RESULTS ARE IN

Lydia called with the results of the blood work and lung x-rays. 

The seven liver tests came back showing no damage to mom's liver. The mass in her lungs was a collapse with a little fluid, nothing concerning.

We will keep the appointment with the pulmonary specialist on April 16th as a precaution.

Right now we have no explanation for mom's confusion. Her oxygen does dip quite low sometimes. The oxygen should be here any minute, we'll get her back on it tonight and find out if that helps.

Mom will follow up with Lydia in three or four weeks and has an appointment with a neurologist on May 16th.

Mom stayed in bed most of yesterday and ate very little other than her Ensure. Today it was her idea to get up and she didn't get back in bed until 7:45pm. 

I was feeding mom her breakfast because I wasn't sure if she was strong enough. I turned my attention to the laptop for a minute and she grabbed the spoon to feed herself. 

She went back to the doctor today for blood work and x-rays of her lungs. Her doctor reviewed her medical records and it turns out she did not have a stroke. It was a seizure which caused the right sided weakness.

She was taken off medication that was given to her to flush ammonia from her body. It's a harsh medicine that can cause a host of other problems. It was originally believed the extra ammonia was due to liver damage, but it turns out that one of the medications given to her after the seizure caused some kidney damage. The damage was temporary so the medication is no longer needed.

The biggest concern now is a mass on mom's lungs. I will post the results of the lung x-rays when we hear from the doctor. We will give mom oxygen at night and Albuterol nebs to strengthen her lungs.

Mom was quiet today, but there was very little gibberish. She understood most of what was said to her and even when she appeared to be dozing off in her chair, she laughed at our jokes. 

Lots of mmmmm mmmmm mmmmm when I tucked her into bed.

BETTER

It was mom's idea to sit up and get out of bed this morning. She ate a good breakfast and is drinking a lot of juice and water. Heidi washed her hair, clipped her nails, and gave her a sponge bath.

She looks and feels much better than she did yesterday.

ELEVEN

I took a freelance job last summer designing greeting cards for a new Martha Stewart line. The art director explained that Martha's copywriters would later write the actual greetings, but I should write placeholder copy so they would have an idea of the general sentiment I envisioned. Then she said "Martha is a two on the sentiment scale, don't write anything too mushy". I had no idea there was such a thing as a sentiment scale, but I told her it was perfect because I am also a two on the sentiment scale! I don't like anything mushy or overly sentimental and I have no bedside manner. I like science. This is why nobody took me seriously when I said I would take mom home to live with me. Kathy ignored my initial email, thinking I was drunk. Jimmer thought it was hilarious and everyone else thought I was joking.

But my friend Heidi is an eleven on the scale. And elevens make good caregivers. Heidi worked for years in a state hospital and group homes and she is helping me until we figure out how much and what type of care mom needs.

Yesterday I was ready to fire Heidi, mom was so easy to care for. Today was Heidi's first day and I couldn't have done it alone. Mom had a rough morning. She wanted to stay in bed, refused to eat, and complained of pain for the first time.

I think she's coming down with a cold, her nose was runny and she had the chills. She also slept so much yesterday that she didn't get enough fluids.

Heidi helped me get mom to her appointment with her new doctor this morning. We all instantly liked her. She lined us up with some in-home assistance, physical therapists and a social worker. She will review all of mom's medical records and call on Wednesday to discuss a plan.

Mom woke from her afternoon nap hungry, thirsty and with clearer thinking. She ate, drank a lot and took all of her medication before going to bed at 7:00.  I am confident she will feel better tomorrow.

Mom wasn't very photogenic in the crazy outfit we dressed her in to keep her warm today, so here's another shot with Wren. He still insists on getting up to peek at mom every time she gets into bed.

QUIET DAY

Mom was tired after refusing to nap in the car yesterday (she had to "keep an eye on things to see how they were going"). She napped for a long time this afternoon and was very easy to care for. She has learned her routine and the layout of the house. She does everything slowly except walk, when she gets on her walker it's difficult to keep up with her. My plan for tomorrow is to have mom use her wheelchair only while she's sitting to eat, and have her use the walker to travel. She sits and stands well and today she rolled onto to her side for her nap.

I asked mom if she could brush her own teeth and she said she would try. Then she stuck her toothbrush in her nose. I brushed her teeth for her and she asked me to brush them again, she was certain I had brushed only one side. The right side of her body is weak from the stroke, I'm assuming she couldn't feel anything on that side of her mouth.

Wren and mom played fetch with wren's tennis ball this morning. Mom tired of it before Wren did, of course.

THE ENFORCER

I arrived at the Luther Home on Friday at 1:00. Mom teared up when she saw me and said she couldn't believe I came all that way to take her home. She kept repeating how wonderful it was and promised more than once that she wouldn't be a pest.

We got on the road back to Minneapolis around 11:00 this morning. Mom was alert and chatty, but most of what she said did not make sense. Then she said "that truck is doing something wrong". Sure enough, she noticed a truck, 75 yards in front of us, make an illegal u-turn! "I knew he was doing something wrong" she repeated as we passed the truck.

I asked mom several times if she was hungry or needed a snack. She assured me she was fine. I asked again around 12:30 and she said "whatever. If you're hungry. It doesn't matter". She's so concerned that she will be a burden, I get that this is how she says "yes". 

About four hours into the trip mom asked about the time. I apologized for the long ride and mom said "it takes so long and the tv show just does the same thing over and over (she was watching the GPS screen)!"

From St Paul to Minneapolis there are quite a few lane changes and merges. Mom accused me of "just going back and forth, side to side".

Gemma was a great help getting mom from the car to her wheelchair, up the ramp, and into the house.

I left mom in her wheelchair in the living room to rest for a while. She released the brakes several times and I put them back on. She finally made it clear it was intentional, she wanted a tour of the house. She loves her room, she kept saying it was cute and perfect.

At dinner she tried to convince me she had taken all of her meds for the day. I explained she had to take four more and I crushed them into pudding like the staff did at the nursing home. She ate it in four bites, making faces after each bite. She said "try not to put that together again!".

Mom let me know when she was ready for bed and when I got her tucked in she pulled the covers all the way up and said "oooooh, kelly!" Wren cried and cried to get on the bed with her. She laughed hard and then was concerned that I would leave him up there. She didn't want that turkey in her room after I left.

I installed a security camera so I can monitor mom from any phone or computer. Here it is in night-vision mode.












It was a long day, but mom was great. Tomorrow we'll rest and get organized.

Good night.

here we go!

my plan is to bring mom to minneapolis on march 23 where i, with the help of in-home aides, will care for her in my home.

i will keep you updated here.