Update from the Community

I started this post on Thursday, and am finishing it today, Saturday…

I was in, what we call, the atrium today when mom’s community called. My heart always pauses when I see their name on my phone. Cheryl is an expert at leading me into the conversation, while keeping my blood pressure under control.

She started by letting me know that podiatry would visit with mom tomorrow. Thank goodness! I don’t think this appointment will be any too comfortable for mom, but it’s desperately needed. She’s lost a toe nail already. I’ll be very interested to know the doctor’s assessment of the condition of mom’s feet.

Cheryl next shared that ‘mom says she didn’t have a fall,’ but was found sleeping on the floor next to her bed this morning, with pillow and blanket. Mom says she couldn’t get into bed because the bed was ‘too high.’ This is brand new. Mom also said her knee was causing her lots of pain. Cheryl and I each had out assignments over this, some of them overlapping. She is talking to nursing about calling mom’s doctor and getting the brace manufacturer back in to see mom, and to facilities about lowering mom’s bed. I wrote to facilities about lowering mom’s bed, emailed mom’s doc directly (pain management & update Dr. O), and I’ll talk to nursing tomorrow. Cheryl also let me know they’ve loaned mom a wheel chair.

I was left with the vision of mom choosing to sleep on the floor rather than asking for help. I think she knows she can’t get up off the floor by herself. What a challenging choice, BUT I think I’m reading way too much into her thought process. She likely, in the moment, made the most logical choice she could. I hope it didn’t cause her anxiety.