MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2013

August 12, 2013, Monday. I went to the NH about 9:45 AM. I fed the birds, blinds closed. Mom was resting on top of her covers, O2 on, sound down on DVD, glasses on, teeth in place. We hung up the clean clothes I brought. She was inconsistant at decision making today but was in a good mood. I helped her into her w/c and we did some personal care, channel surfed then headed for the Great Room. They were having a sing-a-long with live accompaniment on an organ. Mom and I sang a long then I did portrait sketches of Charline and of Stan while Mom remained with the activity. I accompanied Mom back to the large TV room to await lunch. I left about 11:20 AM.

LATER: I went to the NH about 7 PM. I fed the birds, blinds open. Mom was in bed watching DVD sound down, O2 on, no glasses, no teeth. I changed the channel to TCM and we watched Umbrellas of Cherbourg and the birds for a bit. I gave her half of a banana and she ate it slowly. She took off her cannula. I found the ear cushions and fit them on the tubing and she said that was better. I saw those foam ear guards in the drawer but no one had put them on the tubing. I left about 7:35 with Singing in the Rain DVD playing.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10 & SUNDAY, AUGUST 11, 2013

August 10, 2013, Saturday. I went to the NH about 10:40 AM. I fed the birds, blinds open. Mom was in the Great Room with puzzles. We worked one with Farm animals and Tara got Mom a coffee. We returned to her room and hung up the clean clothes I brought. Mom was cheery but had difficulty with problem solving today. I gave Mom a couple of cookies and we channel surfed. We went into the big TV room and watched MSNBC on the big screen and Mom was reading the large headlines along the bottom of the screen. President Obama was speaking and Mom said she knew who he was. I left Mom in the TV room about 11:45 AM.

LATER: I returned to the NH about 7 PM. I fed the birds but the vertical feeder was full, blinds open. Mom was on her bed, teeth out but not washed, glasses off, O2 machine on and making a racket. Louder than usual. Carl visited today. I cleaned her teeth, we watched the birds and channel surfed. I gave Tina a caramel and Mom some chocolates. Tina said Mom did not eat tonight and talked about the O2 machine.??? I told the nurse that the O2 machine was too loud and she came and checked on it and the cannula was not hooked into the water vapor but Nurse did not notice the loudness as being different than usual. Yvonne said she thought the machine was a different machine? I sat with Mom awhile and the noise gave me a headache so I turned it off. I left about 7:30 and went and talked to the Nurse. She said she found a different machine and would have an O2 stat on Mom.

August 11, 2013, Sunday. I went to the NH about 11AM. I fed the birds, blinds open. Mom was asleep on her bed, teeth in, O2 on, glasses on, sound down on the DVD. I turned the sound up then rearranged the flowers and knick-knacks in the room. Mom awoke and I gave her a cookie and cleaned her glasses. The O2 machine was not as loud today. She watched the birds and the DVD and insisted she did not want to get up. She seemed very content. I left about 11:15 AM.

LATER: I returned about 7 PM. I fed the birds, blinds closed. Someone had put cornbread in the flat feeder. Mom was lying on her bed, fully clothed except she had taken her diaper off. I opened the blinds, called for help and started to clean up Mom and change her to a nightgown. She had a BM. I got her wiped and into a new diaper when Yvonne came. We got Mom squared away and Yvonne left. I gave Mom a cookie, a caramel to Tina, we channel surfed and we did some personal care. I clipped Mom’s toenails, took her teeth out and put them in cleanser. Her toes were very sensitive. We watched the birds (6 parrots, tonight) and channel surfed. I put the TV back on the DVD and left about 7:50 PM.

AUGUST 8 & 9, 2013, DVD ADVENTURES

August 8, 2013, Thursday. I went to the NH about 20:20 this morning. Riley was there putting water in the bird bath and had already fed the birds. Mom was in the Great Room with a cup of coffee waiting to get her nails done. I assisted her with her nails. She chose a glitter green color today. I accompanied her back to her room where I discovered the sound wasn’t working on her DVD player. We watched part of a silent movie and looked at the birds then I accompanied her to the dining room. I gave her the rest of her chips from last weeks Bingo and left about 11:15 AM. I returned about 1:30 PM and got the DVD player to test at home. Bill fixed it. The cable was attached incorrectly. I returned to the NH and attached the DVD player correctly and put on a Fred A. DVD. Mom awoke while I was there and she said she was fine. They have bingo this afternoon. I left about 2:20 PM.

August 9, 2013, Friday. I went to the NH about 10:45 AM. I fed the birds blinds closed. Mom was resting on her bed, teeth in, DVD on, sound down, O2 on. C.N.A. Florence came in to change Mom. We did some personal care and watched the birds.

 Mom’s sun print she made Wed. was posted on her wall. I got her dirty clothes together and then noticed that the box of 13 gallon trash bags is missing from her drawer. There were two left in the drawer. So I gathered up her dirty clothes and bagged them but forgot to bring them home. We went for a walk. I spoke to the hairstylist about getting Mom a wash and set and gave her a $5 “tip” esp. since I won’t be there. We went to the front of the facility. Mom got too close to the door and set off the alarm. We sat and watched the cars then went to the dining room. We played the piano a bit. Mom still holds her hands properly and plays the correct arpeggios. Then I accompanied her to her place at the table and left about Noon. I went back to NH about 7 PM. I fed the birds, blinds open. Mom was asleep in bed, teeth still in, nighty all cockamamie and O2 machine gone. I woke Mom, got her teeth from her and gave her a chocolate. I gave Tina a candy, too. We watched the birds, parrots and all and I turned up the sound on her TV. I brushed her hair, cleaned her teeth, gave her a drink of water, straightened out her nightgown then went to Nurses station to inquire about the O2. The nurse on duty told me they were going to bring it back to her about 7:30. I got the dirty clothes and left about 7:20 PM. Mom was very quiet today.

LATER THAT DAY - 8/7/13

LATER: I returned to the NH about 7 PM. I fed the birds a little. Mom was in her w/chair watching TCM. We channel surfed and watched the birds. We saw 7 parrots tonight. I gave Mom a chocolate and Tina a candy, too. I noticed the flowers freshened and Carl signed the book saying he had visited about 2 PM. Mom wanted to go to bed so I pressed the call button but no one came. I changed Mom, put her to bed, took out her teeth, cleaned them and tucked Mom in. I changed the DVD to Carmen, the opera. I left about 8 PM.

MONDAY AUGUST 5 - WED., AUGUST 7, 2013

August 5, 2013, Monday. I went to the NH about 10 AM, fed the birds, blinds closed. Mom was asleep on her bed with O2 on but the canola was out of place, not in her nostrils. No teeth in place. I washed her teeth, glasses, opened the blinds. I helped Mom into her w/c and we channel surfed then watched the birds some then headed for the Great Room. C.N.A. Anabel told me that Mom ate breakfast well and didn’t need her teeth for scrambled eggs and oatmeal. Mom joined the activity (exercise and trivia). I sketched Robert in his hat and Betty. After the activity, we returned to Mom’s room and I got her dirty clothes. Then I accompanied Mom to the large TV room and left about 11:20 AM. Mom was alert today. As I was leaving the physical plant manager and I spoke about parking and also about the erosion at the base of the birdfeeder, which is a concern. LATER: I returned about 7:15 PM. I added a bit of birdseed to the feeders, blinds closed. Mom was sitting in her w/c in her room watching TV. I offered some chips and she ate some then we put the rest in her drawer. We did some personal care and watched the birds then I took out her teeth and washed them and started getting her ready for bed. I called for help and C.N.A. Yvonne came promptly. Mom loves Yvonne. We got Mom into bed then Mom & I channel surfed some then put it back on Fred A. DVD. I gave Mom and Tina (sugarless for T.) candy. I added water to the O2 machine then left about 7:50 PM.

August 6, 2013, Tuesday. I went to the NH about 11:15 AM. No place to park! I fed the birds, blinds closed. Mom was in the Great Room as an activity was finishing up. I accompanied her back to her room and we watched the birds and hung up the clean clothes I brought. The Hospice nurse came by. Mom & I did some personal care, ate some chips and a chocolate. Mom was alert and friendly today. She told me she had not seen “this movie” before. Fred A. movie has been on for two days. I accompanied her to the dining room for lunch and I left about 12:10 PM.

August 7, 2013, Wednesday. I went to the NH about 11:15 AM. There was difficulty parking. I think Hospice is running some kind of classes? I fed the birds, blinds closed. Mom was in her room trying to fold up her covers, no teeth, O2 on but canola out of place. I found her teeth in the drawer, damp, washed them and gave them to her. I started to get her up but she was very wet. C.N.A. Florence came to my call and tried to change Mom standing but Mom leaks constantly if standing, so we got her on the bed, then changed with clean socks, clean dress, a clean sweater. Florence said that Mom took her teeth out after breakfast. We did some personal care, watched the birds, channel surfed and I changed the DVD. Mom ate some of her Bingo prize chips. I accompanied Mom to dining room for lunch. I left about 12:10 PM.

SATURDAY,AUGUST 3 AND SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2013 - TEETH!

August 3, 2013, Saturday. I went to the NH about 11 AM, fed the birds, blinds closed. Mom was on her bed watching TV, no O2, no teeth. I got her teeth, cleaned them and her glasses. After she put in her teeth I got her packages of bingo prize chips out and she chose Cheetos. I helped her eat the Cheetos while we channel surfed and watched the birds. I helped her into her wheelchair, brushed her hair, got her a sweater and we headed for the dining room. I spoke to Nurse Todd about Mom’s teeth and C.N.A. Eric joined conversation. In the dining room I got Mom a coffee then left about 11:50 AM. LATER: I went to the NH about 7:15 PM. I added a little birdseed, the vertical feeder was full and there were 5 parrots, there. The blinds were open. Mom was in the big TV room. She took her uppers out and couldn’t get them back in. With urging she got them back in. We went to her room. Carl visited today, signed in, about 2 PM, brought fresh flowers. I gave her a chocolate. We channel surfed a little and watched the birds. I took her teeth out and cleaned them and put them in the drawer. She wanted to return to the Big TV room so we went back there and I left about 7:40 PM.

August 4, 2013, Sunday. I went to the NH about 11:20 AM. Blinds half open and the vertical feeder was about half full. I filled it the rest of the way and found Mom in the big TV room. She had her teeth in. We went to her room and I put the candy I brought in the drawer. I brushed her hair, we watched the birds and channel surfed. I changed the DVD and we played patty-cake. We went to the dining room for lunch. Mom was cold so I got her a hat from her room. Nurse Diane gave me a tiny tangerine which Mom & I shared. She spit out the fibrous part. I left about 11:50 AM. I returned to the NH about 7:15 PM to check on her teeth. I put some birdseed in the flat feeder, blinds open. There were 5 parrots besides the sparrows and doves. Mom was asleep in bed, glasses off, no teeth, O2 on. She awoke and we hung up a few clean clothes I brought from home. She was licking her lips so I gave her some water. She drank deeply. I left about 7:40 PM.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1 AND FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2013

August 1, 2013, Thursday. I went to the NH about 10:40. I fed the birds, blinds half open. Mom was resting on her bed, O2 on but canola on the ground, DVD playing, sound down. She said she wanted to get up. I helped her get up. We did some personal care, watched the birds and channel surfed. She identified Cape Fear as a famous movie she had seen before. We went for a walk then went to the piano and fooled around. Despite protestations Mom was pretty good at doing some little scales and arpeggio exercises. Both hands. We talked about her teeth. Dalmacio told me that he saw Mom throw her teeth, lowers, into the trash and he retrieved them. I got her some coffee from dining room II then left her at her place for lunch about 11:40 AM.

Carl wrote an email reporting visit to Mom about 2 PM. She refused a banana and tried to follow him out a door thus setting off alarms. I also got a note from Hospice Nurse Regina that she visited Geraldine yesterday.

August 2, 2013, Friday. My new plan is to go at eventide, tuck Mom in at night as much as I can. I went to the NH at about 7 PM. I fed the birds, blinds closed. Mom was in the big TV room with a few other residents. Her teeth container is missing from her glasses lanyard. I couldn’t find it in her room either although I did find the other two without the hole punched in it. I took her teeth and cleaned them. I put them in a container with cleanser, in the middle drawer of the bedside table. I called for help and got Mom one of her own nightgowns. I started putting it on her when the C.N.A. came. This C.N.A., a large woman with gold in her teeth, had high expectations of Mom, having her stand while she changed her.  It was difficult for Mom even with my assistance. I gave Tina and Mom a candy. Tina went for a bath. I brushed Mom’s hair. We watched the birds and 6 parrots came. We channel surfed and looked at some photographs. I left the TV on Singing in the Rain about 8 PM. I forgot to put her O2 on.

I called the Unit about 9 PM and asked them to please put  O2 on Mom and they said they did while I waited on the phone.