FEB 24-26, 2013

ME &MOM at nursing home BarBQ summer 2013, taken by NH staff. 

February 24, 2013, Sunday.  Foxy and I went to the NH about 3:30 PM. I fed the birds, blinds partially open. Foxy waited in the car. I found Mom asleep on her bed, no teeth, glasses on, O2 on.  The band aid from yesterday was still in place and her skin looked very dry. I opened the blinds and got out some hand cream. Mom was vigorously licking her lips. I didn’t see residue around her mouth but wiped her mouth with good face cream and cloth and she stopped. I gave her chap stick but she didn’t know what to do with it. I gave instruction, plus assisted her to put in her teeth. I found the teeth soaking in soapy water, so I brushed and cleaned them. She did not want the lowers so we didn’t put those in. Mom demonstrated increased confusion today, not responding to directions, questions or comments. We hung up some clean clothes that I brought today. Mom was not much assistance today. We went for a ride in the car. We saw some children selling Lemonade so we stopped and bought two cups. One cup fell and they replaced it. Mom enjoyed that a lot and said the lemonade was “delicious”. I thought it was awful but the experience was lovely. Mom petted Foxy with great enthusiasm today. We returned to the nursing home about 4:50 PM. Foxy waited in the car while I escorted Mom to her room with her lemonade. I gave her the Sun Chips she won playing Bingo (the potato chips were gone) at her table in her room. I changed the DVD from Carmen Part II to Carmen part I. She insisted she wanted to watch the Opera. As I exited the NH about 5 PM, I saw Carl and Charlotte coming in. I assisted Carl to give the birds more birdseed. We visited outside then they went in as I left. Carl was carrying fresh flowers.

February 25, 2013, Monday. I did not go to the NH.

February 26, 2013, Tuesday. I went to the NH about 2:15 PM. I fed the birds, blinds closed. Mom was resting on her bed, no O2, glasses on, teeth in. She spoke to me as soon as I came in, a disjointed sentence about the TV, I think. I turned up the sound. It was the first Carmen DVD playing. I opened the blinds and got Mom into her wheelchair. Cleaned her hands, gave her a bib and gave her the piece of pumpkin pie I brought. She ate it all without problems while watching the DVD intently. She said she wasn’t sure if she had ever seen this DVD. The birds came. I found photographs taken by the facility in a drawer and also a decorated poster board frame she had made in a crafts activity. We did some personal care, esp. fingernails today. Yvonne came and took her blood pressure, said it was a little low “90”. I changed the TV to a Fred A/ Ginger Rogers DVD. Mom and I went for a walk. She propelled herself less than half the walk. When I opened the door to the covered patio, she said it was too cold to go out so we went to dining room II where the crafts activity was commencing. I got Mom some coffee. Mom was alert but had difficulty understanding me so I wrote several things down for her today which she read and understood. She appeared to be hearing sounds, speech, around her. I spoke briefly with Nurse Diane about Mom not understanding spoken directions. Nurse Diane said that dentist likely would not come to change label on Mom’s teeth until Thursday, the scheduled dentist visit day. I left about 3:40 PM.  I brought home the photographs and the cardboard frame. I found an old photo of her home in Weatherford and put it in the frame to take to her next visit. I scanned the photos into the computer to share. I look awful in one of them.