Grateful
Patiently Occupied
Last night I took my turn to “sleep” in mom’s room with her. She has been having bathroom problems which makes it even more challenging. I won’t get into details, but in the middle of the night I stripped her bed, washed her bedding, and gave her a shower. At the beginning of all the […]
Heartfelt Hug
This afternoon one of our wonderful caregivers was here. She was sitting with my mom at the table doing a puzzle. Typically my mom seems to take a nosedive in the afternoon. Perhaps “sundowning”. She gets more agitated and emotional for no apparent reason. As they were working on the puzzle and chatting, my mom […]
Planting
I was grateful that my brother came for the weekend. Unfortunately I injured myself a few days ago. It started when I was over- zealously cleaning the bathtub. I reached way over and something popped in my ribcage. It seemed not to be too bad for a couple days, but then it got worse. So […]
New Garden
A little while ago, a friend of mine suggested a new activity for my mom. It was a flower garden kit. I found the kit in the toy section at Walmart and picked it up today. It consisted of a bucket full of plastic stems and leaves, flowers, and accessories, and base pieces. We sat at […]
Supportive Nurses
This morning our Hospice nurse came for her weekly visit. We discussed the events of the past week. She was so understanding, gracious, validating, and supportive. She never made me feel inadequate or irresponsible. The CNA also came towards the end of our visit and gave Mom a shower. She was also very caring and supportive. […]
Huge Relief
Another new caregiver has been here a couple weeks. The other day she said thought my mom had Cdif and told us all the hygiene protocols we should be following and that mom should be quarantined. My mom has had some troubles, but I had been talking with our nurses about it. Everything the caregiver […]
Flower Day
Today we received some gorgeous flower arrangements from my brothers for Mother’s Day. Added to the roses we already had, it made for a beautiful display taking up half of the dining room table. Mom loved the view when she sat in her favorite spot at the head of the table. In the afternoon, my […]
Making Progress
This morning I called the insurance company and spoke to them about the toilet incident. The claims adjuster was very informative and helpful. She contacted the restoration company, contacted an appraiser who contacted me, and walked me through the next steps. When the restoration company arrived, they already knew exactly what needed to be done […]
Plumbing Mishap
This evening there was a caregiver here. After my mom woke from her nap, the caregiver brought her out to the kitchen with me as I finished dinner. Then she went back to my mom’s bathroom to clean things up. Suddenly I heard her yell for me. I went back there to see the toilet […]
Incredibly Grateful
As I have been sharing my mom’s birthday celebration with others and reflecting on the past few days, I find myself incredibly grateful. First and foremost, I am grateful that my mom was here this year to celebrate. When she entered into Hospice Care several months ago, I honestly didn’t think she would be. I […]