Friday, December 5, 2014

"horrible no good very bad day" - that was yesterday, but today has been quite good

Yesterday, Mommy had a really bad day.  At one point, she said to me:  "Would you please just go and get Ike," and I was so shocked that I stood there without saying anything - I think without breathing - for I don't know how long before I finally thought to say, "He's not here right now, Mommy."

I went into the kitchen and cried for a long time.  I'd probably still be crying now, but I got interrupted - by a phone call from David.  He's good to his mother.

I'm not sure what makes the days go well or go badly.  But, in retrospect, I think I should have taken Jeanie's advice yesterday, and just got her out of bed whether she liked it or not.  That's what I did today, and the day went much better.

Both yesterday morning and this morning, when I tried to exercise her feet she said it hurt so badly that she couldn't stand it, and yesterday, I let her rest. She didn't get out of bed all day long.  I think that lying still like that - she wouldn't let me do any exercises.  She fought against them, and that made the pain so much worse.  Anyway, I think that just being immobile like that made the aches worse instead of better.  (I was hoping a little rest would ease the aches.  Didn't happen.)  Today, I got her out of bed and put her on the commode without bothering to ask if she felt like it.  I just did it.  I have to learn to stop asking her things and to just do what I know is right.  If she's anything like I am, she probably doesn't really know what she wants, but as soon as she voices a choice, that is IT.  There is no going back.

Today, I called the doctor and found out that I am allowed to give her up to 3,000 mg of Tylenol on a daily basis.  I've been giving her under 500.  (No wonder she hurts :-(  I was not giving her enough medication to touch the pain.)

The doctor's office is also contacting a physical therapist home visit person to see if we can get someone to give me help and instruct us about how to help Mommy retain her mobility since the Allegheny Agency on the Aging in processing may take several more months.  After she's in-processed, they will provide physical therapy home visits.  (I called about getting something in the interim on Pete's suggestion.)

To make life nicer for both Mommy and me, we took a little bit of a break today and put up the Christmas tree.  She loved it.  And, I did too.  It makes the room so happy.  Maybe it's a little less effort to be happy when there is Christmas tree only a few feet away?

1 comment:

  1. So glad you are going to be able to get some help with physical therapy, that will be so so nice!! Also very very happy that yesterday went better than the day before! (Hugs)

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