Another Fall
A note from the Health Services Director (HSD) of mom’s community this evening let me know mom stumbled in the dining room, caught herself on her chair, and landed on her knees. I cannot imagine how painful that must have been. The HSD said he let the kitchen and care staff know that mom is […]
Cat Extraction
Today was an emotional roller coaster. Compartmentalizing sadness, knowing I was going to take mom’s companion away from her, I left for a garden rollout. An upside to our recent snow, traffic was light. Traffic is never light here! Not even on the weekends. The further south I drove, the better the driving conditions were. […]
Elvis Reminder
I called mom twice this evening to let her know I was picking Elvis up tomorrow afternoon for the vet appointment. She didn’t answer her phone. I have some thoughts as to why: She might not have been in her apartment during the 7PM hour, though unlikely. Maybe she was in bed reading because she’s […]
Chasing Down Lab Results
Mom had a blood draw on the 6th, a week ago yesterday. A mobile phlebotomist did the draw at her apartment, and then took the sample to a lab. A week later we didn’t have any results. After asking her doctor and the community’s Health Services Director if they had results (no), I started by […]
A Call From PT
PT saw mom on Friday. The therapist said mom’s knee was buckling on her. The therapist’s goals are improved balance and stability. She will see mom twice a week for two weeks, and then once a week thereafter. Our non-linear conversation straightens up like this: The therapist wants to see if her visits can help […]
Dr. O Weighs In
I wrote to Dr. O regarding mom’s fall, the communication fails at the community, and to ask if it was time for a wheelchair. He replied that he’d received a fax about the fall. I asked him to send me the latest news releases, as he was in the loop, while I was not. Slightly […]
Unexpected Delay Getting Home
I drove to the south-eastern edge of our state for work on Thursday. Friday was all about a double-garden rollout. And trying to get home. I headed west at about 2:30 after buying the only traction device Subaru deems acceptable on our vehicle. The pass between me and home was at def-con 3.8, and expected […]
Another Fall
Mom’s community care staff let me know this morning, via email, that mom fell last night, in her room in the presence of staff. They called EMS, and I was not notified. I have sent the health services director, copying the executive director, my clearest expectations regarding situations such as these, and have suggested it […]
Mom’s Chest X-ray
Lab Result: Impression Findings: There is severe aortic atherosclerosis. The heart size and mediastinum are within normal limits. There is lung parenchymal hyperinflation and hyperlucency in keeping with COPD/emphysema. There is no acute parenchymal infiltrate, pleural effusion, or pneumothorax seen. Multilevel DDD is seen in the middle and distal thoracic spine. The visualized bony structures […]
Friday
We had impressive, violent even, winds here last Thursday night. As we had power failures that day, and mom had a doctor’s appointment Friday morning, I had my cell phone at my bedside for a backup alarm clock in case the power gave it up over night. This meant that I awoke to a text […]
Dementia Dance - Travels with Mom 