Claudia began mom's day this morning. Mom was sleeping when Claudia arrived. She did her physical therapy/range of motion exercises. Then, Carmine (Con and John's cousin who is a speech therapist) came early to see mom. Claudia showed him everything we do with mom and he said it is on target and probably better than what the facility would provide for her in the way of therapy. His method, at this point (from what I was told), is that he is trying to get mom to glance in the direction of a specific picture. He is trying to capture mom's attention and maintain and lengthen it. He shows mom a binder with 2 pictures on a page, holding them at his face level with his eyes showing over the top of the pictures and dead center and then he says the word and looks at where mom's eyes look and if mom looks at the correct picture he says (she can't see his mouth but can only hear his voice), then he counts that as a correct response. He says the word like, "Shoe" showing her 2 pictures at a time like this and if she looks at the right picture, he praises her greatly. He mentioned several times that he thinks mom is depressed. He also had colored pictures. Claudia showed Carmine the IPAD and the APPS (programs) that we put on it for language and oral motor development. These programs, again, show an actual person's mouth, then you hear a word, then the mouth says the word and then you are to say the word or make the face or whatever. Claudia did oral motor exercises with mom on the IPAD (mouth open, pucker your lips, stick out your tongue so mom isn't overloaded). Mom looked at the program intently. Claudia did actual, physical movement of mom's lips and mouth with Claudia's hands on mom's mouth. Mom was receptive to this. She can't do any of it alone yet, but is on the verge.
Anthony and Anthony Michael came to see mom next. They did mom's full range of motion/physical therapy exercises. They wrote that mom laughed alot!!! They talked to mom and had her exercise with the orange scrunchy tube (her hands and arms). They also worked on Carmine's pictures with mom as well. Mom fell asleep for about 1/2 hour at one point but then woke up.
Dad came to see mom just after the guys left. Dad did mom's full physical therapy/range of motion exercises. He also worked with the photos with mom and the orange tube as well. Mom put her hands together as she slept. She slept on and off while dad was there. Dad had mom's right hearing aid fixed and returned it to mom today. Dad said that mom became sad when he said he was leaving around 7 p..m. and this made dad sad too.
Lenny, JoAnn and I came to tuck mom in tonight. I tiptoed into her room but she was awake with her glasses on, relaxing and watching TV contentedly. When she saw my smiling face and me waving at her, she looked hesitantly at me---maybe as if to say, "Oh no, what does she want now?" or "What does she want me to do now?" hahaha! But I stroked her hair and whispered in her ear how much I love her and miss her and then I told her she could still watch TV and then I asked her if she wanted to pray with me and she mouthed, "Yup." We prayed a long while tonight as I held her in my arms. Then, I anointed her with oil and dimmed the lights and kissed her good night and she kissed me back too. I just wish somehow that there was more we could be doing for her...it is so frustrating to see her like this...for me anyway, and for now. I need to spend some time with God so that I can, once again, release mom into His Hands and not mine...it isn't up to me or us but mom is in His Hands alone.
"And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew28:20
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