Mom is going for little outings

I’m driving Mom home today for lunch with Jeanne and John and Jean and Genevive, today, and I DO hope that it goes well.  The girls and I are cooking a Poor Man’s Meal, which is stir-fried potatoes, onions, brown rice, hot dogs, hamburger and served with warm bread.  I took her to Kentucky Fried Chicken, yesterday……..I’ve had to sign choking wavers and probably will give up my home care rights because I felt that it was important for Mom to be taken out of the hospital with me to help seed where she IS.  She STILL insists that she’s NOT in the Delta and Montrose that she knows, but is amazed that this place LOOKS like OUR Montrose and Delta……It’s kind of humorous, really.  I drove her past the house the other day and she said, “Why, LOOK!  Someone has a house JUST LIKE YOURS!!”  If you have a conversation filled with questions for HER to ask that leads her to correct conclusions, then she’ll finally…..reluctantly concede to the facts.  Anyway, I am seeing improvement and think that it’s probably work loosing those home visits.

She did pretty well at Kentucky Fried.  She wasn’t supposed to eat things that I hadn’t cut up, nothing crunchy……….But, she’s been aching for something with texture and taste…..So, I decided just to watch and see what she did.  She just picked up her chicken and ATE it!  The only problem was that the skin came off all at once and I took it off and told her it probably was too hard to eat and that if she really wanted it, she’d have to cut it up.  She tore it into several pieces and devoured it!  She DID loose track of a honey butter biscuit that was smashed up in her numb left hand and we laughed when she found it.  She also reached over and grabbed MY napkin and wiped her nose with it and I asked her what her friends would think if she did that with THEIR napkin and she laughed and decided maybe she needed to work on her social skills.  I had to agree.

As for visiting Mom and times that are convenient……The therapy that she has never lasts more than an hour at a time and she has a lot of energy and is NOT needing to sleep between.  In FACT, she does better at night if she doesn’t sleep during the day.  The times that they encouraged visitors are her meal times.  But, honestly, what person who is learning how to swallow and trying to regain their social graces wants visitors at THOSE times!!!???  Late morning or early afternoon is usually really good and she’s gotten good enough with eating that meals are fine, now, too.  But, whenever you might drop by, even if Mom was in therapy, it wouldn’t be long and she’d be out, really.  You could always call me, as well, to see what the day looks like.  970-275-3226 You KNOW what a social person she is.  Her visitors are what have spurred her on to trying harder and being better.  If you know how to play Scrabble or some card game that would help get her numbers back, that’s a productive way to spend 30 minutes with her.  She can make huge words, but has trouble adding up her score or keeping track of the 8 tiles in front of her.  She truly wants to improve as much as she can and everyone is amazed by her progress.  The girls and Craig were playing Scrabble with her and I came in and saw all of these words that were placed wrong and spelled wrong.  I looked at Craig and he just shrugged is shoulders……So, I pointed at one of the problem words and asked Mom if this word really worked for scrabble…….She just kind of raised her eyebrows and said….”It works if no one CHALLENGES me on it”…..**chuckle**  She had figured out that she could play like a child and no one would call her on it.  After that, every time she began to lay something that didn’t work, I’d ask her if that word would really work and she’s answer”I suppose you’re going to challenge me on it, huh?” and she’d take it off the board.

Craig has been working this week but last week he spent hours and hours with Mom.  He’s been great and is showing us that he’s truly a part of this family.  I love him for that.  I told him at the beginning that things like this either strengthen your marriage or tear it apart…….there’s nothing in between.  It either pulls you closer together or you drift…….It’s a personal choice…….and I’m so happy to see that he has thought about it and is making the effort to be close to his family.

Well, off to get lunch ready and pick up Mom.  Have a GREAT SUNDAY, everyone!

And in Mom’s words……and of course the BIBLE’s words…..

This is a day that the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad!!!

Love to you~  Mary