grandi13.com

December 2, 2006

MOTHER_PART EIGHT

Filed under: MOTHER — grandi13 @ 9:58 pm

Is she really weaker today than Thursday, or do I just think she is.

Mother cannot feed herself anymore.:cry:   I was told by the administrator that she feed herself most of her breakfast on Thursday.  The aid told me today that she had to feed her this morning but she ate good. 

She did not eat any of her lunch, she drank maybe a tiny sip of coffee.  Later, she ate about 1 1/2 donuts and sipped on water.  Before I left I asked if she wanted anything and she mouthed ’some water’.  She appears to be too weak to suck thru a straw, but then the muscles that she would use for that may not be working well.  I just don’t know.

Mother looked at me as if she knew who I was.  No smile at all today.  I had bought her a pink pair and blue pair of bedroom shoes, she just slightly nodded her head “yes” when I showed them to her.

F and J went back to see her today and took her a C-mas flower.  I showed it to her and told her who gave it and she looked as if she had no idea who I was talking about, but when she first saw the flower she had a look of ‘I like that’.  Mother has always liked flowers.  

I did tell her I was sorry for hurting her, but I do not think it registered.

She had an upset stomach today.  The nurse said if her body was trying to rid itself of some type virus, she did not want to give medicine to stop it, but neither did she want Mother to dehydrate.

I am working 9-5 tomorrow, don’t know yet what I am going to do about going.

I really never thought I would see my mother in this condition, but it is family traits.  Both of her parents died from strokes and her three sisters either died from strokes or complications caused by them.  (I know, stroke has not been confirmed yet but the evidence is that one has certainly occurred.)

Til Next Time

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MOTHER-PART SEVEN

Filed under: MOTHER — grandi13 @ 9:55 am

I am so very sorry that I spoke to her the way I did when I thought she was mad.  I am not even sure that she would know if I told her I was sorry, but today I will try.

With limited, very limited medical experience, I think Mother has had a stroke. My medical experience is seeing others who have had strokes, working in the office of a nursing facility for five years and conversations that I have had or heard.

I have asked for a CT scan to be sure and it is to be scheduled. Some say that is not neccessary that it will not help Mother any. True, it will not help Mother, but it will help me better understand why she is like she is, and maybe cope with it better and be able to help her more because I will know part of what is or is not going on in her brain. Some of the nursing staff are trying to tell me she is just tired, they have seen no evidence of a stroke. That tells me they are not observant enough, but moving her elsewhere would not help that situation.

I think Mother had a stroke Thursday or Friday (the 9th or 10th of November, or she has had so many TIA’s (mini strokes with no visible evidence) that they are now effecting her body and actions. Contradiction there but if you have any medical experience you know what I mean.

Her grandson and his daughter came to see her this past Wednesday. She may or may not have recognized him but did recognize her when they came in. I say this because she smiled at her and no reaction to him. Later, as we were talking if he said a word louder than normal she would look in his direction as if she knew the voice. During their 90 minute or so visit, she said “want another donut” (I had given her one). “Where’s Paul” (his son) and as they hugged her bye she told each of them “come back”. She tried to say other words but could not. I don’t think she was trying to enter the conversation just ask about other members of his family. Now I realize I that, why not then? Hind site really is 20/20!

Thursday 2 of her neices went, F said that she recognized M, but not her. They were still there when I got there and she recognized me, even gave me a half smile. Later in the afternoon, I asked if she was tired and she nodded her head ‘no’. She had to be exhausted!! The facility had kept her up since breakfast and we were at the hospital for her to have an ultasound of her foot and leg (swollen very bad, think may be ‘dvt’. Mother is put back to bed every day after breakfast. At least she is suppose to be.

Yesterday, Friday, 2 other neices went. She recognized them but would only say F’s name. During the visit, she said “how’s the rest”. 5 children are still living in this family. When J hugged her bye, she said J, J.

These are the changes that I see: 1) she drools really bad- 2) she can not carry on a conversation, sometimes tries to say words but we cannot make out what she is saying- 3) most of the time she has a blank stare- 4) she spills her drink frequently-
5)sometimes when you are talking to her, she will be alert and then suddenly appear to loose all interest in what you are saying.

Readers, what do you think?

Til Next Time

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