Today was FAMILY FUN DAY at the facility! A huge barbecue under a huge tent outdoors. Mom, Claudia, Dad, Lenny, Terry, and Ava attended. Claudia, Ava and I began the day with mom. I had been away upstate last weekend and then in Orlando at the Autism Society of America conference this week presenting there. I missed mom alot. When I arrived, Claudia and Ava were already there. I asked mom if she missed me and she said, "Ooohhh YEAH!" We heard from one of the nurses that mom said something rude to one of her CNAs (who loves mom). We need to explain to people that mom's brain injury is in the frontal lobe of the brain which is the part that censors what we do and don't say. Mom can't always help saying what she says. Mom had all her make up on the way she used to wear it---eyebrows and all! She also had a beautiful summer "Tea" hat on as well. I took a picture to show you how beautiful she looked.
Mom was excited to go outside and be with the crowd! There was music and singing and dancing. It was a fun time for all. Shortly after we went outside, Claudia and Ava left to bring Aunt Sophie to get her hair done. While they were gone, Aunt Pat and Uncle Mike came to visit mom. Uncle Mike is mom's brother. Mom was so looking forward to seeing them! She said hello and chatted with them the whole time they were there. She was speaking very softly and quietly though so it was hard to hear her at times. They brought her some lovely roses.
After Uncle Mike and Aunt Pat left, Mom asked where Ava was. She said she needed Ava and kept asking where she was and when she'd be back. At one point, dad mentioned mom's sunglasses and I asked mom if she knew where they were and she said she didn't know. I asked if they could be in her pocketbook. Mom didn't know....however, several hours later, I realized I put a bee in her bonnet of thought because she kept asking for her pocketbook because "I need it because I have to go home now." She continued to ask for both Ava and her pocketbook so we called Claudia and mom asked for both audibly. Ava and Claudia returned to the barbecue and mom grabbed Ava...before long, Ava was cracking up laughing. Ava told us that mom told her, "Ava, you have to help me. Ava, we have to make a plan. I want to go home and they won't let me leave so you can take me home and Lenny will drive us." GREAT ESCAPE watch out!! Dotty's Escape is being hatched as we read!!! She told Ava not to forget the plan and repeated all this to Ava many times over the course of the afternoon. Mom asked us several times to eat and drink but relinquished easily when we told her she couldn't do that yet. Mom talked and talked and was part of every conversation. Lenny taught mom how to put up her thumb to hitch a ride...so if you see this lady above on the LIE, return her to us!! Lenny asked the DJ to play mom and dad's wedding song, "MORE" and wish them a Happy 54th Anniversary (on the 13th). While we were outside, the head of respiratory stopped me to say that a week from Monday, mom will be decannulated!!!!!!!! NO MORE TRACH!!! She gets moved to a new wing once that happens and then sent home. This means we have a lot of work to do this week. We need to get OT and Speech going again because mom needs to relearn basic self help skills like dressing, cooking, toileting, washing... She needs to get back on solid food too. We also need to look at rehab facilities now too. Mom is ready.
When we finally went inside, we all sat in the large conference room and chatted, laughed, and played catch with mom. Mom's reflexes are great! She tried to catch and sort of did so. She had trouble throwing. We coached her along and she progressed. Danny and Barbara (our cousins) came to visit mom. By now, she was overtired and beginning to not make sense at times verbally. We are noticing that when she becomes overtired, mom speaks a gibberish word or two mixed with real words or she will say a phrase that is totally out of context. It reminds me of a young child who runs a muck before bedtime due to being overtired. Mom said Barbara's name when she saw her and couldn't remember Danny's name at first. She contributed periodically to the conversation and listened a lot or asked questions too. Barbara and Danny brought mom a lovely picture of a flower and above it reads, "Miracles happen every day." They said they thought of mom when they saw it. When they left, mom said, "So long. See you guys soon." but I don't know if they heard her say that.
Mom was moved back to her room and bed after that and Dad and I left. Terry put mom to sleep. Terry said mom was in a good mood when she left but that mom was trying to grab at her feeding tube so the CNAs put the mitts on mom early and wouldn't take them off. Please pray that mom is able to peacefully wait until all the apparatus is taken out/off her and she goes home. The last thing we need now is a set back.
"If we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience" Romans 8:25
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