Mother at Meadowood

I have to write you this Tuesday morning 10/18/2005, and give you an update on our "Midgie". You know she had been in the old Bessemer Carraway now called UAB West. UAB hospital in Birmingham purchased this from Carraway as this was a natural extension of the growth of UAB since the downtown location has now become land locked to some degree, surrounded by permanent entities like UAB's college campus, 5 points South Shopping Center and other. Now some of these great services and care are in Bessemer with capabilities of expanding in the Western area. I know they have building expansion plans for the UAB West as we speak.

There is another facility to the right and behind UAB West called Meadowood. The address is Beverly Healthcare/Meadowood, Mildred Nutter room #403A, 820 Golf Course Road, Bessemer, Alabama, 35022. The phone number is 205.425.5241. You can ask to talk to the nursing station on the 4th floor and they can give you an update on mother. They do have a wireless phone they can take to her but mom does not talk on the phone well, so, we are not putting a phone in her room at this moment until we find out exactly where she will be in the next week or so. But you now have her mailing address, so please send her a card.

She got 2 or 3 cards and mail the week she was at UAB West and she dearly loves getting mail, tearing open the envelope and looking at the card over and over. You will be blessed I assure you as her face lights up so much when we tell her who loves her. You can send me a computer card and I can print it in color and take it too her. I will put it in an envelope and she will think the post office sent it.

I guess this morning I start with now. I just got off the phone with Bessie at the nursing station to find out how mother was doing. SHE WAS UP ALL NIGHT, AND WAS PUTTING ON HER MAKEUP LIKE SHE WAS GOING SOMEWHERE. She has a new lipstick Karen sent her and I bought her a new compact with powder and puff and a large hand mirror from her home and she looked ready to go somewhere. I apologized to Bessie but she said mom was no trouble, just awake! I will know more after Peggy goes this morning and gets her first visit with mom. I am going to be frank and tell you what I told Jack Nutter and Bobbie. "I am going to spend our inheritance now taking care of our mom and sister". You know me and I am sure this does not come as a surprise!

Medicare will pay 100% of the first 20 days, and it is an 80/20 split on the next 80 days, giving you a total of 100 days of physical therapy/nursing home care for her. Then, it is all mine or ours to spend. Mom has a SS check and a small check from VA so we can keep her where ever needed for (hopefully) a good long time if that is truly what she needs. I tell all of you this as she is the matriarch of the Northcutt-Nutter clan and you need to know about our 'leader'.

Right now the emphasis is on the physical therapy and also finding out why she has lost so much lower body strength and her balance is terrible. When I turned her in bed last night, when I rolled her toward me, she said she felt like she was falling. The bed she has is like a hospital bed with rails keeping her from hurting herself. I tried to teach her how to call the nurse with the push button on a cord but don't know if she grasp that at this writing.

I have to work today and Peggy will call me late morning and give me an update on mom. Mary Judith drove over from Atlanta and Bobbie met us in the cafeteria yesterday at UAB West and we had lunch together before moving mom next door to Meadowood. I had Ms. Rebecca and these afore mentioned and me moving her in my car and into her room at Meadowood. It was great having family there to help move her and mom having familiar faces around to keep from getting panicky.

Hopefully she will adjust quickly and she has a room mate named Judy and she has been there 3 years. Judy can call the nursing station for mom I guess if needed. They will compliment each other as time goes by. I leave you now with a prayers for mom and everyone who are grieving with this change for her. I cried, and so shall you! Dr. Portante said it best and I share this so you may have comfort in his words. It is not about me, but yet it sounds that way. Please understand what he said with your heart.

"Jeff, you have been a good son. I gave her 3 to 6 months at home 4 plus years ago when she had double pneumonia and the onset of dementia. But you were able to keep her at home these 4 years. She now, right now, needs more care, more structured care than you (and the caregivers and her family) can give her. Just let me now help you with what is next best for her and we, together, will get her the best care that she needs." I did not do this alone. I repeat, I did not do this alone! You were there. HE was there. Your prayers were heard! We made it this far, now a new adventure begins for her and for me and for us. We can only go forward for her and love her like never before! Jeff