Mom Update, October 19, 2011, Wednesday

Mom’s update Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Jean started the day with mom. He said she was in a good mood. He set her up with breakfast. They called John to wish him a happy birthday.

John’s cousin came to see mom just before Jean left. He did an activity where he showed her jumbled sentences and she had to unscramble them. I had been working on this with her and she did every sentence.

Anthony came to see mom after John’s cousin left and he had mom stand with the help of dad. She didn’t stand straight up, she was bent over too much. She did that twice and then dad suggested they move her feet back more. They did and she stood straight up and stayed standing for 20 seconds. Anthony asked her to do it again and she said no. He tried to coax her but she refused. Anthony then told her if she stood up again he would buy her potato chips and she shut up out of the wheel chair in a flash! (ABA and reinforcement is rubbing off!). I told Anthony that tomorrow make her stand for one chip at a time!

Anthony left and dad stayed with mom until John came. Dad said that the PA looked at mom’s ears and said she had hard wax in them. This is why she is having trouble hearing. He prescribed a drop to loosen the wax. John came to spend his birthday with mom. He brought her and dad coffee ice cream so they could celebrate! Mom gave him the card she signed for him. She gave him a kiss. Dad left and John looked at the newspaper with mom. Mom wanted to watch Everybody Loves Raymond. It was the episode with the bull and she laughed a lot. Mom told John everything that John’s cousin did with her. She ate dinner – sloppy Joe, peas and fruit. John wanted to cut the sloppy Joe in half but she wouldn’t let him. She also told John that Ava called today. She fell asleep at one point and then woke up. After dinner there was a commercial on TV for hot dogs and mom told John she could go for a hot dog! The CNA’s put her in bed. John set her up for bed. He said a prayer and left.

Peace and Be Well! (tomorrow the article comes out in the paper).

~Claud

Many people are inquiring about how mom is doing or are commenting on the fascinating progress she is making. All that has been achieved with mom is nothing short of a miracle. We thank the Lord for that. Here is where we are in the process of bringing mom home. The therapists all feel that mom is still progressing and has not ceiled out or stopped progressing or plateaued…this is great! The therapists all feel that mom is totally able to, and will, make more progress. Terrific!!
However, on the other hand, we have mom, who is feeling really lonely and wants to come home. Considerations toward this end include:
-Mom is unable to get up and walk to a toilet or commode
-We can get up to 8 hours of help per day for mom (days?)
-Who is available to help mom move and stand…when the aide is gone for the day?

Mom gets only 1 ½ - 2 hours a day (mostly 1 ½ hours a day of therapies). Is it worth it to have mom where she is and let her be upset and lonely and wanting to come home so desperately for a mere 1 ½ hours of therapy a day? Possibly, since, at this point, mom is not yet able to perform the tasks she can in a variety of settings. For example, she can walk with the walker down in the PT wing, but forgets how to do it upstairs in her room. She hasn’t generalized the skills she has enough to be able to perform them ALL the time. SOOO…it could be possible that the stability and consistency in the routine that she has now is worth her staying where she is and making progress.

On the other hand, maybe mom could come home and receive both in home AND outpatient therapies??? If this is the case, she may get more therapy at home…so home may be a good place now. BUT…we have the above bathrooming concerns to consider for now. We also don’t know how easy it will be for mom to get in and out of a car either. She isn’t good at pivoting her feet yet which is a requirement for this task and using a toilet.

Our plan is to explore both options. We are planning a TEAM Meeting some time next week to do so.

“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

~Kathy