July
[1st][2nd]
[3rd][4th]
[5th][6th]
[7th][8th]
[9th][10th]
[11th][12th][13th][14th]
[15th][16th]
[17th][18th]
[19th][20th]
[21st][22nd]
[23rd][24th]
[25th][26th]
[27th][28th]
[29th][30th][31st]
AUGUST
I have started a page, Sharing and Caring, that contains e-mail addresses of those that wish to network with others that are experiencing the same troubles. If you would like to have your e-mail address included please go back to HOME and provide the information.
July 1
July 2
July 3
July 4
July 5
July 7
July 8
July 9
July 10
July 11
July 12
July 13
July 14
July 15
July 16
July 17
July 18
July 19
July 20
July 21
July 22
July 23
July 24
July 25
July 26
July 27
July 28
July 29
July 30
July 31
My poor dogs. Crystal brought home a little kitten last night and
the dogs are going crazy. They are used to playing with Quincy but,
this one is just too small and they can't understand it. Reno, my
male, is already taking phenobarbital because of the fireworks, after
this week he'll be ready for basket weaving classes :-). Mom is doing
pretty good. She has been more talkative and active the last couple
days, seems like a good sign. Sometimes I really wonder if she
truely has Alzheimer's or not. Sometimes she just doesn't act like
others that I have known or cared for that did have it. I guess it
really doesn't matter, she needs help one way or the other.
Mom and I went up town and did a little shopping, although, she stayed
in the car. We also had lunch out. Mom said it reminded her of all
the times we had driven down to California and really wished that we
could do it again. She had a good time. We had BBQ for dinner. It
was actually a good day.
Yesterday was beautiful here, 78. Robert and I worked in the yard
all day, clearing brush and blackberry bushes. I don't know how but,
mom slept through all the noise. She didn't get up until 2:45. She said
that the day before had done her in. I am getting her wheelchair today,
so we will be able to go to the lake tomorrow for some of the festivities.
It is going to be 83 so, we won't be out long. My friend Kathy is
getting a day pass from the nursing home to spend the day out also. She
is coming home for good next week.
HAPPY FOURTH!!We went to the lake for awhile yesterday evening. It
was a site. I had both my grand-daughters, my mom and her wheelchair.
Kali was on my neck, Jaide was on mom's lap and mom was in the chair
with me trying to push them all. We had a pretty good time, however,
mom doesn't want to go today SOOO, I get to stay home with her and
do nothing!!again this year. Maybe if I talk real sweet she'll change
her mind.
Well, mom never did change her mind so, we stayed home and watched
the Seattle fireworks on t.v. Mom wouldn't even go to bed. It was
2:30am before she finally did. She became very angry and nasty. She
even hit me, not hard or anything, but she hasn't been like this for
a long time. She's still sleeping. I really think there is something
bad that mom associates with the Fourth, the past three have been
about the same. She also thought that we had to pull the blinds for
a black out, like they did during the war, this didn't last long though.
My aunt did the same thing. I sure hope she is nicer today. At least
she is back taking her meds., that only lasted two days.
BOY, did I put in the hours yesterday. I spent all day working in the
yard with my boys, Crystal watched mom for me. Mom was in a good
mood all day. She thought the gardeners did a real fine job and should
get a tip! She knows that grandma would have loved the job they did!
Mom is having a hard time wanting to go to bed again. Seems she either
sleeps all the time or doesn't want to sleep at all. When she isn't
sleeping she is roaming around her room going through the drawers
and packung stuff. Thing is, she can't find it the next day :-)
I finally have most of the yard done, 1/2 acre of yard and garden
is really too much to keep up with for me. Of course it is raining today
so the grass will need cutting again in a few days, so will the weeds!
Mom was in a pretty nasty mood yesterday. She is angry with me for
giving Kathy my time. I walk up to her place in the morning and get
her up, then do the same thing at night to put her to bed. It isn't like
I am there visiting or anything. Her lady from church will be here
sometime today for communion, maybe she'll get in a better mood then.
Mom was terrible yesterday. She was so mean and nasty. She decided that
she was moving out even if she had to walk. All because it was bedtime,
midnight, and she didn't feel like going to bed!! I finally got to sleep
at 5:30 this morning, woke up to the phone at 9:30 and who is sitting in
the chair right in back of me?? MOM. I sleep on the living room floor
so I can keep an eye and ear open all night in case she tries to get out the front door.
What is she doing now?? Sleeping in the same chair. AHHHHHHH. Sometimes
I think I am going to go crazy, all of the COPING classes in the
can't really help you deal with everything, I've been to many and taught many but,
this still gets to me.
Mom was a lot better yesterday. She got up in a good mood and pretty
much stayed in one all day. She was pretty forgetful though and more
confused than usual. She even went to bed without any trouble. Robert
and Crystal went job hunting again today. Our rate of unemployment
is three times more than the national average, so finding work is no
easy task. I have talked with a few ladies about caring for mom for me
so I can go to work but, they think the deserve to get paid $10 - $15 per
hour!!! plus meals. They must be crazy. Mom only needs supervision and
lunch made for her, nothing else during the day and only if she is up. She
toilets herself and can basically change herself if needed. I don't think
I am going to find a job that pays me $20 - $25 per hour. Guess I'll just
have to create a home business for myself!! Anyone have any ideas???
Gosh, it just poured yesterday. We developed a leak around the fireplace
so Robert and I had to get up on the roof to put a tarp over it. I
really have to get the roof replaced. We have a leak that I can't find
which is really a bad one. I am taking some of my collectables in
to be sold today, maybe I'll get enough money from them. My brother
is coming down tonight for the weekend, it will be nice to see him.
Mom doesn't know so she will be surprized. She was pretty nice yesterday.
We talked about old times in Cali. and some of the stupid things we have done.
She actually was remembering things.It was great.
Didn't sell anything!! The lady said the market here is really bad
and I should advertise the stuff for collectors. O.K. Mom didn't
get up until nearly 4pm., she was surprized when my brother showed up.
We are going to the river today, I am going to bomb for fleas while
we are gone. It is suppose to be 80 here today. Maybe summer really
is here :-) Mom was glad to hear that we are getting out of the house
for awhile today, hopefully she'll still be happy about it when she gets up.
She hates to be awakened but, I'll have to if she doesn't wake up soon,
it is already 11:00.
We had a good day yesterday. I got mom up at noon, dressed, fed and
ready to go without any problem. We left at 1:00 and went to Rainier Park in OR.
They had a Fun in the Sun day with vendors, music and food. We stayed
for 4hrs. Mom was in a good mood the entire time. My oldest son, David
and his family were there too. We all played around and ate. Mom even
got a little color. When we got home she had to stay outside until
I aired out the house from the bombs, vacuumed and cleaned up the
counter tops etc., then we had a BBQ. It was such a great day. My dogs
were even happy. I got some diatemaceous earth to put on them, they
got rid of their fleas, my house is flea free and we all slept really good!!
We are having a family BBQ today, everyone will be here, 85 degrees,
maybe I'll squirt mom with the hose :-)
Well, it is 1:30am, what does that say?? I am up because of mom. We
started out having a great day, nice family BBQ, wonderful weather,
then mom had to go to the hospital. She started choking on a very
small piece of meat, I ran over and did the Heimlich twice then my
brother rushed over, pushed me out of the way and proceeded to do it
several times, VERY HARD, while I was yelling at him 'Don't break her rib!! STOP'
but no, he had to continue even though she was alreay breathing on
her own, when all of a sudden POP, there goes her rib. I called 911,
they came out and took her to the hospital, I rode with them and Robert
drove my car down, they took x-rays and said that there wasn't a broken
rib, however, there could be a cracked one and the radiologist would
rear the pictures tomorrow and call us, there was nothig protruding
to cause a rupture so she was sent home. She is so sore and in so
much pain that she can bearly lay down. I gave her a pain pill so
hopefully she'll be able to rest. I would care about a rib getting
broken instead of choking to death, ribs heal, but it wasn't necessary!!!!!
Yesterday was horrible. I didn't get to sleep until midnight last night.
Mom was up all night in pain and couldn't get comfortable. She finally
went to sleep at 5:30 in the motning and slept most of the day. I
got a Rx for pain meds from her doctor which helped. She got up for
dinner and wasn't sleepy until midnight. It was a very long day for me.
She is doing better today, not as much pain. The doctor said she did
crack a rib and should just rest for a few days. She really doen't
remember going to the hospital or anything else from Sunday.
Mom stayed in bed all day yesterday. Her left leg
(the one with the broken hip) is hurting her alot. I don't know of
anything that hurt it specifically, except for her back maybe being
messed up also. I have retrained my sons in doing the Heimlich and will
try to teach my brother the correct way when he comes down again.
He left early monday morning to go back home, didn't stay around to
help with mom!!! I hope all of you guys have learned the proper way
to perform it as well, CHOKING is very common in Alzheimers people.
Heimlich Manuever/Choking
Mom is doing a little better. Her rib is still tender but, not as painful.
I am calling the doctor tomorrow to ask about her foot/leg. She is
still complaining about it, can't walk without the walker, can bearly
get herself up. She came out to the livingroom for dinner yesterday
and seemed to do fine. Hopefully she'll get up today for awhile too.
I Reached 10,000 Visitors Today! Thanks to All that have been here, lets continue to Educate others.
Mom got up for dinner again yesterday. She is still in alot of pain.
The doctor said it would just take time to heal and for her to continue
with bedrest. It makes it a little easier on me with her in bed but,
I'd rather her be able to get up. We are all getting anxious for the
wedding. I still have to get a dress, otherwise I am just about ready.
Robert and Crystal are getting more nervous every day. It really is
funny to watch.
Mom finally couldn't take being in bed any more, she got up at 4:00
and stayed up until 11:30. She did pretty well the whole time. Still
some pain but not much complaining. Robert and Crystal decided that I
needed to get out so they watched mom for me. I was gone for five
full hours!!! I had a really good time. Mom didn't even get mad because
I was gone and she was pretty good for them too. It seemed so good
to be out in the public with friends around, people that I haven't
seen for years.
Mom stayed in bed all day again yesterday. She is upset because she
has no more pain pills and the doctor won't give her any more. He feels
that she should be well enough now without them. She DISAGREES!!
I know she is milking this right now. She didn't think I heard her
up and about in her room last night, I did and she was getting around
just fine, no walker or 'feable stepping'. She even got herself
back into bed without any trouble. She got mad at me today because I
told her she couldn't go to David and Kali's birthday party feeling
as bad a she does. I bet she'll get better real fast now.
Well, mom didn't go to the party with me, no one did, just me. Robert
and Crystal stayed home and watched her for me so I could go. Mom
decided that it would be too hot for her to go, even though we could
hace stayed inside instead of being by the pool. So... I had a pretty good
time. I didn't swim but it was fun watching my grand-daughters. They
are pretty good swimmers, especially Kali considering she is only three.
David had fun too, although it is hard for him to not have his own
birthday celebration too but, with his being the 24th and Kali's th 21st,
they just do them both together. Mom was still in bed when I got back at
3:00 and didn't get up until dinner. I don't really care how much she sleeps,
I figure at this stage of the game she can do what she wants but,
it doesn't seem too healthy for her to sleep so much. Then again if she doesn't
she is in a really bad mood.
Same thing, in bed all day yesterday. Robert and Crystal went to a friends
for the night, so I read, didn't even turn on the t.v. until the news
came on at 11. I fed mom in bed, gave her her meds in bed, changed her in bed!!
She didn't want to get up at all, for any reason. It was a very peaceful,
quiet night for me. I loved it.
Mom did good yesterday. She was up all day, didn't go to bed until
midnight. She was even in a good mood. My brother has been calling
her everyday and finally got to talk to her. He is so upset about hurting
her, I tried to tell him it was just an accident but, I think he knows
he shouldn't have interfered. He wants me to teach him the right way
to do the Heimlich when he comes down for the wedding. I'm getting excited
about it now, time is running out. I can't believe that both of my
boys will be married and I'm NOT!! At this rate I can be flower girl
at my grand-daughters wedding :-)
Mom was really mixed up yesterday. She got up around 5:30am and
would not go back to bed. She insisted that she needed to get home.
Her boys were there and she knew they were going hungry because
there was no food in the house and she had to get them lunch. She was
crying and so worried about them. She began calling me mommy and tried
to walk out to the car so she could get a ride home. Then she would
tell me how much that she liked the curtains and the house, it
looked so much like moms place. I finally got her to lie down at noon,
but she didn't sleep. She was complaining about a very bad headache
all day, aspirin didn't help. She was up and down all afternoon and
finally just stayed up until 11:00pm. She came out of her confusion,
a little bit, around 8:15pm but, went in and out. I really feel
that she had another small stroke and I do think she has Multi-Infarct Dementia
rather than Alzheimer's. The doctor has said he believes she has had
several small strokes but, nothing shows up on the CATScans. Her
confusion is always at it's worse when she is complaining about
having a bad headache!
Mom did good yesterday. She got up around noon and stayed up. She
actually wanted to take a bath after dinner :-), we played a game of
Trivial Pursuit after. Of course mom WON! We had a good time playing.
She and I got on a laughing kick and couldn't stop, our stomaches hurt
from laughing so much. She even slept through the night!
Had a good day yesterday. Mom was actually quite normal. She said that
she was sorry for any trouble that she may have caused the past couple
days but, she wasn't really herself and didn't rememeber alot of it.
We had an old fashion breakfast, for lunch, she ate it all and then
asked if I would mind taking her for a short walk with the wheelchair.
We went up to see Kathy and my other neighbor, Ora. I was surprised
that she even remembered that there was a wheelchair, she hasn't mentioned it.
She took a nap in the afternoon but, then was up and cheery until
bedtime. It was such a pleasure to see her acting this way.
Mom got up early yesterday. She was confused for awhile but, came out
of it herself. She slept most of the rest of the day in her chair.
She has been doing this alot lately. I worked outside alot, mowing,
weeding etc., I definately over did. I had a very hard time getting
to sleep because of hurting so bad. Learned my lesson!!
Well, mom repeated yesterday. She got up at 8:30, had breakfast and
went to sleep in the chair. I kept waking her up, tried to get her involved
with some activities but, she just wanted to sleep, in the chair not
in bed. I cleaned house around her, even the vaccuum didn't wake her.
In fact, I had my grand-daughters for several hours and they didn't
wake her. I know that her hearing aide was turned on and working. She
is feeling better with her rib and leg. She doesn't complain about it
very much at all anymore. I'm happy about that, there for awhile I
was wondering if it would ever get better.
Wow, yesterday mom thought she was in a home again and didn't want
to do anything. I told her that we were having an inspection by
the administrator (lie, lie) and she needed to get her room cleaned up.
She got right on it, after awhile she forgot about the inspection
and just enjoyed helping me clean. She had strength and stable feet
while she as doing it. Let's see, the windows need washing, just joking.
She slept through the night again. I'm finally back in my bedroom.
I decided that mom hasn't tried to get out the front door at night in
nearly a year so, I didn't need to sleep in front of it anymore. Problem is,
I got used to the floor and now a bed is very uncomfortable. I feel
like I'm in a strange room (well, it is) and have a hard time sleeping.
Hope I get used to it soon.
Mom was good yesterday. She hasn't been complaining about her rib
or foot for several days now. I think it must be better. I have
decided to wait until after the wedding to start looking for work
and a caregiver for mom. My time is too busy right now so I'll wait.
I told mom that I was considering getting work outside the house
and that I would get someone to come in and stay with her so she won't
be lonely while I'm gone and she was o.k. with it. As long as she
isn't getting a 'sitter'! Robert and Crystal got the license today,
I guess it is for real. I think I am getting nervous :-)
I'm sorry I didn't get this day posted on time. I wasn't feeling very
well. Mom was in a great mood yesterday, when she was awake. I took
her outside for awhile and she enjoyed the nice weather. She knew
where she was again, she keeps going between Washington and California.
Return to Top
AUGUST
Member of the Internet Link Exchange
Free Home Pages at GeoCities
Get your own Free Home Page
