A rather slow week for Mom.
Jean came and entertained her on Wednesday, and Mom was quite happy to see her. They chatted and played a little Scrabble.
Mom has spent most of her time in her room, unwilling to come out. Yet, once in a while she will venture into the main salon for a change of pace, I suppose.
She has been keeping the staff from washing her clothes, insisting they're stealing them, or that her clothes are clean and don't need to be washed. Same thing with her. They have been able to get her to shower twice a week, under the guise that I insist she do it or they will come in and wash her themselves. If this were to happen, think Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady" receiving the first real scrubbing! Although in many ways this scene might delight, it wouldn't be pleasant for all those having to do it.
They've learned that giving Mom her wine at the beginning of dinner is best. But many times she fails to request it. If she receives it later than in the beginning, she takes it into her room and partakes in the mornings.
She's been sleeping in quite a bit, and if she has wine in the evenings she's a bear in the mornings. I told them to give it to her only if she asks, and that she is not to take it into her room (but knowing her she'd take it anyway just to be defiant).
Today, I popped in to take her to the movies. She had a choice - Cinderella (which she said sounded childish) and The Second Best Marigold Hotel (which she said sounded stupid). Once I stated I would buy her an ice cream after the movie, she began to ready herself to go (she just sat there talking about something that made no sense for 10 minutes until I made the promise).
She enjoyed the movie even recognizing some of the actors on the screen. It was a linear plot, and she stated it was half-way intelligent with no crude, vulgar, or sexual issues. Whew!
Then she asked, "Where's my ice cream?"
Now, she cannot remember the simplest of things, let alone a thought, and she can remember this? Oh Boy!
We drove through Jack In The Box and she was upset because I didn't order a chocolate mixed with vanilla, but she received it and was quite contented. Too much so. For when we returned to St. Anthony's, she refused to get out of the car! She told me that while I went in she would wait and then she would go home with me.
Egads!
I finally coaxed her out of the car (if threats can be seen as an active coax) and we went in. She was rather churlish, something I've not seen for a while, and this got me to thinking.
Is the lack of sugar (I've not been buying her small candy bars or soda) driving her back to her old cantankerous self? Mentally I've not seen any changes, but her moods and affect are certainly going back to being mean and bossy. Although she's gained 39 pounds in 4 months, and there's no sign of a decrease from the lack of them, perhaps I need to make a run to get her these things and put her back on track....I'm not sure.
To sweeten her and make her happy, perhaps it's for the best as these are her twilight years. While it appears to be an ethical dilemma that has to do with too much sugar and brain insulin, I'm going to give her the sugar. It's what she wants and it will serve us all for the better - she'll be happier and so will we.
Jean came and entertained her on Wednesday, and Mom was quite happy to see her. They chatted and played a little Scrabble.
Mom has spent most of her time in her room, unwilling to come out. Yet, once in a while she will venture into the main salon for a change of pace, I suppose.
She has been keeping the staff from washing her clothes, insisting they're stealing them, or that her clothes are clean and don't need to be washed. Same thing with her. They have been able to get her to shower twice a week, under the guise that I insist she do it or they will come in and wash her themselves. If this were to happen, think Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady" receiving the first real scrubbing! Although in many ways this scene might delight, it wouldn't be pleasant for all those having to do it.
They've learned that giving Mom her wine at the beginning of dinner is best. But many times she fails to request it. If she receives it later than in the beginning, she takes it into her room and partakes in the mornings.
She's been sleeping in quite a bit, and if she has wine in the evenings she's a bear in the mornings. I told them to give it to her only if she asks, and that she is not to take it into her room (but knowing her she'd take it anyway just to be defiant).
Today, I popped in to take her to the movies. She had a choice - Cinderella (which she said sounded childish) and The Second Best Marigold Hotel (which she said sounded stupid). Once I stated I would buy her an ice cream after the movie, she began to ready herself to go (she just sat there talking about something that made no sense for 10 minutes until I made the promise).
She enjoyed the movie even recognizing some of the actors on the screen. It was a linear plot, and she stated it was half-way intelligent with no crude, vulgar, or sexual issues. Whew!
Then she asked, "Where's my ice cream?"
Now, she cannot remember the simplest of things, let alone a thought, and she can remember this? Oh Boy!
We drove through Jack In The Box and she was upset because I didn't order a chocolate mixed with vanilla, but she received it and was quite contented. Too much so. For when we returned to St. Anthony's, she refused to get out of the car! She told me that while I went in she would wait and then she would go home with me.
Egads!
I finally coaxed her out of the car (if threats can be seen as an active coax) and we went in. She was rather churlish, something I've not seen for a while, and this got me to thinking.
Is the lack of sugar (I've not been buying her small candy bars or soda) driving her back to her old cantankerous self? Mentally I've not seen any changes, but her moods and affect are certainly going back to being mean and bossy. Although she's gained 39 pounds in 4 months, and there's no sign of a decrease from the lack of them, perhaps I need to make a run to get her these things and put her back on track....I'm not sure.
To sweeten her and make her happy, perhaps it's for the best as these are her twilight years. While it appears to be an ethical dilemma that has to do with too much sugar and brain insulin, I'm going to give her the sugar. It's what she wants and it will serve us all for the better - she'll be happier and so will we.
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