Lenny began the day with mom and said that she was awake and alert and talked to him (not much though). She mouthed, "Good morning" and "I'm good" and "yes" and "no" in response to questions he asked her. He said that she ate all her breakfast enthusiastically and eagerly --- a hard boiled egg, farina with vanilla milk, coffee and fruit. He did her full physical therapy/range of motion exercises. Sometimes she mouthed so much in a sentence, he couldn't understand what she said. Lenny said that mom ripped her hearing aid out of her ear and detached the tube from the ear mold but he reattached it and I checked it and it works fine thank God. Mom had a shower while Lenny was there and when he returned to her room, she was tired. He said that when she would wake up, she was alert though and during one of these times, he spent time teaching her how to navigate the remote control on her TV.
Anthony saw mom around noon (shortly after Lenny left) and mom was just finishing eating her lunch. She ate every morsel of food. I think her hearty appetite is a good sign. He and dad did mom's physical therapy/range of motion exercises and worked on her legs also. He said she pushed against their hands with her right leg hard...and with the left leg a little. Mom's trach was changed and she has some bleeding around the site which they said is normal (but the respiratory person who was with mom the day of the set back was the person who did the procedure...that isn't very comforting at all).
Dad spoke to the dentist today. He said that mom was awake mostly and alert but also intermittently fell asleep. He and Aunt Sophie watched TV with her.
When I arrived, I saw there were mats next to the bed leaning on the wall. These are usually used for patients whose bed rails are not used. The mats go on the floor next to the person's bed in the event the person falls out of bed due to having no bed rails. Flashback from July!!! I searched and investigated high and low and no one admitted to having put the mats in her room. End result, mom will continue to be able to have her bed rails up and the mats were removed from her room. Alleluia. There are state guidelines that require that a patient be as "Free" as possible --- i.e. no bed rails because they "infringe on the person's human rights and restrict the person." Heaven help us all....I guess the logic is that anyone should have the right to fall out of bed and sustain a worse head injury or decanulation??? Whatever. Problem solved. (I hope). Mom motioned to me to take her mitts off her hands asap!! She doesn't like the mitts but she is a danger to herself without them and without monitoring her because she pulls on her trach line sometimes. I gave mom 3 containers of liquids to drink because I noticed there was a pile up of 4 containers on her tray which she hadn't drank. We have to be careful about how much she drinks because she no longer gets tube feeding (which is good). We need to make sure she hydrates herself well---hydration helps with cell restoration, level of activity, alertness, sleepiness... Mom drank 3 1/2 of the 4 containers of juice and water--maybe she was thirsty. The dietician saw me when I was leaving and told me to be sure to take the cups home that we bought for mom and wash them in the dishwasher because she saw the sponge and dish washing liquid we have in the room. I assured her that I take them home to wash in the dish washer. Sponges cause and breed bacteria which is dangerous for someone on a trach and vent particularly.
Claudia saw mom this evening. She worked on her hands and arms and then put the peg board in front of her. Claudia helped mom with the pegs hand over hand. After a few pegs mom put one in by herself. She only did one but that was great. Claudia also made mom take out every peg and put them back in the bag. Claudia asked mom to name her "Who am I?" Mom said, "Claudia" without prompting. Then Claudia asked mom who dad was but mom wouldn't say his name. She prompted her with the first sound "J" and mom said, "John." Claudia said, "No, Jean." Claudia got mom to drink a whole cup of juice. It is important to keep her hydrated. Claudia took out the ipad but by the time she took it out of the case and booted it up mom was asleep. Claudia then messaged mom's feet and did her exercises with her feet and ankles. She clipped her toe nails and put lotion on her feet. Mom continued to sleep so Claudia said a prayer and kissed her good night.
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth...so shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire." Isaiah 55:10-11
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