Anthony and I began the day with mom this morning. She was happy to see us both. We talked to her and she smiled or laughed/chuckled on and off. Shortly after, the speech therapist came to feed mom. Today, mom had a full banana and also a full cup of cranberry juice. Mom did well with chewing and swallowing. The banana was cut into circles and the juice is a thick consistency. Mom even held the cup of juice, and near the end of the cup, she was able to lift the cup to her mouth and tilt it but not enough to run the liquid out---she needed help with that. The therapist said that, next week, she would start new foods but not a full meal yet until the modified barium swallow test. Anthony kept mom laughing. Mom’s CNA told Anthony that she had to lower the back of mom’s chair to more of a reclined position because she saw mom reaching forward to pick up a pillow that dropped on the floor!!! Good thing she didn’t fall! Anthony worked long and hard today on mom’s legs and getting her to move them. She lifted her right leg several times and dad said she lifted the left leg once too. Mom also moved both feet really well today. The head of respiratory and the pulmonologist came to see mom today and said that she is breathing very well. Dad said that mom mouthed things to them and answered their questions and shook their hands and that they were very impressed with her progress!!! The daily respiratory therapist told Anthony that mom is breathing well and her CO2 levels have been great too, so she is recommending that mom’s vent be lowered more on Monday. Dad and I also told the physical therapist about mom’s physical advances and he said he’d come see her on Monday to re-evaluate her. Mom kept her eyes closed most of the mid-to-late afternoon…squinting them on and off and making that painful looking face. Mom answered a lot of questions we asked her and mouthed phrases too. Dad said that, when he arrived, mom kept grabbing him and pulling him very close to her. Dad didn’t know what she was doing at first but then mom put her arms around dad and hugged him….!! Claudia called mom on my cell phone and mom talked to Claudia!! Mouthed answers and comments to her! I later found out that Claudia told mom that it is her birthday on Sunday, and mom mouthed, “That’s good.” Mom also answered, “Yes” several times and “oh” once. Claudia said that mom was answering appropriately. Claudia spoke to mom while I held the phone by mom’s ear and then as mom mouthed responses, I said them aloud so that Claudia could hear. Dad, mom and I watched a Channel 13 special that Tom taped for mom called, “Pioneers of TV – Westerns” and mom watched with interest. She was moving her hands around a lot today!! We spent time drawing and trying to write, first, we used the markers and the dry erase board. Mom made lots of marks and broad, wide strokes on the board using different colors. She couldn’t trace any of the letters or color in the lines, but she made many marks on the board. I would ask her which color she wanted while presenting 2 markers and she would pick one. Mom also tried to write on the letter white board too…again, she couldn’t trace or write actual letters, but she made many marks on the page. I also tried a simple tracing page and then a simple maze page…mom couldn’t do either but she did make marks on the page. We tried the IPAD next. We used the stylus to trace numbers hand over hand. I have been forgetting to mention that, over the last week, mom watches TV and laughs at the sitcoms---like “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “Seinfeld.” Dad was joking with mom and she laughed – he asked her who, “Dr. Fosenghoul” is (that’s dad’s cousin, Angelo’s, funny name he uses to make mom laugh) and mom said, “Angelo” --- she remembered. We did the “Dotty’s Crossword Puzzles” and “Dotty’s Word Search” books that Claudia made for mom. Mom enjoyed reading them. I gave mom a picture by the artist, Michael Albert, that my friend, Barbara, gave her. It was a collage of the 23rd Psalm. Mom looked at it and said, “Ohhh… how beautiful.” Mom and I watched TV after
dad left and then we read some “Pig stories” together. Then we prayed and I set up her TV and put her to bed.
"We, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another." Romans 12:5
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