A year ago today Mom arrived in Dillon, and Angie & Joyce helped her get settled in her room at Parkview Acres.
A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, it seems! The adjustment to living in a nursing home has been difficult. Actually, Mom seemed to turn a corner of 'acceptance' after we began having Bible study with her. Somehow that seemed to clinch it for her that she "lives there".
Mom has much less of the terrible anxiety and depression that plagued her at the beginning. She's also quite a bit weaker physically. She spends most all her time either resting in (or on) her bed, or in her wheelchair. She doesn't bear any weight really at all when she is transferred, although she still can hold onto the bar in the bathroom.
She's much stronger in the morning! She also takes a morning nap now, as well as an afternoon nap. Anything extra--like a bath--uses up a lot of her "strength for the day".
She eats well most of the time. When she got an intestinal bug, though, and got dehydrated, she had to spend a night in the hospital. All the poking and prodding and new and different people set her back quite a bit mentally! The IV fluids and overall good care helped her get "back on her feet" (so to speak) physically, though, quite quickly.
Mama has a roommate named Carol. Carol has a sister at Parkview and spends most of her time on the other wing with her sister, so she's rarely in the room during Mama's waking hours. Her oxygen machine is always going, which is pretty much the only noticeable evidence that she lives there! It remains to be seen, I guess, if Carol's stay is indeed temporary or if it stretches out into semi-permanence.
Mom doesn't typically talk much any more. She can summon strength and rise to the occasion for short periods--like talking on the phone, for example. Once her concentration span is over, though, she's done. Sometimes she can tell us something hurts--but rarely can she communicate exactly what hurts. She is still keenly observant of and sensitive to her surroundings.
Mom is quite attached to her main caregivers, and responds fairly well to them, which is nice to see. Last evening I was telling one of them something I thought Mom might need...and Mom expressed herself very emphatically, saying "she takes very good care of me!"--like as if to say "now don't you ruin anything!" So that was really neat to see. I was amazed, really, because she said it quite clearly! ...which seemed to make it all the more significant.
In some ways, if you were to pop in for a visit, you would find Mom very much "herself". She is very aware of the fragility of life, as she always has been. I say "I'll see you tomorrow, Mama!" She almost always adds "all being well!"
Then...the next weekend was Manhattan convention, so I was away for several days. Philip and Mary came Friday evening and had a couple days with Mom during that time, which was really great.
This picture was taken Sunday evening, outside the nursing home. This was the beginning of quite warm weather--so Angie, Joyce, and Philip & Mary could all take Mama on "excursions" outside.
Mom is usually very tired at night--especially if anything 'extra' has happened, and she begins to lean over to one side--hence the purple pillow. Looks like it could've used some propping up itself!
Thanks so much for coming, Philip and Mary! It was great to have you and meant a lot to Mom (and me), too.
Joyce was here for a couple days the next week on her way back from Cody, Wyoming. It was short and sweet.
A few months ago we started having our Wednesday evening Bible study with Mom at the nursing home. It has been really great to be able to include Mom. Joyce needed to leave Wednesday a.m., but Angie got to join us for Bible study the previous Wednesday. Mom often asks, if I'm there of an evening, if it's Wednesday, or when meeting starts, or if it's not time for me to put away that magazine! Any day could be Wednesday! I think it really means a lot to her to have "Wednesday night meeting at her house"...and we really appreciate it as well.
Angie got to spend a few days with Mom after Parma convention. That was a treat for Mama and me both!
Angie left a nice little 'hearty' message on Mom's whiteboard, which you can see in the background.
Gena Baker and her sister Rose came through Dillon on their way to a family reunion in Canada. Thanks so much for stopping by! They had a visit with Mom the morning of June 5th. Mom said afterwards she enjoyed their visit--so much that she "wished they didn't have to leave". Thanks for coming, Rose and Gena!
Please excuse the long delay posting on the blog. I'll try to "catch up" in chronological order...if I can keep everything straight!
The residents on Mother's wing at Parkview Acres each got a silk flower corsage today--well, the ladies, anyway. Some of them also had cake and ice cream, but I think Mama was napping. They also got yellow "Happy Mother's Day" posters from a little girl named Jayden.
Mama got a dozen yellow-orange roses from her children. The short little vase seemed to "fit", somehow.
She got a few cards...and got to talk to Angie, Philip, and Gordon. She might have talked to Joyce, too--but she was too tired by the time Joyce's turn came around! We'll call Joyce another day!
At the beginning of May, Mom enjoyed a visit from her little brother!
Here's a picture of them together:
Thank you, Uncle Lael, for driving over to see your sis!
Both Mom and Joyce were quite pleased to see each other! Joyce helped Mom get caught up answering mail, looked after her 'diet', and had some nice times with Mom...sometimes visiting a little, sometimes not. Little Brown Puppy-Dog also got to be in this picture!
Joyce also took Mom for walks in the halls. Sometimes Margie went with them. Mom and Margie are good friends. Here's Margie on one of their walks (this is Mom's hallway):
This is Mom, with the nice bright daylight shining in her window. I was using a long lens, so was several feet away, and I couldn't coax a smile out of her!
She is holding her Little Brown Puppy Dog that Anna gave her for her birthday. (Kiah the boxer-dog used to curl up by Mom's chair!) This puppy dog is delightfully soft and loves to be held!
I don't have any updated pictures to post yet, although there may be an occasion soon to take some pictures.
Mom's memory has failed quite a bit; sometimes she feels upset and/or discouraged because she can't remember things, is confused, or nothing seems to make sense. She does remember people she has known for a long time, though. When I talk about someone, I usually ask her if she remembers who that person is, and she almost always has a ready nod of the head (as if to say "yes, of course!").
Mom is quite a bit weaker than a few months ago, and does not talk very much...especially in the evening when she's tired. She bears almost no weight, or none at all, when she is being transferred to and from her wheelchair. However, sometimes I get reports from the day shift that she's "quite perky" or "did exercises" or something like that! The staff at Parkview continues to be quite caring with Mom and the other residents on her wing, which I appreciate immensely.
She has a little birthday book with pictures, and every once in awhile we go back over it with her. I'm not sure if she would actually remember it, otherwise! We also still have a lot of her cards around, and sometimes I re-read them to her!
So please accept greetings from Mom, and come again in the (e-) mailbox when you have opportunity!
