Part 6 of How we Got Here and Happy Easter!

I have to tell you this week has flown by although I really thought Easter was moons away from that first Saturday a week ago.

Each day is a stronger day.  Each day is a reminder day.

Each day....is a day to be grateful for this opportunity to give back to the Graini-Mom.

Each day I have made sure she has taken her meds....even that one early morning at 1:35 a.m. when I woke up remembering we forgot her "bedtime" medication dose and I woke her up to take them.  Hey....she was in bed; it was still bedtime!!!!

Each day I have laid out clothes so she doesn't wind up wearing the same thing over and over...although I have been because MY own clothes closet (aka suitcase) is dwindling down.

Each day I have brushed her hair.

Each day I have lathered her face with moisturizer because it has gotten so dry.

Each day I have prayed for clarity and safety and wisdom.

Each day I am reminded that it could be me on the receiving end of this care.

Each day I am reminded that I WAS on the receiving end of this care and I'm painfully aware that our lives have now reversed.

I am heading home today with a song in my heart and a prayer to the Lord that all is well and I will hear those beautiful words some day "Well done, Good and Faithful Servant."

Part 5 of How We Got Here!

The week has flown by.  We have enjoyed being with friends and church friends.  Thursday was another busy day of chores and get togethers.  We lunched with church friends and had an enjoyable time.  That evening we attended the Maundy Thursday service.

Graini-Mom and I have accomplished what I hoped to accomplish.  She is getting stronger and looking 100% better.


Stepdad has hired a nurse maid....literally!  He knows a woman who works in the home health care arena and she has agreed to do housecleaning too.  I've started making a list of things I would like her to do FOR Mom-- the Graini-Mom is top priority and the housework is secondary.  That's MY motto!

The plan is for me to stay till Easter Sunday (tomorrow).  Graini-Mom and I will go to church together and get something to eat afterwards with stepdad and then I/he will take her back to their house and I will once again turn my vehicle to the west and head home.  That is the plan; may it be so, Lord!
 

Hubby has been given strict instructions to sweep up that Big Puppy hair.  He texted me and said if you leave it alone it will all float along together into a corner and that makes it a lot easier to clean! Yeah, right!  He is learning his cleaning tips from me; me and my big mouth!!!

oh my goodness will the story ever end? Part 4

Do you know how all your days meld together and you can't remember "Who's on First" or "What's on Second?"  Well that is Strawberry and Graini-Mom trying to recall what all we have been up to.  Yep, it's rubbing off!

So here is the first of the week in a nutshell: 

Monday Mom and I waited for home health to call...."a watched pot"....they didn't call so I bugged them with phone call after phone call.  We decided to leave the house and take care of some business.  Home health never showed up!  We went to the mall. That'll teach 'em!!

Tuesday we met friends for lunch....

Reunion and a Happy Birthday....and a mountain of onion rings!

and had our hair done....

Quite a difference, wouldn't you say?
 

Wednesday home health care came and the physical therapist. Yatzee!!!  

The home health nurse asked if this was the same woman she first saw on Saturday.  That statement made my heart sing.  The Graini-Mom is getting strong physically; I just wish her mind would strengthen too!  :(

Did I mention we have someone helping out and sitting with Mom while I run errands and umm.....shop???!!!

I couldn't help myself!

 

Part 3 of How We Got Here

Your Mama fell.  She can't remember if she blacked out.

Okay; here we frickin' go again.  What is happening?  She seems fine when I leave her.

Could it be the Mama Bear misses her Baby Bear???

I text Hubby because I'm afraid I'll start bawling if I hear his voice or have to explain that I'm heading back down to Mom-Town.  I have my "go-bag" packed already.  I washed those clothes and repacked them because well....this seems to be my life now.

Hubby is on his way home and we discuss options.  I tell him what I think I need to do.  He agrees.  We talk about lunch.  Yes, let's eat!  That always solves things.  Hello, Weight Watchers!

I arrive back at their house and there is Graini-Mom sitting not knowing what happened.  The Home Health care nurse arrives and takes vitals.  All is well but blood pressure is on the low side as it should be- she is on several different blood pressure meds due to the aneurysm ( I guess they still want her on the comatose side!).  Hmmm, could be why she fell.  At the Friday appointment, the internist said it is normal to have those black curtain feelings when we rise up quickly or when our blood pressure drops.  Don't worry if it happens once.  Worry if it happens every 10 minutes!!!

The Home Health Nurse gets Mom's little bag of medicines and puts them in a box labeled Monday-Sunday-- morning, noon, and evening.  Then she asks for a pill cutter.  Why? I inquire. She doesn't take half a pill, but there in her little bag of goodies is a stepdad medication.  The nurse didn't catch that Graini-Mom's name wasn't on the bottle!  I go ballistic (well, not really, but some suspicions are circulating again...could Graini-Mom be skipping meds or worse taking one of stepdads?)  He assures me she did not take that medication last night.  Okay. 

Both Stepdad and I realize Mom needs 24-7 care.  Someone needs to make sure she is taking her meds regularly.  Someone needs to make sure she is not up roaming around when she needs to rest.  Someone needs to make sure she drinks enough water.  Someone needs to....

I volunteer; on one condition; I monitor her at my childhood home.  I'm comfortable there and there are no steps or slick tile or little doggies under foot.  At least for now.  Sidebar: While trying to comb her hair before the nurse came, she was sitting on the side of the bed and little hyper dog (think Jack Russell terrier hyper!) was jumping and pushing on her back and thrusting her forward.  Oy Vey!

Stepdad agreed it was the best thing for now.  He would work on getting permanent 24-7 care for her and I would take her with me to help her get her sea legs back and gain strength and more importantly WATCH HER LIKE A HAWK!!!  Believe me, that is no easy task.  She won't sit still!

Saturday evening we all went out for dinner.  I am thankful that my step-brother came into town because the reality of it all came flooding to my stepdad and he was a bit weepy about it.  I was a bit weepy too.  Life is changing.

He told me he didn't want Graini-Mom going to church on Sunday.  She needed to rest.  I asked if he was sure; what if she woke up early enough and was steady?  Being in church and seeing her friends might be good for the soul.  We left it at that.

Sunday morning, Graini-Mom was up and at 'em and we went for breakfast (she is not normally a breakfast eater; ha ha! guess what? You are eating breakfast now, Graini-Mom!) and then to.....

The church was not as empty as it seems!  True Presbyterians sit on the back row!

 Church! and Yes; it was very good for both our souls.  We saw people I had not seen in years and we made plans for lunch dates with a few women.  The church was having a community lunch in the Fellowship Hall and we ate.  I'm not really sure what we did after that.  I seem to recall it had something to do with trying to get the dang TV/VCR/DVD hooked up so I could watch movies and not go stir crazy.

Some of you Grainiacs will remember this room. It hasn't changed in 30+ years!

That evening we celebrated a birthday with my father-in-law.  


 

You say I'm HOW old??? No way; I still climb trees!!!

Stepdad met us over there and we ate and talked and shared stories and Graini-Mom was happy to be with her hubby!  This is still so confusing for her but little by little the fog in her brain is starting to lift.  On OUR way home she noticed I passed the street to take her to hers and stepdad's house.  I reminded her we were staying at the other house and she was fine.  Thank you, Lord, for non-confrontations!

I can't speak for Graini-Mom, but it was a good day for Strawberry.

Part 2 of How we got here

Graini-Mom was released from the hospital and yes, she was a bit loopy...remember she had a brain procedure!  Step-dad called worried that her memory loss was worse.  I felt it was justified.  Almost a week later I get a call that he is taking her to ER.  It appeared she had another "black out" episode but this time no falling was involved.  I jumped in the car to travel back to hometown and help where I could.  Stepdad had a big high school reunion the next day and I reassured him I could stay 24-7 at the hospital with Graini-Mom.  Ever sleep in the hospital on the chair next to the hospital bed that goes up and down and feet up and down.  By the second night I was ready to kick Graini-Mom to the chair and I get the fun bed with all the remotes.  Only problem was I didn't want to take all the medicines and have blood drawn like she was getting!!!

Okay! I had a foot rest too, but not as fancy as the bed variety!

Thursday evening she was released.  Let me tell you everyone was relieved. 

Happy Graini-Mom!

 For three days they observed her.  The initial Cat scan revealed nothing abnormal.  No reason for the "black out" (except to me it meant she was completely normal after having a traumatic procedure done to her head....but better safe than sorry, right?).    The neurologist came in on Tuesday the hour I left to get lunch at 3:00 p.m.  Stepdad, who is hard of hearing, talked with him.  He heard him say they are 50% sure it was a stroke and 50% sure it was a seizure.  Unfortunately they could not tell because she cannot have an MRI....ever!  The coil prevents an MRI.  Now Stepdad is second guessing the coil procedure and wanting to know what to do to prevent a second occurrence.  No answers at this point.  She has an appointment on Friday with her internist and I stayed an extra night so I could be there.  She said "dementia is part of growing old process.  The neurologist wants her to have some time to recuperate and stay calm.  Let her brain heal and then he will do an EEG in a month."  Well guess who exploded?  Hint: not me! He heard the neurologist say he wants to do an EEG in a week, not a month! Poor guy, his first wife succumbed to dementia.  He is super vigilant about making sure Mom doesn't head down that route too. He wants answers and he wants them yesterday.  What can we do to prevent this from happening again?  Her doctor is so sweet and calm and said the neurologist doesn't want to give her stroke meds if it is a seizure and he doesn't want to give her seizure meds if it is a stroke.  Stepdad is clearly agitated and wants to know if I am too.  What can I say?  Man, this parenting and dealing with steps is hard stuff.  Of course I'm worried and upset but I have to trust the medical team looking after her.  Friday afternoon I head home to my sweet bed.  Graini-Mom was up and alert and doing fine.  Hallelujah!  We ate lunch together and I turned my vehicle to the west. Home, Sweet, Home.

Saturday morning....duh duh duh duuuuh.... I get a phone call.  Oh shit!

Part 1 of how we got here

I mention in Hyper Excited that Graini-Mom had a brain aneurysm.   Her first angiogram revealed a 4cm aneurysm.  The most recent angiogram (performed 6 months after the first angiogram) showed it had grown to 5 cm.  The Dr. said recent studies revealed aneurysms as small as 3 cm - 6 cm were bursting.  (At the very first visit, the Dr. said he wouldn't worry about anything under 6 cm.)  Armed with this information plus asking him if it were HIS mother what would he do, we made the decision to undergo a stent-assisted coil.  Once the procedure was done, it would be as if she never had an aneurysm.  Once again he would go through the groin area and microscopically send all the equipment needed to fill in the aneurysm with some sort of metal and reinforce the arteries...looked like mesh to me!

On March 8th my brother, my step-dad and I accompanied my Mom to wait while she had this procedure done....and again at a snoozing hour!  hello, Starbucks!!

The Dr. came out almost 2 hours later with a smile on his face.  All was well. She did terrifically and it was a routine procedure.  We all breathed a sigh of relief and again....waited- this time to see her.

Finally I rang the ICU doorbell and asked if Graini-Mom was in there.  She was.  I walked in (leaving step-dad and brother in the waiting room down the hall!).  I really thought I'd be in there for a minute to see her.  Nope, please answer these questions.  Long story short, we all three were reunited with her.  Then....

Graini-Mom asks where is Mother.

Um, you mean Grandmom?

Yes.

She's dead.

Eyes dart back from me to brother.  Graini-Mom is confused.  But not upset.  Just blank.

Earlier, the nurse told me Graini-Mom started to wake during the procedure and they shot her with more anesthesia. (oh sure, that sounds "routine!")  Well of course she is confused and blank.  My 23 year old took 3 days to come back to the land of the living after his dental procedure! It's gonna take some time for the octogenarian.

Um, nurse....may I have some of those drugs by any chance??? 

 

looking good/ feeling fine

Update update update

Oh my goodness, Grainiacs. What can I say? My life has taken a turn for the all.things.upside.down!!!!  Truly, I thought it would be hard to see the last child take off for college.  Nothing compares to parenting your parent! Just Wow!!!

I don't know where to start. It doesn't seem this rollercoaster had a start.  There was no sign that said "enter here."  There was no road map to chart the adventure.  Like Alice in Wonderland I just fell here.

The Graini-Mom has been in and out of the hospital for several weeks.  Flash forward and I am now living in my childhood home with my Mom and her dog!  The dog stares at me like "WHAT?????"  And I stare back like "I KNOW!!!!"  What happened?

So here we are.  I've missed you all.  I've missed blogging.  I promise to post and blog and keep you up to date.  Sometimes I post on Facebook.  Sometimes I text messages.  Sometimes I think I'm dreaming, but mostly I'm thankful for an understanding husband and step-dad and Lord.

We will get through this and all will be right with the world.  Unless Trump gets elected and then I'll meet you in Canada!

Glub, glub, GLUB!

I can start out great guns with anything.

Journal?  My morning is filled with notes, thoughts, and appointments!

Right eating? Why yes, thank you. I had a terrific healthy breakfast and I feel great!

Exercise?  Check! Yoga. Walking. Moving my bones in the A.M.  I've got this covered.

Home Health? Dust, mop, vacuum (not in this order mind you!), laundry, toilet bowls.  Who's a champ?  This Strawberry!!

My mornings are spectacular.  I mean it.  I can get so much done.

Afternoons are okay....

and uh, evenings.....let's just say I undo E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. spectacular about my morning.

Journal?  Where is the damn thing?

Right eating?  Well, if you consider Whataburger Whatasized "right."

Exercise?  Where's the remote?

Home Health?  Is that Lucian or his dust bunny shadow rolling towards me?

I recently accepted a challenge to drink more water.  Half my body weight in ounces to be exact; and although I have not done that to a T (hee hee....TEE....get it?)  I am drinking more water and drinking more tea and peeing an awful lot!

The coach of the challenge posted a handy chart for those of us chugging gallons of water at night to meet the challenge.  I thought it was worth a share...

Back to Watership Down!