Today’s weather prevented us from seeing mom this morning. We woke up to an ice storm. The roads, walkways and cars were all covered with ice. When dad and I arrived to see mom she was being put in the chair. Her hearing aids were not in yet and it was 1:30 in the afternoon. Some mornings I have a hard time when the alarm goes off and then I remember days like this when she is not in the chair and has no hearing aids in and it gives me the “umph” I need to get up. Mom went to the Rec room and played Wii with dad and I and three other residents. Dad and I were able to do PT with her hands and arms while she was in the Rec Room. The Rec Therapist played Beatles songs and I sang to mom. When we got back to the room I did “sounds around the house” with mom and she was able to hold and look at each picture. She even opened her fingers to grab the picture. We were told that she had honey and water today with the speech therapist. We were told she did well with them. They are trying to get her to tolerate liquids and that is why they use honey. They start out with a thick liquid and then systematically thin it out. Dad worked on her feet and legs while she was in the chair. Kathy came to visit mom late in the afternoon. Mom was barely awake. We were all trying to keep her up.
I raised the peg board up on the table top easel and showed her a peg. She reached and grabbed the peg. That is great because she hasn't been reaching and opening her hand to grab anything. I then hand over hand helped her to place the pegs in the peg board. We placed three pegs in the peg board. It takes a lot of energy to lift her hand and arm and press the peg in the board. Next we placed paper clips on a laminated card. Again I showed her the clip and she took it from me. I had to prompt her with hand over hand assistance to place the paper clips on the card. I just want to do some of the activities that she use to be able to do in the hopes of her remembering the movements. We did 5 clips. Now for the exciting part! I placed scissors in her hand and held a piece of stiff construction paper and mom opened and closed the scissors four times cutting through the paper. She cut approximately a 2 inch line, but I was so happy! The last time I gave her scissors (after the incident in December) she had no clue. She also stuck her thumb in the thumb hole and tried to get the other fingers in the other hole. She is still having difficulty with moving her fingers. I then put four clothes pins on a plastic container and wanted her to pinch the clothes pins in order to remove them. She opened her thumb and pointer finger and placed them on the clothes pin but couldn't get enough strength to open the pin. I then placed my fingers on hers and she opened the pins. I placed her hand in the container with the pin and waited for her to release it into the container. She was not able to do this. I had to help her. Kathy came tonight after work to put mom to bed. Mom had her eyes closed in that squinty way she does. They prayed together and Kathy left.
Little by little we are seeing progress. Little by little her personality is poking through; a smile, her eyebrows lifting, a smirk. She is in there and we just have to keep trying to get her to where she was prior to December. These little successes keep us going. Please pray for my family, that we can keep up this crazy pace. Pray that we can be there for mom in the morning and at night to put her to bed. We are all starting to get frazzled. It is a shame that we can't rely on the staff to do what they have to with regard to her hearing aids or her glasses.
Isaiah 41:10 - So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Peace and Love to all,
~Claud
No comments:
Post a Comment