Mom has been back at Morningside for just over two weeks now. It has been a LONG two weeks. I’m not sure if it’s because I have been so busy or if it’s because mom has been struggling, or most likely a combination of the two.
Mom has been angry, depressed, confused, sad, lonely, and exhausted. She’s frustrated because she can see that she has lost so much strength and the recovery from her fall has been especially difficult. Her level of care has increased due to this and she hates having to be so dependent on others. This is a dangerous place to be. She wants desperately to be able to do things herself. Needing assistance is one thing, but when you are at the mercy of someone else’s availability it’s an entirely different story. Imagine not being able to go to the bathroom when you want. Or even picking up something that you dropped on the floor because you can’t reach it. It’s a horrible feeling. Mom admitted to us that she’s lonely and I think she’s afraid of being by herself in her apartment. It could be that she is still experiencing PTSD from when she had her stroke or she’s actually feeling lonely since she has only one friend from her past that she sees regularly. This has been harder on her than probably most people can understand, me included.
Thankfully there are some truly wonderful people at Morningside. Her caregivers are so sweet and she’s met a couple of ladies there that she seems to enjoy spending time with. Someone there commented that these three are like the female version of “Grumpy Old Men”. Mom is actually battling an infection right now (UTI). I know those can be pretty bad to deal with, but it is actually good news for us. This could actually explain the increased confusion, depression, and lethargy. She started a round of antibiotics. Hopefully she’ll be feeling much better soon. She actually looked a lot better when we saw her today. Cyndie and I have been telling her that she needs to learn to “fake it ’til you make it”. Not sure if that’s what she was doing today or if she’s actually feeling better. Either way, it was nice to see her smile for a change.
Chad, Sam and I will be gone for the next three weeks. She understands that and I think she’s a little nervous about me being gone for so long. I assured her that she will be fine and I implored her not to try and do things on her own that she’s not ready for. I want her to rest and do the exercises that her therapists want her to do, and to always wait for help. Cyndie will be back next week for a few days and she should be having therapy throughout the week as well. I’m hoping that keeps her busy, along with the activities going on there. She’s been playing lots of bingo and has even gone out on the country drives when they have been scheduled. She really is trying and I’m proud of her for not giving up.
We hope everyone was able to enjoy their day today. Mom is festive today thanks to one of her wonderful friends. This friend always sends her cute things to celebrate various holidays. She’s so thoughtful and this is so appreciated. Thank you, S!!
