Occupational therapy is coming to an end as well.

The occupational therapist just left, and she is also really pleased with Mom's progress.  So, unfortunately, she is also probably not going to keep coming to visit us.  Ah well.  I've learned so much from her that I think I won't have any trouble keeping on doing the things that she has been doing with Mom.  I guess the downside to doing well is that we are going to have to keep doing well without having someone come every day to show us how to do it.

On the occupational therapist's suggestion, I got Mom a little hairbrush, and she's been brushing her hair with it.  This is excellent for getting her arms up high and fighting the dementia which is trying to steal her ability to raise her arms above her head.

It's bitterly cold here today, and so I am spending most of the day in Mom's nice warm room with her.  The rest of the house is chilly.  (I've even got the bread in here raising because it is too cold in the kitchen.)

So far the day has been really good.  When the OT came, Mommy was sitting up in her recliner and had just finished rubbing hand lotion into her hands.  Her hands were still a little moist with lotion.  I was proud that we remembered to do that.  The OT suggested that rubbing hand lotion in was good finger exercise.  So, when she called me to say that she was in the vestibule (I knew she was coming today, but I didn't know when), I was so proud that she came in just as we were doing something that she'd given us for "homework."

Earlier today, we did the in-bed leg and arm exercises. Then, Mom informed me that she had no need to sit on the commode and instead of arguing - like I used to, I just let her stand up and walk (using her walker) the five feet or so to the recliner.  Messy pants are less stress than arguments.  She was able to stand and walk with minimal help from me.  Her new, shorter, walker is much easier for her to use.  Then instead of me pulling her bottom back in the recliner once she was sitting down, I let her sit on the edge for a while until she decided to scoot back herself.  And, she was able to do that on her own as well.  It just took her a long time to decide to do it. When the OT came, Mom stood up for her a few times (with the walker), and she did some hand squeezing exercises with small balls of yard.  She also buttoned some of the buttons on her sweater.  The OT showed me some additional exercises to do with Mom's arms to try to get more motion out of the them.

Mom's ring finger has been really bothering her a lot.  The ring is sometimes so tight that it gives her pain.  (I don't really think that she needs fluid pills again, but the ring does need to be sized larger.)  I've been asking the advice of each care provider about Mom's ring this week, and they all agree that it has to come off.  But, the OT today had the best advice of all about that.  There is a tool you can buy on Amazon for less than ten dollars called a ring cutter.  We are going to get that.  One person had suggested getting the snips from Stephan's toolbox - but I was too scared.  (Good thing too because she's on that Xaralto - what if I had cut her?!?)  The nurse thought that "maybe" we could get it off with oil, but I'd already tried that, and it didn't work.  Her knuckle is too enlarged from the arthritis.  Now that I know there is a proper tool, I'm very relieved.  The OT suggested that I call a jeweler and see if they'll loan me one - if I explain the situation. At any rate, once we get the ring cut off, we can get it sized to slip over that knuckle and be safe for her to wear.

Now, Mommy is reading Little House in the Big Woods along with an audio book on youtube while I type this up for you all, and we are both snug and cozy in this warm room.