Well, true to form, overdoing it yesterday made today a huge challenge for Mom. I had appointments for the bulk of the day, so when I was walking across the parking lot, I could see several people in my Mom's room. So, I went in the front door, and rounded the corner into her room and said "what is this? A party up in here?" Well, apparently they had just got Mom settled back in bed after falling out onto the floor. It looks like she didn't hurt herself, thank goodness. They told me that she said it was because she was reaching for the phone, and tumbled out...Which got me a scolding from the nursing staff for her not having a cell phone. I wasn't home, but there was a message on my home voice mail from Mom at 9:51 am...It was Mom..."I need you to get down her right NOW! Thank you...*click*." Then later, she told me she fell because she thinks she might have been looking for her hairbrush...I think she thought she could try to get up by herself, but she won't readily admit to that...She says "you may be right, but I just can't remember..."
She really gave the nursing staff a run for their money today. And me too for that manner. She basically disowned me and told me that she needed to call her nieces Lvonne and Lynece (from PA) to come out and take care of her. I told her that they are busy women and have other responsibilities, but they send their love and prayers...She did not like that answer. When I headed home tonight, I asked the nurse to give her an Ativan to calm her down a little.
We went through a lot of the same stuff when my Dad got sick, but I always thought it was because of the tumor...Maybe there was more damage to Mom's brain than I had previously thought...Maybe it is just that being overtired, frustrated, embarrassed, and feelings of being trapped combined create this same effect...I am just not sure. She was just combative and wanted to start an argument with anyone over anything. She eventually threw me out and told me not to come back tomorrow...Boy, is she going to be disappointed when I roll in..:) Actually, she is scheduled to get her hair cut tomorrow, so hopefully she will be rested and in a better mood. I am also convinced that when she is feeling good and overdoes it, it really sets her up for failure the next day. It is hard, because, as she keeps reminding me, SHE is the Mom...SHE is the adult...It has got to be hard to relinquish control of anything to your kid, but, if she continues to be stubborn and bullheaded like that, then she is not going to get better. At one point, she told me to call my Uncle to come down so he could help her...I told her that if my Uncle came down, he would tell her to buck up and adjust her attitude...She didn't like that, but she knows I am right.
So, now she has earned herself one of the loud personal alarms that will alert the staff if she tries to get out of bed again.
Dad was about the same. They have started breathing treatments with a nebulizer to help with his congestion. It seemed a little better, but not much. I fed him dinner tonight, but he has developed this new habit of taking a bite, chewing it forever, and then forgetting to swallow. So, I spent like 20 minutes virtually yelling at him and bribing him with ice cream to try and get him to swallow his mouth full of food. In the end, he drank all his milk, all of his OJ, ate all of his ice cream, and I went and got him an Ensure, which he completely sucked down without taking his mouth off of the straw. And after all that, when I was about to leave, he was more awake than I had seen him in a while. So, I stayed a few more minutes, and he smiled at me, and promptly dozed off.:)
I just want to send a shout out from my heart and on behalf of my parents. Thank you for all the cards and emails and phone calls. Your love and support makes such and impact on us, and personally, it is often what helps me get through the day.
Much love to you all!
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