last 2 days. Mom wouldn’t let JoAnn work on anything with her at all today. JoAnn texted me at one point and said she was waiting for mom to take out a picket sign because mom is on strike and wouldn’t work on anything at all!! Mom just kept playing with the piggy magnets. Anthony and Con and Dad came to see mom next and they said that mom was in a mood with them too. They tried to play cards, do the sewing cards, and draw but mom would have no part of any of it. At one point, Con sneezed and dad and Anthony said, “Good bless you” and mom said it too!! Con said she wasn't in a bad mood, just didn't want to do anything. Dad stayed with mom until the evening and then I arrived. Dad said mom was good in PT today and stood and did the foot pedals. She is still not able to do the parallel bars (Holding on and supporting her weight - it sounds like gymnastics - parallel bars! We're crazy bit not THAT crazy!) I met dad in the parking lot and he told me about her day. WHen I walked in the room mom was asleep and the wipe off board was on the tray table and dad had written "Dotty and Jean" like a school boy! They are sooooo in love! I woke mom up at one point to see if she would do anything with me. She woke up in a good mood. We see that she will be in a "mood" and then fall asleep and wake up a different person. I think that is part of the frontal lobe damage. I was just happy that she was smiling. I started off with the circle sewing card. I wouldn't let her get off track. I forced her to sew each hole in order and not just make knots (which she will sometimes do) she did a great job and when she was done I showed her the card and ran her finger over the even stitches. Next we did the buttons in the container. She has to push the buttons threw the slit in the top of the container. I tried something new and dumped the buttons in her lap. She independently picked up each button and put them in the container. WHen she was done I helped her open the container and take each button out and place them in the zip lock bag. She had a look of accomplishment on her face. Next we put colored paper clips on colored cardboard. Red paper clips were placed on red cardboard and so on. She did red, yellow, green and blue. When she was done with a color she took each clip off and placed them in my hand. Next we did cutting and she cut out a circle!!! She perfectly cut on the line. I also bought her a cutting activity pad with brightly colored pictures that you cut out. Each picture has a straight or curved line that gets cut out. She cut the monkey picture and when it is cut apart, you hold the two pieces and move them up and down and it looks like the monkey is chewing on an apple! She was cracking up. It is funny, because of course I had to over do it with the monkey and mom gave me a look like, "enough already". Next the respiratory therapist came in and suctioned mom for the night. When it was time to go I put my hands together in prayer and said, "Do you wanna pray?" She made the sign of the cross and we prayed together. Sometimes it is so hard to get out of the house and take the 40 minute drive to see mom, especially in the cold weather, but every time I am there I am soooo glad I went. I turned down the lights, gave her some soft things to hold, and gave her a big hug; snug as a bug in a rug!
"Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, for without me you can do nothing" John 15:5
Peace and be well this Holiday season,
~Claud
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