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| Mom taking a nap while chatting |
This was a week similar to many others, but for some reason, it ended with a slight bite.
It’s impossible to state that Mom was active; rather, she was still dopey from her medications in the morning, which led to eating less. Today, I noted that her pants were rather loose, especially in the legs where she used to fill them out much more.
She is “with it” at points, as she seemed to be when Connie and Jean paid their visit, earlier this week. I know my uncle, her brother (and only surviving sibling) came to visit on Friday but haven’t heard back from his two-hour adventure with her.
On Thursday evening, I received a call from hospice indicating they were going to have to begin treating Mom for a cough which she seemed to have developed. None of the other residents were demonstrating signs of such an ailment, so that gave me pause to wonder how it could have been caught (I always wash my hands before seeing her, and am very cautious about spreading any of my germs, were I still to be a carrier of the cold I had in December). They checked her for infection but saw none. So, they were going to begin treating her with another form of morphine to help ease the problem and asked I bring cough drops.
On Friday, my uncle brought cough drops, and hospice had also brought some of their own, while I, unknowing of hospice bringing any, brought in a few bags per their request. Mom is now well deluged with them.
So, that being said, I’ll allow Connie and Jean to grant insight to their visit:
Dear Tony,
Connie signed us in a bit after 1 pm today. We had called South Cottage as we were leaving
Connie's house and they said Norma was sitting in the dining room, had just had lunch.
(Later we learned that she had had a "good lunch," but no details.)
Norma was sitting in her favorite chair, as we were told, where she could see all others in the row of four tables. She was definitely at the "head" of the long table. She was wearing the pink and black striped shirt with her pretty pink, black and gray zip-up jacket. Gray slacks were just right with that.
Jean said she was glad to see she was wearing her compression stockings; showed her own new ones. She was wearing her moccasin-style shoes, said they were comfortable.
Connie brought the Wall Street Journal, which was taken by another lady and never seen again by the three of us. We spoke of many things, with Norma adding comments which only she understood. It was obvious at times she had a thought, but could not quite say it. In fact, Connie heard her say, "I can't verbalize it." We did not remember the context.
Jean heated up Norma's cooled coffee and poured a cup for Connie. It's more like a tea party that way.
We told of recent family events. Norma listens politely, and may venture her comments, so quietly that we don't always catch what she's saying, but it's always said with expression.
We spoke of colleges, where some of our loved ones had gone or are now attending. Jim Manning's colleges were named, and Connie asked where Lawrence had gone. I don't remember what the two of them decided, but they were in agreement. Connie said that Norma had told her Lawrence is sometimes asked by other lawyers with tough cases for his help. She added that he must be very good at his work.
"Well, it was very gracious of you to say that," said Norma. A modest mother, indeed.
Lianna set up Bingo at the other end of the long 4-table "table." Five ladies were playing, with Leah's daughter there to help her mother. The Bingo held everyone's attention; the rattle of the little balls did not help us hear Norma's words. Jean asked Norma if she wanted to visit in her room, but she was fine there. (The door to her room has been open last two times we visited, so Jean did not need her key. Besides, she forgot to bring it.)
As always, the caregivers are kind to residents and to us; we even had cookies when they were passed around in paper cups.
Jean showed C.and N your "Awwwww!" on her cell phone (see below) after you saw the picture the phone took.
After an hour and a half, we told Norma it was time for us to leave, and that we would be back in a few days. The Bingo was still going on, so we asked if Norma wanted to play. She said, "Yes, but not yet."
We got our coats on, kissed her goodbye, and she said, "Thank you for the entertainment." Talk about a gracious hostess! We said we would be back in a few days.
We have Connie to thank for hearing those very natural quotes from Norma. Jean’ll have to pay closer attention. She was right there, too.
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| Mom and Connie engaged in chat |
Friday, Uncle Pete visited. I’m sure it was a good one, although I’ve not yet heard. They had a goodly two hour visit to make up for lost time (it’s been about 1.5 years since Mom and he had a chance to see each other - the last time being at Aunt Judy’s birthday party in Champoeg Park. That is recorded in The Week Ending 8/24/2014 Plus One Day).
Today, I went in to see the Mater and found her in her room dozing. She’d eaten a few bites of yogurt, and her coffee didn’t seem as though it had been properly enjoyed. I went out and topped off her mug and put in some more creamer, then heated it up. She had refused breakfast but had agreed to eat the yogurt and taking her meds.
I asked her how her visit with Uncle Pete was and she responded by calling me a sadist. She stated it was cruel for me to pretend she’d ever had such a visit. So, I employed other tactics to see if I could jog her memory - but all failed. Alas!
She was responding well, but having no recollection of anything before the previous 30 seconds, it was rather difficult to carry on much conversation. So, I put on some music, gave her some cookies to eat (which she did, then shunned the rest of the yogurt), and she seemed to perk up. It wasn’t a lively event, but it was good. She was alert and on point about 40% of the time, and as I was leaving spoke of joining the others for lunch. This is a good sign.
Then she coughed.
And coughed some more.
I had been told it was a dry cough, but this one sounded full and wet.
I asked her to point to where the cough seemed to be coming from and she pointed to her sternum. Upper respiratory. I reported this to Leddy and she was going to give her the medication for the cough in a few minutes, about the same time as Mom was to eat lunch.
Now, knowing as little or as much as I do about her condition, this begins to lead me to investigate aspirant pneumonia, which is a common cause of death amongst dementia patients. I’d rather be informed than sorry; so don’t assume that this is what’s going on, but just in case, I would like to have the facts in hand.
I am hoping that by this time next week, the cough has subsided and Mom is a little less groggy….but then, we can’t all see the future, can we?
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