Dad began the day with mom this morning. He arrived around 9:00 a.m. and found mom asleep. He tried to talk to her and wake her but she was sleepy. He put her hearing aids in and glasses on and let her sleep awhile. Anthony joined Dad. Mom had a shower and then Anthony and dad did her full physical therapy/range of motion exercises and worked on her moving her legs. Anthony said that, while she couldn't lift her legs, she moved both feet and ankles. She drew on the dry erase board with the marker, then they talked and watched TV.
I spoke to the speech therapist today. She said that mom is doing really well with the trial, preliminary swallow testing that is being done now at the facility. Mom had ½ a banana yesterday!! She chewed, swallowed and tolerated the food well. The speech therapist said that she would like to move mom along in the re-introduction to food by mouth, but wants to be safe and wait for the modified barium swallow test at the hospital before proceeding too much more forward. The speech therapist feels that it is ridiculous to wait until March 28 for the test to be done. The therapist is trying hard to get the test moved up if possible. The speech therapist said that she has no problem considering the Passy Muir valve (the talking valve that would allow mom’s voice to be heard aloud) for mom but the therapist wants to collaborate with the respiratory people first. The valve allows audible speech by slightly shrinking the cuff in the airway pipe that leads to the lungs in order to allow a small amount of air to leak through in order to produce sound. The “cuff” typically closes off the airway into the lungs so that only the vent pushes air in and out. In order to use the valve, a person on a vent needs to be able to breathe on his/her own to a degree. If they decide to OK the valve (typically, only people on a trach collar get the valve), it will be used on a trial basis at first and only when family members are present to talk to and with mom. The speech therapist said that she, too, has noticed that mom is speaking more, even to her. We will see how this unfolds.
When I came this afternoon (middle of afternoon), mom was tired. She didn’t sleep at all, but she had absolutely no motivation to work along with a bit of a stubborn attitude. She kept looking away from me and giving me her “before-all-this-happened” look of annoyance and/or disgust!! It was good to see that look again, despite it’s meaning!! I had tried to do some of the apps on the IPAD, but no luck. When mom was moved to bed late in the afternoon, she fell asleep for a while. I left for work.
Con, Sammy, Anthony and Dad visited mom tonight. Mom was sleeping when they arrived and she was in a really good mood. They did her full physical therapy/range of motion exercises and talked and watched TV. They also worked with strengthening mom's arms with the orange scrunchy tube and they did the mouth exercises that Carmine showed dad how to do. They said that mom put both her hands together---which is hard for her to do. They tucked her in and prayed with her.
"May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ" 2 Thessalonians 3:5
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