Midgie at Meadowood Saturday 11/26/2005

I talked to Peggy on the phone early Saturday morning and she was at 513 doing some laundry for mom and making some sandwiches for mom and Judy. I ask her to give me a short shopping list for the grocery store and I picked up a few things for 513 and to take to the Rehab Center. The item mom seem to like was individual servings of mandarin oranges. I remembered that mom made salads with mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, chipped up pecan, and folded into Kool Whip. Wonderful.

I went by the grocery store, mom's house and was at Meadowood early pm. Mom had just finished her lunch and had eaten the snack Peggy took her. I ask her about one of the servings of mandarin oranges and she ate this and drank the juice in the little plastic carton. If anything, mom's appetite is just one click this side of wonderful.

We went for a walk and walked around the nursing station on her walker. Peggy was following behind her as mom's stability and strength is still a little less that desired. She had a problem getting up out of the chair onto the walker without help, but we did not help, and made her use her upper body strength to lift herself out of the chair. I understand talking to Judy, P/T is working on her upper body strength addressing this problem.

I stayed for about 2 hours and mom seemed somewhat restless as she has times like that. Sometimes she is content and fine and understands where she is and why but like Saturday, she wanted to go home NOW. The nurse came to help her to the bathroom and she was a little panicky doing this? Judy says sometimes mom gets out of bed and goes to the bathroom on her own without any assistance? A mixed bag here of where she is in this process of returning to somewhat near normal.

You cannot tell mom goodbye! She wants you to stay whether you have been there 30 minutes or 4 hours. So...I just get my water glass and kiss her and tell her I am going to get some ice for my glass. She will turn away and do something else and unfortuantely most of the time, she cannot remember you have been there. That is why she needs more skilled nursing or assistance than we can safely supply at 513 Alice Street.

Keep mom in your prayers and all of us as we make some moves next week./Jeff