Sunday, April 21, 2013

And Two More Make a Triple Header


The same day that I had the bitter-sweet visit with Mom, saying “You’re my representative in the bigger world,” Suzy and Kathy visited, and it’s clear how much weaving in and out of the crazy plaid the mind does! 

Same day (October 1, 2011), report from Suzy:

            I also visited Mom today. I must have left just minutes before you arrived, Tina. Rolando and Walter brought the sofa. I'd gotten there a little earlier. Mom was doing the sit-down exercises, without her teeth, and looked quite panicked. She spoke to me in that fearful whispering voice. Then Rolando arrived so I went out to escort them in with the sofa, and Mom came from the dining room into her room. I told her this is Rolando and Walter, but she didn't remember them. Even before I could show them out, Mother was saying in a panicked voice some paranoid thought and was frantic for me to come with her. So I showed them out and went with her back to the dining room, which is where she wanted to go. But she wasn't at ease and wanted then to go back to her room. I suggested we try out the new couch, but when we got in the room, she wanted to lie on her bed. I went to find her back rest fuzzy brown pillow, and as is often the case, it was in that little room with sitting beside the bigger sitting area. I don't know how it gets in there or why. Already Mom seemed to be more at peace. She'd gotten out the crossword puzzle books, and we began one. Not long into that, she seemed totally caught up in it, rather than in her paranoid delusions, and was more at peace. She did well, too, for a good while. But then she started saying things that didn't make sense, interspersed with cogent comments. She did say a few times that she was having a good time, which was nice to hear her volunteer, and it did feel like good energy. But I could tell she was getting really tired. She wanted to do another puzzle, so we did, but she wasn't able to focus very well, and was saying things that made no sense at all. Again, I'm interested in knowing whether she thinks she's saying something in particular and it's a problem accessing the words or whether she doesn't have a clue what she's saying and no intention, really.
            At the beginning, I forgot to mention, she pointed to the empty bed of her roommate and said something about her being dead or their having done away with her or something. She also had a mocha.
            I do like her room. The view of the fountain is nice. And, Kathy, I love that colorful, pretty chair in there. I think the sofa looks fine. And it is comfortable. So good.
            Disjointed though it may be, that's my report. I'd say Mom went from being in one of her pretty bad states to relaxing into one of her better ones to getting tired and not being able to focus/losing her ability to make sense, but seeming to have had a nice time, which is what matters.

From Kathy:

Hi----I also went today about 3:30 pm, a triple header. The couch looks great there and is indeed comfy. Your Mom likes it and thinks it looks really good with the picture above done by Ada's daughter. Your Mom was weighed today and is now at 116 pounds, up 3 pounds from last month. The appetite stimulant seems to be helping. As of today she is on antibiotics and a special prescription cough pill. The Aegis nurse and I were both concerned about the cough and the length of time she has had it, so we contacted the Kaiser advice nurse yesterday and a Kaiser Dr. ordered the meds. Your Mom was also running a low grade temp, 99.2 yesterday. Hopefully the meds will ease this cough. Take Care all, Love, K.

No comments:

Post a Comment

I don't think this is the kind of community-provided bench the SF Chronicle was talking about today in its article https://www.sfchronic...