Posted 1/3/19
Updates, recaps and a couple random Alzheimer’s thoughts:
Pam and my stepdad stayed with mom for most of the daylight hours yesterday helping her deal with a barrage of tests. These screenings were a condition to moving her to a different hospital for a short stay while they redo her anxiety/Alzheimer’s meds. In the end she made it through the night and today too at the memory unit. No new hospital transfer? Who knows what the next hour/day/week will bring?
Recap 1: She was doing pretty darn good last weekend upon returning from the hospital the last time, but a stomach bug (?) and one round of fighting nurses over her meds caused her levels to get so messed up that her extreme anxiety to rear its ugly face. Extremely agitated, frustrated and exit-seeking due to this medicine disparity. Sadly, when they need the meds the most is when they become the hardest to administer. 🙁
Recap 2: Still no missing lower denture plate. 🙁 Was lost, loaned or perhaps traded to another resident for an old sock, a crayon and a paper towel to be named later.
But today, again, wasn’t half bad for mom. She was a tad goofy and her piano was kind of a mashup of songs…but was still amazing considering…
Sadly, we lost another of the Sweet 17…a really super sweet but struggling darling who gained eternity and shed the brokenness of the memory unit.
Dodged bullet yesterday: one of mom’s Sweet 17 friends fell hard. Sack o’ yams hard! The staff took great care of her and, despite a terrible appearance, there was no blood/foul. I checked on her today and all was still ok. Alzheimer’s patients fall. People on serious meds fall. While falling isn’t a normal part of aging, it does happen, especially in the D ward. Mom is still pretty steady. I hope she stays that way.
The roller coaster life is mentally and physically tiring, and my weensy part is quite easy. God bless fulltime caregivers, nurses, ER staff and the like. Zoinks, Scoob.
#EndALZ