A Hard Week Better than Some

On Wed., August 17 and Thursday August 18, 2011, Kathy went to see Mom with varying reactions, depending upon the time of day.

Kathy felt she was better on Wednesday afternoon than she had been in the morning when Nan had visited her and found Mom playing the piano but “not much in the mood for a visit.”  Nan left after a short time.  Then Kathy went around 3:30 Pm, and Mom seemed glad to see her.  “Not quite as fearful as yesterday.”  Mom played the piano for about half an hour.  Kathy thought it was very observant of Mom to note that Kathy had a new purse, which Mom said she liked.  Mom was very solicitous toward one of the more fragile residents.

“There was more of the obsession about the MS than I have seen for awhile.”

The nurse Sarah Jane said Mom had a hard time at lunch, but Wednesday was still better than Tuesday. 

On Thursday, Kathy thought it was a pretty good day.  “I went in the afternoon, and she was taking a serious nap, so I left.  I returned after dinner and she and Kay were resting.  “Thank God Kay was asleep!  Your mom was in a good space, not fearful and kind of up.”  Sarah reported that Mom played in piano in the morning and seemed improved from earlier in the week.

Suzy was still moving in to her new house and getting her e-mail set up.

Friday Minute with Mom, August 19, 2011

Dear Suzy and Jonathan~

                Kathy already knows about this, but I’ll put her name after the cc

                I packed up Magic Cookie Bars for Mom and, just in case she was tired of Unlikely Friends, I also packed The Funny Times.  (As you may remember a few weeks ago, she was very adept at finding the funniest cartoons and reading them aloud.)

                But when I got there, she announced they she and “she” were taking a nap. 

                I said, “Well, would you like me to leave and come back?”

                She said, “Yes, come again—maybe next Friday.”

                I offered her the Magic Cookie bars, but she said, “I already have some.”

                So I talked to Rocsana, Georgia and Mary (Assisted Living mother and daughter), Sarah-Jane, and Sonia, but really just to say hello. 

            Then I left.  It felt so strange to spend 50 minutes getting there for 1 minute of time with Mom, so I took the opportunity to go by to see Kathy for just a few minutes.  We talked and agreed that this has been a better week for Mom and that it’s good that she has the autonomy to not need us when it’s time to nap and to be able to say so.

                I think my regular days, now that the semester has started, will be Tuesday and Saturday. 

               

                Love,

                Tina/Mom

PS  Glad the conservatorship has been resolved.  {This was in reference to Suzy and Jonathan’s conservatorship for David, something that was begun when Mom could no longer take it on and I was handling Daddy’s “estate” for five years.}

Sometimes around this period, Mother told Kathy, “Well, we’ll be back together.”