Sept 6, 2008
745pm
This week mom has seemed to do better. She gained 2 pounds and is up to 86 pounds. On Tuesday and Wednesday she was up out of bed and watched TV for a short while. She ate fairly well those days.
On Thursday and Friday she was very nauseated and had to have nausea meds. They make her tired for a long time. She didn't eat very well those days.
Today she compained that her stomach hurt a "Medium" amount of pain and took a pain pill. That helped the pain but now she is very sleepy.
On Tuesday her granddaughter Jill Sublett (Bob's Daughter) from Tennessee came to see her. Jill's husband Rob and 3 1/2 yr old son Trevor also came and saw mom. Mom enjoyed that very much.
So the usual ups and down for mom this week. Thanks for the prayers and cards. Thanks to Lillian, our neighbor, for the Rose in a bud vase. Thanks to our granddaughter Rose for all the help she gives us. I wouldn't be able to work as much as I do without her.
Bonnie
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
Where are we Now?
Sept 1, 2008
Mom is steadily losing weight. Last Tuesday she weighed 84 pounds. She is eating poorly. I'm not going to weigh her any more as she has trouble standing steady long enough to be weighed. She is still getting up the the commode by herself.
We decreased her lasix and her blood pressure meds because her BP was too low and she isn't drinking enough. She is a little steadier than she was.
She still sleeps most of the time. April was here on Thursday and she was more awake than she had been, but she had a rough day on Friday. The Bath Aide and the Hospice Nurse come on Tuesdays and Fridays and the massage Therapist come on Fridays and she has been pretty tired since then.
Minnie is planning to come next week to help as I am getting pretty tired and Rose starts school tomorrow- her Senior year. We have a respite volunteer coming every Monday for 4 hours starting on the 15th. So I can sleep or get away to the store or just out for a short time. Right now sleeping sounds good as I just worked a 12 hour night shift.
Mom is steadily losing weight. Last Tuesday she weighed 84 pounds. She is eating poorly. I'm not going to weigh her any more as she has trouble standing steady long enough to be weighed. She is still getting up the the commode by herself.
We decreased her lasix and her blood pressure meds because her BP was too low and she isn't drinking enough. She is a little steadier than she was.
She still sleeps most of the time. April was here on Thursday and she was more awake than she had been, but she had a rough day on Friday. The Bath Aide and the Hospice Nurse come on Tuesdays and Fridays and the massage Therapist come on Fridays and she has been pretty tired since then.
Minnie is planning to come next week to help as I am getting pretty tired and Rose starts school tomorrow- her Senior year. We have a respite volunteer coming every Monday for 4 hours starting on the 15th. So I can sleep or get away to the store or just out for a short time. Right now sleeping sounds good as I just worked a 12 hour night shift.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Aug 25, 2008
Mom is stable, sleeping a lot. She just gets up to the commode. We feed her. We haven't weighed her lately. I'll try to tomorrow. Bob and Shaunna and Beki came today to see her. Also the next door neighbor Lillian came and saw her. She got cards from Barb and Rodger, and from Amy Singer and a birthday card and rose from Lillian.
A hospice volunteer, Kaycie, came today to set up a time to do respite for us. She will start on the 15th at 9 am for 4 hours once a week.
Tomorrow the bath aide and the hospice nurse, Pat, will come.
On Friday mom fell getting up to the commode. We are trying to keep a closer eye on her. She doesn't remember falling. She doesn't call for help so it is hard to keep her from falling unless we are in the room with her all the time. Hard to do and still work and get enough sleep.
Melissa came and stayed with Mom on Sunday so we could all go to church. The first time in more than a month we all got to go to church together.
Bonnie
Mom is stable, sleeping a lot. She just gets up to the commode. We feed her. We haven't weighed her lately. I'll try to tomorrow. Bob and Shaunna and Beki came today to see her. Also the next door neighbor Lillian came and saw her. She got cards from Barb and Rodger, and from Amy Singer and a birthday card and rose from Lillian.
A hospice volunteer, Kaycie, came today to set up a time to do respite for us. She will start on the 15th at 9 am for 4 hours once a week.
Tomorrow the bath aide and the hospice nurse, Pat, will come.
On Friday mom fell getting up to the commode. We are trying to keep a closer eye on her. She doesn't remember falling. She doesn't call for help so it is hard to keep her from falling unless we are in the room with her all the time. Hard to do and still work and get enough sleep.
Melissa came and stayed with Mom on Sunday so we could all go to church. The first time in more than a month we all got to go to church together.
Bonnie
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Aug 21, 2008
Mom is doing fair, but losing weight again. She is down to 88 pounds. She is tired and sleeps most of the time. She is not confused except about the date and time. She doesn't eat much and it is hard to get calories into her as she only eats a few bites and is not hungry.
Everyone has gone home now and our granddaughter Rose Wightman has moved in with us to help us take care of mom. I went back to work last Friday. I worked Friday and Saturday evening and Monday and Tuesday night. I slept most of Tuesday and off and on Wednesday.
Thank God for Rose being here as David is not allowed to pick up or move more than 5 pounds for another 3-4 weeks. I will work Evening shift tonight and tomorrow and then have 6 days off.
Thanks for the cards and the prayers. Mom enjoys the cards and the prayers help us all. You can call and talk to Mom too.
Bonnie
Mom is doing fair, but losing weight again. She is down to 88 pounds. She is tired and sleeps most of the time. She is not confused except about the date and time. She doesn't eat much and it is hard to get calories into her as she only eats a few bites and is not hungry.
Everyone has gone home now and our granddaughter Rose Wightman has moved in with us to help us take care of mom. I went back to work last Friday. I worked Friday and Saturday evening and Monday and Tuesday night. I slept most of Tuesday and off and on Wednesday.
Thank God for Rose being here as David is not allowed to pick up or move more than 5 pounds for another 3-4 weeks. I will work Evening shift tonight and tomorrow and then have 6 days off.
Thanks for the cards and the prayers. Mom enjoys the cards and the prayers help us all. You can call and talk to Mom too.
Bonnie
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Mom has lost more weight
Aug 10th
Mom is losing weight. she is down to 93 pounds. We are trying to find things she will eat but it is hard to get enough in her. She takes a couple of bites and that's all we can get in her. We got Odwalla bars and she is nibbling on them. We are putting protein powder into her juice. And trying to find things to tempt her appetite.
The Hospice intake nurse was here yesterday and did the intake on her. She will have a bath aide twice a week and massage therapy every other week. Her Hospice Nurse will be Pat. I can also have a respite volunteer for up to 4 hours a week. We will hire family and friends to take care of her so I can go to work. Rose will move in on the 22nd of August and will take care of her on the evenings I work. I will hire someone to watch her on my 3 night shifts, and during those days so I can sleep.
She is impulsive and doesn't remember to call for help when she wants to get up to the chair or back to bed. She has been nauseated and wretching the last 2 days so I am giving her nausea meds in the am and pm scheduled. Still not too much pain.
Mom is losing weight. she is down to 93 pounds. We are trying to find things she will eat but it is hard to get enough in her. She takes a couple of bites and that's all we can get in her. We got Odwalla bars and she is nibbling on them. We are putting protein powder into her juice. And trying to find things to tempt her appetite.
The Hospice intake nurse was here yesterday and did the intake on her. She will have a bath aide twice a week and massage therapy every other week. Her Hospice Nurse will be Pat. I can also have a respite volunteer for up to 4 hours a week. We will hire family and friends to take care of her so I can go to work. Rose will move in on the 22nd of August and will take care of her on the evenings I work. I will hire someone to watch her on my 3 night shifts, and during those days so I can sleep.
She is impulsive and doesn't remember to call for help when she wants to get up to the chair or back to bed. She has been nauseated and wretching the last 2 days so I am giving her nausea meds in the am and pm scheduled. Still not too much pain.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Mom's Home
Aug 8th
Mom got to come back home yesterday. She is still very tired and needs a lot of help, but it is good to have her here. She came home with a foley catherter so that she doesn't have to get up to the bathroom as much.
She will have Hospice at home. They will be coming out tomorrow for the intake appointment. They can provide respite care, massage therapy, music therapy, pet therapy and some others that I don't remember.
She is not having much pain. Just takes a pain pill once or twice a day for midsternal chest pain(not heart related).
Dude and Jean Little and Amy Singer came to see her today. That really cheered her up. Rose came tonight to stay with us for a couple of days. Mom was glad to see her too.
Mom got to come back home yesterday. She is still very tired and needs a lot of help, but it is good to have her here. She came home with a foley catherter so that she doesn't have to get up to the bathroom as much.
She will have Hospice at home. They will be coming out tomorrow for the intake appointment. They can provide respite care, massage therapy, music therapy, pet therapy and some others that I don't remember.
She is not having much pain. Just takes a pain pill once or twice a day for midsternal chest pain(not heart related).
Dude and Jean Little and Amy Singer came to see her today. That really cheered her up. Rose came tonight to stay with us for a couple of days. Mom was glad to see her too.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Update
Aug 4, 2008 10am
Mom had 2 really good days last week so on Friday we took her off comfort care. They started TPN (IV Nutrition) on Friday evening . Her BNP has fluctuated down to 377, up to 870 and today 730. She appears to be very sensitive to added IV fluids. So we have to be careful to give her more lasix when she is getting more IV fluids.
Her White Blood Cell count WBC) has been rising for the last few days and is now elevated to 16.99 (Normal is 4-12). That shows an infection somewhere.So she has had blood cultures darn and urine sent off to see if that is where the problem is. Also she will have a chest xray today.
She has been confused for a few days. She called me Minnie Ellen, and couldn't remember my name. She has not recognized Maria yet.
Today Bob and Shaunna go home, and tonight Rachel and Devon go to the airport. Tomorrow Minnie has to go home. Rachel and Minnie start work on Wednesday. Maria is staying another week. Then they has to go home as school starts for the kids on Aug 25th. My vacation is nearly over and I start back to work on Thursday.
I am hopeful that she will be able to come home soon. We will have help from Rose at the end of the month when she moves in to live with us. She will go to school during the day and I can work evenings. She will be a big help. We just have to get to the end of the month.
Bonnie
Mom had 2 really good days last week so on Friday we took her off comfort care. They started TPN (IV Nutrition) on Friday evening . Her BNP has fluctuated down to 377, up to 870 and today 730. She appears to be very sensitive to added IV fluids. So we have to be careful to give her more lasix when she is getting more IV fluids.
Her White Blood Cell count WBC) has been rising for the last few days and is now elevated to 16.99 (Normal is 4-12). That shows an infection somewhere.So she has had blood cultures darn and urine sent off to see if that is where the problem is. Also she will have a chest xray today.
She has been confused for a few days. She called me Minnie Ellen, and couldn't remember my name. She has not recognized Maria yet.
Today Bob and Shaunna go home, and tonight Rachel and Devon go to the airport. Tomorrow Minnie has to go home. Rachel and Minnie start work on Wednesday. Maria is staying another week. Then they has to go home as school starts for the kids on Aug 25th. My vacation is nearly over and I start back to work on Thursday.
I am hopeful that she will be able to come home soon. We will have help from Rose at the end of the month when she moves in to live with us. She will go to school during the day and I can work evenings. She will be a big help. We just have to get to the end of the month.
Bonnie
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