It's A Boy!
11 years ago
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Sure makes ya think..........
Today has been a crazy day with Mom. Started out..... she just would NOT get out of bed. No how, no way, she didn't wanna! Ok, she's not a big woman, but she is steadily gaining weight ... so short of just picking her up and making her, I resort to tactics..... haha..... Leeky, go get your Mama. Wow! First try......... it work!!!!!!!! I guess she figured 2 against one..... she was out numbered. And she was.
what makes her want to stay in bed all day, she doesn't really sleep, maybe she dozes off and on, but why stay in bed? She decides after she gets down stairs, after a while, she just wants to diconnect her feeding tube...... to go to the bathroom. WHAT???????????? You can't just un plug it! You have to flush it, turn the pump off, and them you can get up.
Oh my........ this has been a day that's for sure. She did eat pureed pancakes this morning. Thats a first in a long time. Jaiden ate some too, he loves it. YUCK. I like to chew my pancakes thank you! She has also decided she now wants to drink all day........... well not with out THICK IT involved.......sorry!
Again, what is she thinking? Has she forgot she just can't get up? She cant't drink plain water, or liquids of any kind??????????
UGHHHHHHHH 2 weeks from today........ I go back to work. God give me strength
what makes her want to stay in bed all day, she doesn't really sleep, maybe she dozes off and on, but why stay in bed? She decides after she gets down stairs, after a while, she just wants to diconnect her feeding tube...... to go to the bathroom. WHAT???????????? You can't just un plug it! You have to flush it, turn the pump off, and them you can get up.
Oh my........ this has been a day that's for sure. She did eat pureed pancakes this morning. Thats a first in a long time. Jaiden ate some too, he loves it. YUCK. I like to chew my pancakes thank you! She has also decided she now wants to drink all day........... well not with out THICK IT involved.......sorry!
Again, what is she thinking? Has she forgot she just can't get up? She cant't drink plain water, or liquids of any kind??????????
UGHHHHHHHH 2 weeks from today........ I go back to work. God give me strength
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Outside Caregivers ...... :(
So the time came when Mom had to have someone stay with her during the day so I and my daughter could go to work.
I truthfully do not remember the gals name, and I should try really hard to remember..... she was horrible. She did nothing for mom except cook her breakfast and lunch. No laundry, no dishes from the meals she had prepared, never made mom's bed. I asked Mom one day..... what does she do all day? Sit outside, smokes and talks on her cell phone. It was July, the end of watermelon season, I had to make a decision...... do I stay home with mom or continue with this gal?
I quit my job well, took a leave of absence, to care for mom. It is amazing. When I do things like this it's a gut feeling I need to follow. Mom started having small strokes... every 2 months, she had one for about 6 months. Then in May I decided I would go back to work at the farm to work Watermelons. My aunt stayed with Mom while I worked. I did this for 2 yrs..... only the last time I worked at the farm I decided to stay. I needed more income and I needed health insurance.
My aunt care for Mom for about a yr. My daughter decided then she wanted to stay home to be her caregiver. She was layed off of her job, so of course.....
This was fantastic!
I will say this......... my aunt, my dad's sister, took wonderful care of Mom. I will forever be greatful for her help. My parents divorced many many yrs ago! She loves my mom and Mom loves her too. She is always delighted to see the "Aunties".
Mom had bouts of anger with my daughter, granddaughter. She would hit Leeky with her cane every chance she got, my daughter too. Her cane was thrown out in the garage more times than I care to count.. haha But just like everything else, that went away.
She never went there with me..... maybe she seen me as an authority figure. Who knows what goes on in the minds of people with dementia.
I truthfully do not remember the gals name, and I should try really hard to remember..... she was horrible. She did nothing for mom except cook her breakfast and lunch. No laundry, no dishes from the meals she had prepared, never made mom's bed. I asked Mom one day..... what does she do all day? Sit outside, smokes and talks on her cell phone. It was July, the end of watermelon season, I had to make a decision...... do I stay home with mom or continue with this gal?
I quit my job well, took a leave of absence, to care for mom. It is amazing. When I do things like this it's a gut feeling I need to follow. Mom started having small strokes... every 2 months, she had one for about 6 months. Then in May I decided I would go back to work at the farm to work Watermelons. My aunt stayed with Mom while I worked. I did this for 2 yrs..... only the last time I worked at the farm I decided to stay. I needed more income and I needed health insurance.
My aunt care for Mom for about a yr. My daughter decided then she wanted to stay home to be her caregiver. She was layed off of her job, so of course.....
This was fantastic!
I will say this......... my aunt, my dad's sister, took wonderful care of Mom. I will forever be greatful for her help. My parents divorced many many yrs ago! She loves my mom and Mom loves her too. She is always delighted to see the "Aunties".
Mom had bouts of anger with my daughter, granddaughter. She would hit Leeky with her cane every chance she got, my daughter too. Her cane was thrown out in the garage more times than I care to count.. haha But just like everything else, that went away.
She never went there with me..... maybe she seen me as an authority figure. Who knows what goes on in the minds of people with dementia.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Side Effects
After getting Mom into to see her primary care Dr, who was almost positive her cancer had returned, wanted her to see a neurologist. With no insurance at the time, my sister and I set out to get her approved for ALTCS . Because Mom had no assets, no money to speak of, we were able to get her approved immediately!
So, of we go to our first neurologist. He of course orders a battery of tests........ MRI, cat scan, etc etc. He also does the Folstein Memory test. She fails it.
Your mother has Alzheimer's Disease give her this medicine, Aricept come back to see me in a month. WOW! OK, this is pretty simple. What he didn't tell me is all the side affects that could happen ... she fell, she wanted to sleep all the time. You name it she experienced it. So now we go back a month later, I explain to him all the side effects. He changes it to Reminyl... again come back to see me in a month. WOW! The side effects for this one was 10000 times worse than the first. I still to this day see her laying on her bed, doubled over wishing to die!
One month later ........ he basically said, well your mother has Alzheimer's and there is nothing more I can do for her......... Have a nice day! Did I mention he was a foreigner who spoke less than desirable English? GEEZE!
I informed him if the side affects were worse than the damn disease, we would just have to deal with the disease without the drugs. This is my mother, I am not going to give her something that makes her wish she wants to die!
With that, I gathered Mom up and out the door we went, never to go back. We did see another neuro that again, had a problem with the Englishe language, who said the same thing. So, no more visits to them. If you can't help her, toodles... we won't be back.
To this day ......... we have not been back to neurologist!
So, of we go to our first neurologist. He of course orders a battery of tests........ MRI, cat scan, etc etc. He also does the Folstein Memory test. She fails it.
Your mother has Alzheimer's Disease give her this medicine, Aricept come back to see me in a month. WOW! OK, this is pretty simple. What he didn't tell me is all the side affects that could happen ... she fell, she wanted to sleep all the time. You name it she experienced it. So now we go back a month later, I explain to him all the side effects. He changes it to Reminyl... again come back to see me in a month. WOW! The side effects for this one was 10000 times worse than the first. I still to this day see her laying on her bed, doubled over wishing to die!
One month later ........ he basically said, well your mother has Alzheimer's and there is nothing more I can do for her......... Have a nice day! Did I mention he was a foreigner who spoke less than desirable English? GEEZE!
I informed him if the side affects were worse than the damn disease, we would just have to deal with the disease without the drugs. This is my mother, I am not going to give her something that makes her wish she wants to die!
With that, I gathered Mom up and out the door we went, never to go back. We did see another neuro that again, had a problem with the Englishe language, who said the same thing. So, no more visits to them. If you can't help her, toodles... we won't be back.
To this day ......... we have not been back to neurologist!
The Beginning of the Journey
In December of 2002 my worst nightmare began.
My mother was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, later to be diagnosed with Vascular Dementia.
Going back in time....... In September of 2001, myself, Alicia and Angelique (2 weeks old) moved in with my mom until we found a new home( long story there) We never left.
Fast forward to May 2002...... One Sunday all the kids were at the house. Mom had fallen asleep in her chair for a few minutes... when she woke up, she tried to get up from her chair. Her left side was completely limp. After we all tried to get her to go to the hospital, I called the paramedics. They tried in earnest to get her to go to the hospital. She flat refused to go. Because I didn't have her POA "yet" I couldn't make her go. We went on our vacation to Kentucky a week later. She appeared to be just fine. It wouldn't be for months later we would start our nightmare journey in to the Alzheimer hell.
My mother was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, later to be diagnosed with Vascular Dementia.
Going back in time....... In September of 2001, myself, Alicia and Angelique (2 weeks old) moved in with my mom until we found a new home( long story there) We never left.
Fast forward to May 2002...... One Sunday all the kids were at the house. Mom had fallen asleep in her chair for a few minutes... when she woke up, she tried to get up from her chair. Her left side was completely limp. After we all tried to get her to go to the hospital, I called the paramedics. They tried in earnest to get her to go to the hospital. She flat refused to go. Because I didn't have her POA "yet" I couldn't make her go. We went on our vacation to Kentucky a week later. She appeared to be just fine. It wouldn't be for months later we would start our nightmare journey in to the Alzheimer hell.
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