All,
I've just learned that Hope will not be able to make the meeting tonight. I'm going to call her when we all get together in hopes that she can hear what is going on and participate. I hope all of you have read the email I sent Wednesday so that we can keep this short and informative and so that we can make some decisions on what to do next.
Love yas !
a
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Hi All,
Just wanted to let you know. I call Mom (in Texas) at least 2x a day. I've noticed a deffinant difference in her in the mornings. Maggie goes walking and exercising early every morning. Since I've always called Mom every morning, I've continued to do so while she's in Texas. Sometimes she doesn't know where Maggie is and sometimes she remembers she has gone for her walk. She sounds pretty down....not her usual self. When I call again during the day she sounds really good.
She needs to be around people and to get out and do things.
Lol Maggie said the other day Mom had wanted to go to Walmart to get a watch. Evidently she didn't take one from home with her. Maggie said Mom must have asked her 40 times what she needed to go to Walmart for...lol.
Maggie said at times Mom will be talking about something and in mid sentence will just start talking about something completely unrelated. I've experienced that too with Mom. It can be pretty confusing.................Oh well, just part of this long dark road we're traveling down with her. I just hope it's not as sad for her as it is for me.
Love
Becky
Just wanted to let you know. I call Mom (in Texas) at least 2x a day. I've noticed a deffinant difference in her in the mornings. Maggie goes walking and exercising early every morning. Since I've always called Mom every morning, I've continued to do so while she's in Texas. Sometimes she doesn't know where Maggie is and sometimes she remembers she has gone for her walk. She sounds pretty down....not her usual self. When I call again during the day she sounds really good.
She needs to be around people and to get out and do things.
Lol Maggie said the other day Mom had wanted to go to Walmart to get a watch. Evidently she didn't take one from home with her. Maggie said Mom must have asked her 40 times what she needed to go to Walmart for...lol.
Maggie said at times Mom will be talking about something and in mid sentence will just start talking about something completely unrelated. I've experienced that too with Mom. It can be pretty confusing.................Oh well, just part of this long dark road we're traveling down with her. I just hope it's not as sad for her as it is for me.
Love
Becky
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Hi all,
I took Mom out with me Thursday. We went to see Lex and Austin. She was w/o out cane all day and I was just waiting for her to crumble. I won't let her go out again w/o it. WAY to dangerous.
Last week she had approximately $500 dollars that disappeared from her wallet. She has looked and looked for the money, Gary has gone over and looked for the money and I believe Amy went over and looked for it also. So, Mom has either hidden the money and forgotten all about that, or someone has helped themselves to her $$$. She had NO $$ left at all. Amy bought her a couple of packs of cigs. Thursday when Gary met me with Mom he stopped and bought her a pack of cigs and breakfast at McDonalds. I took her to the bank again and tried to get her to just get $50.00 out of bank.....but NO she wouldn't hear of it. She was writing a check as we were at the drive through...but couldn't remember how to write the check. She wrote it for $800. I booked her a flight to go see Maggie and decided to get the money for that flight from her, which would rid her of about $455 of that $800. So, Friday when I went out there to take her out she wanted to go to the bank...she had completely forgotten going to the bank the day before. She was insistent that after she paid me for tickets she wanted to end up with $800 to take to Maggies. We went to Cracker Barrel where she ate pretty good, then went home. She was counting the money out to pay me for the tickets and we noticed that between Thrs when she withdrew $800 and Fri., several hundred $$ had been taken or misplaced. Long story short. With the $600 she got out of the bank on Fri. + what was left of the $800 after the Thrs. withdrawal she ended up with $997.00. She wrote me a check for ticket instead of giving me cash. (Cause she wanted to go to Maggies with at least $800. I counted out the $997 to her about 4 times so she could see the amt. then I folded it over and put a red rubber band around it and told her to keep it in her pocket at ALL TIMES. NOT IN HER PURSE. I drove home and about an hour later she called me and asked me if we didn't go to the bank and get some money out. She said she couldn't find it. I held on the phone telling her where to look..she looked and looked. Finally she found it and I made her put it in her purse and while I was talking to her I instructed her where to hide it so we both would know where she put her purse.
She refuses to think that anybody that visits her would take her money and gets very angry when that is suggested as a possibility. So, who knows???, she is either hiding it herself w/o remembering, or there is a thief lurking close by.
My stories go on and on with similar remembrance problems. She'll be leaving Sunday to go to Maggies for 3 weeks. That should give us time to arrange some daily care for her when she returns.
Please provide input...all ideas and help are greatly needed.
love..Becky
I took Mom out with me Thursday. We went to see Lex and Austin. She was w/o out cane all day and I was just waiting for her to crumble. I won't let her go out again w/o it. WAY to dangerous.
Last week she had approximately $500 dollars that disappeared from her wallet. She has looked and looked for the money, Gary has gone over and looked for the money and I believe Amy went over and looked for it also. So, Mom has either hidden the money and forgotten all about that, or someone has helped themselves to her $$$. She had NO $$ left at all. Amy bought her a couple of packs of cigs. Thursday when Gary met me with Mom he stopped and bought her a pack of cigs and breakfast at McDonalds. I took her to the bank again and tried to get her to just get $50.00 out of bank.....but NO she wouldn't hear of it. She was writing a check as we were at the drive through...but couldn't remember how to write the check. She wrote it for $800. I booked her a flight to go see Maggie and decided to get the money for that flight from her, which would rid her of about $455 of that $800. So, Friday when I went out there to take her out she wanted to go to the bank...she had completely forgotten going to the bank the day before. She was insistent that after she paid me for tickets she wanted to end up with $800 to take to Maggies. We went to Cracker Barrel where she ate pretty good, then went home. She was counting the money out to pay me for the tickets and we noticed that between Thrs when she withdrew $800 and Fri., several hundred $$ had been taken or misplaced. Long story short. With the $600 she got out of the bank on Fri. + what was left of the $800 after the Thrs. withdrawal she ended up with $997.00. She wrote me a check for ticket instead of giving me cash. (Cause she wanted to go to Maggies with at least $800. I counted out the $997 to her about 4 times so she could see the amt. then I folded it over and put a red rubber band around it and told her to keep it in her pocket at ALL TIMES. NOT IN HER PURSE. I drove home and about an hour later she called me and asked me if we didn't go to the bank and get some money out. She said she couldn't find it. I held on the phone telling her where to look..she looked and looked. Finally she found it and I made her put it in her purse and while I was talking to her I instructed her where to hide it so we both would know where she put her purse.
She refuses to think that anybody that visits her would take her money and gets very angry when that is suggested as a possibility. So, who knows???, she is either hiding it herself w/o remembering, or there is a thief lurking close by.
My stories go on and on with similar remembrance problems. She'll be leaving Sunday to go to Maggies for 3 weeks. That should give us time to arrange some daily care for her when she returns.
Please provide input...all ideas and help are greatly needed.
love..Becky
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Hooch is gone
Becky called me this morning. Gary had called her worried about Hooch. I told Becky I would call to see if I could get an appt and then go out, get Hooch and take him to the vet. By the time I called the vet Hooch was already there. Gary had taken him.
Hooch will not be going back to the farm.
I went out and told Mom that Hooch wasn't going to be coming back and she said "I just can't seem to keep a dog". She cried for a minute. Then we talked of some other things. She said several times though that she would just have to watch the Sunday want ads to find herself another airedale. :-(
Mom is an adult and has all the rights and responsibilities of an adult. She can buy a dog if she wants, no matter what we kids say. I feel for any dog that she manages to find.
I suggested she take a trip to Aunt Maggie's since she is unencumbered for the time being. Maybe she will. Maybe she won't.
While I was there Aunt Gloria called to say hello. Mom told Aunt Gloria that she had just noticed Hooch being a little lethargic and had asked Gary to take him to the vet because she isn't allowed to drive.
Mom didn't even see Hooch today. Gary's son had to carry him off the hill to the car because Hooch couldn't be coaxed into walking (from what I understand. I wan't there).
I am thinking more and more that I will simply move to the farm and live thre with Mom. Someone needs to and since I will be the least damaged financially, I guess it's up to me. I don't know if I will take Carl and Della with me or not. Michael has said he would take them if I need him to, for short term or long term. Maybe with my dogs there she won't feel the need to get another dog. But...... I am not sure I trust the safety of these two city dogs to Mom who feels that dogs need to be allowed to just run free. It will take some convincing for me to leave my dogs with her while I am at work. We'll see how things go.
Scott apparently has the insurance forms but hasn't had time to address them. I am hopeful he'll give them to me or to becky so that we can get a caregiver in for Mom. We can't do anything until the insurance company blesses it and I don't know when Scott is going to have time. He is dealing with his own family issues at present and may be distracted.
I'm going out tomorrow to make a copy of Mom's long term health insurance policy. I think it will be beneficial to know what it says, what it covers, and what it doesn't cover. If anyone else wants a copy, I will burn you one, just ask.
That is all for now...... I am sad. Mom is sad. Gary is sad. Thank God for Gary.... his presence has made it possible for us to put off making the decisions we need to make. But now it's time for Mom's family to be her heroes.
Hooch will not be going back to the farm.
I went out and told Mom that Hooch wasn't going to be coming back and she said "I just can't seem to keep a dog". She cried for a minute. Then we talked of some other things. She said several times though that she would just have to watch the Sunday want ads to find herself another airedale. :-(
Mom is an adult and has all the rights and responsibilities of an adult. She can buy a dog if she wants, no matter what we kids say. I feel for any dog that she manages to find.
I suggested she take a trip to Aunt Maggie's since she is unencumbered for the time being. Maybe she will. Maybe she won't.
While I was there Aunt Gloria called to say hello. Mom told Aunt Gloria that she had just noticed Hooch being a little lethargic and had asked Gary to take him to the vet because she isn't allowed to drive.
Mom didn't even see Hooch today. Gary's son had to carry him off the hill to the car because Hooch couldn't be coaxed into walking (from what I understand. I wan't there).
I am thinking more and more that I will simply move to the farm and live thre with Mom. Someone needs to and since I will be the least damaged financially, I guess it's up to me. I don't know if I will take Carl and Della with me or not. Michael has said he would take them if I need him to, for short term or long term. Maybe with my dogs there she won't feel the need to get another dog. But...... I am not sure I trust the safety of these two city dogs to Mom who feels that dogs need to be allowed to just run free. It will take some convincing for me to leave my dogs with her while I am at work. We'll see how things go.
Scott apparently has the insurance forms but hasn't had time to address them. I am hopeful he'll give them to me or to becky so that we can get a caregiver in for Mom. We can't do anything until the insurance company blesses it and I don't know when Scott is going to have time. He is dealing with his own family issues at present and may be distracted.
I'm going out tomorrow to make a copy of Mom's long term health insurance policy. I think it will be beneficial to know what it says, what it covers, and what it doesn't cover. If anyone else wants a copy, I will burn you one, just ask.
That is all for now...... I am sad. Mom is sad. Gary is sad. Thank God for Gary.... his presence has made it possible for us to put off making the decisions we need to make. But now it's time for Mom's family to be her heroes.
Hey Hope and Sam,
Let me say that on Sat. when I was out at the house with you Mom was doing really good!!! She was connecting thoughts and being truthful with most all of when she was saying.....THAT'S VERY UNUSUAL!!! As you can tell...she has nothing but wonderful memories of Dad. Amy and I have just decided to let her believe that, if that's what makes her happy.
Sometimes when we visit her we hear the same stories over and over in a matter of 3 or 4 hours. When we were out last Friday, she noticed some guys wearing flipflops. She said "My oh my...look at that...since when did men start wearing flipflops?" Last week at grocery store she pointed at a box of instant potatoes and said the same thing.....like she couldn't BELIEVE they had started making instant potatoes. When passing by Wallace Memorial Church...we said "Wow! When did they build that chuch, mentioning last time she saw that space there was nothing there but just a field.
Those tales go on and on.
I hope to be able to bring her down to see you two soon. As you probably noticed, she's not near as strong on her cane when she gets out and about as she is at home just taking a few steps. I worry about her trying to walk too far on her cane. In and out of a restaurant or Weigles is about all she can do w/o really wearing herself out.
Anyway, it sure was wonderful seeing you all. I only wish I could have spent the day with you on Sunday. Darn headaches !!!
Love you and will talk with you soon !!!
Becky
Let me say that on Sat. when I was out at the house with you Mom was doing really good!!! She was connecting thoughts and being truthful with most all of when she was saying.....THAT'S VERY UNUSUAL!!! As you can tell...she has nothing but wonderful memories of Dad. Amy and I have just decided to let her believe that, if that's what makes her happy.
Sometimes when we visit her we hear the same stories over and over in a matter of 3 or 4 hours. When we were out last Friday, she noticed some guys wearing flipflops. She said "My oh my...look at that...since when did men start wearing flipflops?" Last week at grocery store she pointed at a box of instant potatoes and said the same thing.....like she couldn't BELIEVE they had started making instant potatoes. When passing by Wallace Memorial Church...we said "Wow! When did they build that chuch, mentioning last time she saw that space there was nothing there but just a field.
Those tales go on and on.
I hope to be able to bring her down to see you two soon. As you probably noticed, she's not near as strong on her cane when she gets out and about as she is at home just taking a few steps. I worry about her trying to walk too far on her cane. In and out of a restaurant or Weigles is about all she can do w/o really wearing herself out.
Anyway, it sure was wonderful seeing you all. I only wish I could have spent the day with you on Sunday. Darn headaches !!!
Love you and will talk with you soon !!!
Becky
Hope and Sam's Visit of July 18-19,2009
Hello everybody!
Sam and I really enjoyed our visit and I think Mom did too. However, when we went out for dinner Sam mentioned ( I didn't hear this part of the conversation) to mother that we were going to have to leave in a few hours and Mother got sullen and didn't enjoy the rest of the meal. She knew from the beginning that we would be leaving on Sunday evening. The only explanation that I can figure is that she had forgotten which day it was. I hated to disappointed her so much and it really made Sam feel like a heel to have spoiled dinner. Before going to dinner Mother had wanted to drop by Weigle's to get some dog food (because she was out of it that morning) and some other necessaries but after she realized we were leaving soon she didn't want to go to Weigle's anymore and there was nothing that Sam could do to get her to go. She just said she could get those things later. We were talking about it on the drive to Chattanooga and decided to visit at least at least every couple of months, even thinking that I could stay an extra couple of days if someone was available to drive me home. Sam's working extra time trying to save enough money to put on a new roof before the rainy season comes so that makes it hard for him to find time to stay more than a couple of days at a time right now. Other things we noticed
about Mom: she seems to talk a lot about her life having been lived and that she's OK about dying
she, of course, seems to be depressed having given up all her craft pursuits
and I know from experience that a cluttered house only adds to depression so Sam and I were thinking that it would be a good thing to clean up her basement for her. She took us down there to relive old memories and it was hard to do in that environment. Let us know what ya'll think.
I'll try to call mom on her cell phone today to see if she knows how to find it and use it!
Toodle-loo for now,
Sam and Hope
P.S. My e-mail address is hopiedew@gmail.com
I don't know what Sam's is - but I'll find out!
And Becky - I need your e-mail address again!
And Amy, it would be nice to have yours too.
And Scott, Chuck, and what about Tom Thurman?
It would be nice to have them all!
Sam and I really enjoyed our visit and I think Mom did too. However, when we went out for dinner Sam mentioned ( I didn't hear this part of the conversation) to mother that we were going to have to leave in a few hours and Mother got sullen and didn't enjoy the rest of the meal. She knew from the beginning that we would be leaving on Sunday evening. The only explanation that I can figure is that she had forgotten which day it was. I hated to disappointed her so much and it really made Sam feel like a heel to have spoiled dinner. Before going to dinner Mother had wanted to drop by Weigle's to get some dog food (because she was out of it that morning) and some other necessaries but after she realized we were leaving soon she didn't want to go to Weigle's anymore and there was nothing that Sam could do to get her to go. She just said she could get those things later. We were talking about it on the drive to Chattanooga and decided to visit at least at least every couple of months, even thinking that I could stay an extra couple of days if someone was available to drive me home. Sam's working extra time trying to save enough money to put on a new roof before the rainy season comes so that makes it hard for him to find time to stay more than a couple of days at a time right now. Other things we noticed
about Mom: she seems to talk a lot about her life having been lived and that she's OK about dying
she, of course, seems to be depressed having given up all her craft pursuits
and I know from experience that a cluttered house only adds to depression so Sam and I were thinking that it would be a good thing to clean up her basement for her. She took us down there to relive old memories and it was hard to do in that environment. Let us know what ya'll think.
I'll try to call mom on her cell phone today to see if she knows how to find it and use it!
Toodle-loo for now,
Sam and Hope
P.S. My e-mail address is hopiedew@gmail.com
I don't know what Sam's is - but I'll find out!
And Becky - I need your e-mail address again!
And Amy, it would be nice to have yours too.
And Scott, Chuck, and what about Tom Thurman?
It would be nice to have them all!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Sat. 18 July '09
Am headed out to Mom's with the dogs. Michael is going with me today so he can play with the dogs and have a day out of downtown. He's still a best friend so don't read a lot into his accompanying me.
I'll post more tonight when I get home.
So. Went to Mom's. She seemed pretty ok except she kept thinking it was Sunday instead of Saturday. Michael and I and the dogs were there for about 3.5 hours.... she chatted, sat on the porch swing, read a little in her book of the day. She did say that Hope and Sam were on their way up from Chattanooga and she expected them just about anytime. I am hopeful that they did manage to get to K-town to see her.
We left about 2 or 2:30 and I told Mom that if Hope and Sam didn't show up that she should call me and I'd come back out and have dinner with her. I had tried to get her to have some lunch with me but she declined saying she wasn't hungry. She did point to a can of Clam Chowder that she said she would eat when she felt the need.
Anyway..... that's kind of all my news. She seemed ok, mostly. I'll go back out on Tuesday to see how things are.
I'll post more tonight when I get home.
So. Went to Mom's. She seemed pretty ok except she kept thinking it was Sunday instead of Saturday. Michael and I and the dogs were there for about 3.5 hours.... she chatted, sat on the porch swing, read a little in her book of the day. She did say that Hope and Sam were on their way up from Chattanooga and she expected them just about anytime. I am hopeful that they did manage to get to K-town to see her.
We left about 2 or 2:30 and I told Mom that if Hope and Sam didn't show up that she should call me and I'd come back out and have dinner with her. I had tried to get her to have some lunch with me but she declined saying she wasn't hungry. She did point to a can of Clam Chowder that she said she would eat when she felt the need.
Anyway..... that's kind of all my news. She seemed ok, mostly. I'll go back out on Tuesday to see how things are.
Friday, July 17, 2009
I took Mom for her bone scan today. We went out to eat with Lex after that. She ate really well. She rode with me while I did a couple more errands. She stayed in the car, rather than getting out, every chance she got.
She seemed better mentally today than some others...but there were still some significant instances.
Lex had brought a game of Scrabble and Mom couldn't grasp how to build words onto other words, which were already on the board. She kept making her words separately in front of her and never could figure out how to or where to place them on the board, or use letters of other words to complete a word she was trying to make. I decided to put the game up.
Mom is still weak and can't walk very much or very long. I would LOVE to see some improvement in her strength. I'm going to keep getting her out of the house about 3 days a week. She loves it when she gets to get out. Hopefully with more and more opportunities she has to walk, she'll build some strength up.
Results of bone scan should be in by mid of next week.
B
She seemed better mentally today than some others...but there were still some significant instances.
Lex had brought a game of Scrabble and Mom couldn't grasp how to build words onto other words, which were already on the board. She kept making her words separately in front of her and never could figure out how to or where to place them on the board, or use letters of other words to complete a word she was trying to make. I decided to put the game up.
Mom is still weak and can't walk very much or very long. I would LOVE to see some improvement in her strength. I'm going to keep getting her out of the house about 3 days a week. She loves it when she gets to get out. Hopefully with more and more opportunities she has to walk, she'll build some strength up.
Results of bone scan should be in by mid of next week.
B
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Tuesday July 14, 2009 (amy)
Mom and I went to see Dr Perra today. She has lost another half pound. That makes 8.5 pounds lost in just about 2 months. Mom claims she is eating but Dr Perra said that if that is so then there is some other reason she is losing weight. She will see her back in 5 weeks and if she is still losing weight then she'll order a colonoscopy and other tests to see if there is a cancer hiding out somewhere.
Mom had a mini-mental-status-exam today. That is simply a bunch of questions that are asked of a patient to see how good their short and medium term memory is. Mom scored a 27 out of 30. Few of us kids would do better than that ! Dr Perra thinks that Mom CAN remember and CAN concentrate, she just chooses not to, for whatever reason.
Mom had blood drawn to check her thyroid, her B12 and Folate levels, and had a urinalysis performed. Apparently at her last appointment her whice blood cell count was slightly elevated and, in ladies Mom's age, there is often a low-level bladder infection that can be the cause. She did the urinalysis to check for this.
After Dr Perra's we went to Rankin's restaurant for lunch. She ate (in addition to corn flakes and blueberries for breakfast) a very healthy and large lunch - chicken and dumplings, cole slaw, corn, mashed potatoes, and some peas. I was overfull just watching her. Oh ! She drank one and a half big glasses of sweet tea, too.
Mom said she knew how she could put on some weight. She'd just buy a month's supply of Hershey bars and stuff herself with that. I tried to dissuade her from that, reminding her that we really would like it if she could stay healthy ! I asked if she could stomach Ensure, she countered that she drinks a gallon of milk a week. I tried !
Becky got Mom a cell phone yesterday and plugged it in over near her chair. I THINK Becky put it next to her red chair..... anyway, when I got there this morning, the phone and plug were lying on the little library table inside the livingroom window - next to the vibrating recliner. Her new number is 659-5790. I'd love to know if anyone ever gets in touch with her on that phone. But she said she wanted one. We'll see.
We got back to the farm about 2. As I left she said she was going to take a nap. Oh ! and by the way.... she is now locking all the doors. Scott... do you have a key that you can have copied for everybody ? That would be good.
That's all for now from me. Please post updates as you see and or talk with Mom. Maybe with this venue available we can keep everyone informed.
Love you guys !
Amy
Mom had a mini-mental-status-exam today. That is simply a bunch of questions that are asked of a patient to see how good their short and medium term memory is. Mom scored a 27 out of 30. Few of us kids would do better than that ! Dr Perra thinks that Mom CAN remember and CAN concentrate, she just chooses not to, for whatever reason.
Mom had blood drawn to check her thyroid, her B12 and Folate levels, and had a urinalysis performed. Apparently at her last appointment her whice blood cell count was slightly elevated and, in ladies Mom's age, there is often a low-level bladder infection that can be the cause. She did the urinalysis to check for this.
After Dr Perra's we went to Rankin's restaurant for lunch. She ate (in addition to corn flakes and blueberries for breakfast) a very healthy and large lunch - chicken and dumplings, cole slaw, corn, mashed potatoes, and some peas. I was overfull just watching her. Oh ! She drank one and a half big glasses of sweet tea, too.
Mom said she knew how she could put on some weight. She'd just buy a month's supply of Hershey bars and stuff herself with that. I tried to dissuade her from that, reminding her that we really would like it if she could stay healthy ! I asked if she could stomach Ensure, she countered that she drinks a gallon of milk a week.
Becky got Mom a cell phone yesterday and plugged it in over near her chair. I THINK Becky put it next to her red chair..... anyway, when I got there this morning, the phone and plug were lying on the little library table inside the livingroom window - next to the vibrating recliner. Her new number is 659-5790. I'd love to know if anyone ever gets in touch with her on that phone. But she said she wanted one. We'll see.
We got back to the farm about 2. As I left she said she was going to take a nap. Oh ! and by the way.... she is now locking all the doors. Scott... do you have a key that you can have copied for everybody ? That would be good.
That's all for now from me. Please post updates as you see and or talk with Mom. Maybe with this venue available we can keep everyone informed.
Love you guys !
Amy
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