Mom's health diminished greatly after our last meeting with the staff. She was fidgety on Sunday morning and when I asked if she needed anything she said "I don't know". She said "hi" to Gemma at dinnertime on Sunday, but she has not spoken since. She ate only 25% of her meals on Sunday and it still took over an hour to eat. She could not swallow at all Monday or Tuesday. Mom has a DNR (do not resuscitate) and her health care directive states no life saving measures, so we will not use feeding tubes. She got morphine yesterday and some anti-anxiety medication. She looked relaxed and more herself after the morphine. She will come home Thursday, rather than today, so hospice has time to get things in place.

Mom has been tired and weak and the residents of Walker have been worried about her. Margaret, another resident, took mom's hand and asked the nurse if there was anything she could do for her.  

Mom's lab results and x-rays show congestive heart failure, continued issues with her lungs and low albumin, which is protein in the blood. She continues to eat well, but her body is not absorbing the nutrients from her food. She is not bouncing back for more than a day or two before becoming weak again. 

I will take her back to our house next Wednesday for hospice care rather than rehab therapy. 

I will meet with the hospice team tomorrow or Tuesday and they will set mom up with a hospital bed, a lift and anything else she might need to remain comfortable. She rarely complains about pain, but she will also be given comfort medication in the event it becomes necessary down the road.

The doctors have been hesitant to give a prognosis, but the doctor today said she most likely has about six months before her heart just gives out. 

Mom had an appointment with her neurologist on Thursday. It was a beautiful day and she was alert and happy on the drive to and from the hospital. 

She answered all of the nurse's yes or no questions and appeared to pay attention to everything the doctor said.

The seizure activity has cleared up, but mom's medication will remain the same for now. There is still a small spot on mom's brain, near her eye, that has not cleared. She would ideally have a neuro-opthalmology exam, but while mom can answer simple questions, she is not be capable of participating in such a long and thorough exam.

We will follow up in a few weeks with Dr. Worley.

Mom walked and stood well with assistance yesterday. I am surprised she was willing to try, she was so quiet and weak at breakfast. I am hoping the weakness was nothing more serious than exhaustion from missing her Thursday afternoon nap.

Mother's Day was quiet at The Walker, there are no therapy sessions on Sundays. Piper was sick so she couldn't visit, but Gem and I brought mom some chocolates. She took one and asked "now how are we going to replace that?"

Mom is eager to get back to our house and install the bird feeder, her Mother's Day gift from Kathy. Unless there is something awesome in the mailbox today, Jimmer is feeling crappy right now.

Mom was walking with assistance again today and she's alert, sitting up straight and making sense. 

I hate to write about mom's bad days until all of her test results are in. I was convinced she would snap back again after last week, I have never seen her so weak and tired if she wasn't fighting something, but some of her team wasn't so sure. They reminded us that mom has many underlying health issues and wanted me to be prepared if she couldn't find the energy to stand and walk again. I was relieved when the x-rays showed that the pneumonia hadn't completely cleared, it explained the weakness. It looks like mom will be back to her baseline soon, which is walking with a walker and a little assistance from me, sitting, helping to transfer, and feeding herself. She is easy to care for then and I only need help from Heidi when we leave the house.

Mom was up and walking a little before she became weak again last Sunday. She was tired, confused and couldn't do much in therapy this past week. Here she is putting the ring on her head rather than the peg.

A follow up x-ray showed the pneumonia was lingering, so mom was started on another round of antibiotics. She looks and sounds much better today and she stood up for a bit. The plan is to meet with her team again in a week or two to discuss a new discharge plan. 

I'm going to miss this place.

Mom was up early working on standing, walking and language. She was doing well with simple yes or no questions when she rolled her eyes at the silliness of them. Then she said "skip." "skip." until the speech therapist moved on to the next exercise.

The staff didn't realize they dressed her in her pajamas today and she got a lot of compliments on her pretty pink outfit.

She was resting and watching television when this volunteer came around to play a game of catch with the patients. Everyone was so tired after therapy that she mostly just hit people in the face with the ball.  The ball landed on mom's lap when her eyes were closed, so she rested her head on it and used it for a pillow. When the volunteer moved on to the next person, mom said "she isn't very good at this".

Today there are 15 finches, by tomorrow there could be 20!

Not much to report, mom has been eating more and getting stronger every day. 

Aunt Jean sent mom these hydrangeas and everyone else was jealous.

Gem likes to visit because the Walker Gift Shop sells candy for less than anyone else in a five mile radius. 

I try to get the girls to visit at dinner time, it's the most entertaining place in Minneapolis. Rosie, another patient, asked me what grade mom was in. Then she asked if she could come home with me. She said there were lots of jobs she could do at our house.

I told her no way, I am taking Joe home. He offers to pay for every meal and he cleans up after everyone at his table.

Mom ate her lunch by herself today and then said she wanted to go home. It is 78° in Minneapolis today so Gemma and I took her for a walk around the neighborhood. I will meet with the therapists on Friday to discuss her progress and a discharge date.  

Mom's room overlooks a park and tennis courts where the girls spend a lot of time, it's great having her so close.

Mom was transferred to Walker Methodist Health Center yesterday for rehab. She took the fork from my hand to eat her own breakfast today, but she's still weak and tired. She will get speech, occupational and physical therapy twice a day until she is strong enough to come home. It will most likely take ten days to two weeks. The Walker is a block from our house, so the girls and I can drop by any time.

I will wait to post a photo of mom, she still has adhesive in her hair from the EEG wires. The staff said they would wash her hair tomorrow.

The large finch cage in the common area.