Blocked Culvert
I just got email from an Island neighbor letting me know the culvert under the upper end of mom’s driveway is blocked up, and water is running down the road… A long, long way. I’ve called our Amazing Neighbor, who will check on things in the morning, and now must suspend concern that her property […]
Incontinence
Mom’s community’s HSD called me late this afternoon to ‘update’ me on my mom. She was discovered to have had an episode of urine incontinence in the living room, by staff, as she headed toward the dining room. She was stopped, and the HSD came to talk to her. Her response to having pointed out […]
Mom’s Other Doc Weighs In
Mom’s psychiatric nurse practitioner wrote to me this morning, with apologies, in reply to a note I wrote to him in early December about our observations about mom’s hygiene. I think your mom is more confused by things such as the shower more than anything; not an anger thing or a parnaoid thing, more of […]
Cat Accord
Elvis and Sumi have made great strides in the last seven days. They have gone from needing 100% supervision, to hanging out with one of us in earshot, to, today, me finding them hanging out in our bedroom! Elvis still hisses here and there, but we haven’t heard any political screaming matches for a number […]
Tail End
Tomorrow I’ll roll out the last of the horticulture therapy gardens under the grant I’ve been working with. I’m tucked into a delightfully dated motel in a wee town on the eastern side of our state. The solid knotty pine paneling reminds me of a house I used to own. The room is funky, and […]
Brace
The company that mom’s ortho doc contacted to fit mom for a knee brace called me today. They will contact the wellness department at mom’s community to set an appointment to take measurements to fit mom for a brace. It’s a device that mom will need help getting in and out of. That’s an improvement […]
Other Mother’s
I have experienced great joy in being a mom to bonus children over the years. Dear friends of my children with whom I had a special bond. A few adult bonus-kids still call me mom, swelling my heart with pride and honor. I turn and look at the strong, influential, and loving women in my […]
Synopsis
So much has happened in the last several months. It feels like it’s time to tie it all together to see if I can make any connections in mom’s slippery trajectory. Oct 8th: Mom, using her cane, fell on her way to breakfast, hitting her head. A staff member witnessed this, and alerted the HSD […]
Care Conference
In short, the meeting went well. Financially, not so much, but I can’t argue with the increased needs mom has… A door alarm will be installed on mom’s front door. That way every time she opens the door, staff will get an alert, and someone can escort her. Part of the overall increased care includes […]
January 20th Fall
I’m going to start dating mom’s falls as they’re happening so regularly that saying, “Another Fall” is becoming sadly repetetive. Wanda called to let me know that mom, during dinner, got up to use the restroom, and somehow got her walker tangled up in the door and went down. She landed on her bottom. When […]
Dementia Dance - Travels with Mom 