Most of you already know that we had a terrible illness here at this house all through the week of Christmas, and most of you also know that it's taking me a long time to recover. I'm still sleeping a lot and feel pretty weak - even today I'm napping a lot.
PRAISE be to GOD and thanks to some good advice right at the start of this horror from Pete, (get masks and gloves - which we did within an hour of the phone call where he told us to do it), Mom was spared the bug. The rest of us all got it. First Amanda came home from work on Friday with it. (It was going around at her work.) She was so violently ill that we spent late Friday night into Saturday morning at the emergency room. Then Sunday night David and I started to show symptoms. I even had hallucinations from the dehydration. It was the first time in my life that I'd ever hallucinated. Stephan didn't show symptoms until Monday, and he only was sick for two days - the least hit of all of us. I think I might have been the hardest hit, and I am still not back to my old self yet. David and I were both still pretty sick even until Christmas Day (we couldn't safely go to Church on Christmas Eve so Stephan and Amanda went to Saint Paul's together - I'm really sad about missing that - it is my favorite service of the whole year).
I did take a video on Christmas morning. You can click here to see the link to the video (fixed link).
(edit to add) Near the end of the video, Mommy identifies the people in the ornament as "Mom and Dad" which is AMAZING. It's very unusual for her to call to mind identifying words like that when she is trying to think of what something is.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Friday, December 19, 2014
Oh! This was like the best puppet moment with Mom ever!
This is a blurry, cell-phone video, but it is so adorable, I'm sharing it anyway. After we did our tree-decoration exercises today, I put a few dolls (including this puppet) on the box for Mommy to reach for, and when she picked up the puppet she said, "Something's supposed to go in here," and so I knew that she had a memory of how to use a puppet.
After we got it adjusted on her hand, she really got going with it. <3
Here's a little of the wonder I got to enjoy with this puppet and Mommy.
After we got it adjusted on her hand, she really got going with it. <3
Here's a little of the wonder I got to enjoy with this puppet and Mommy.
Mail Time and Alisha Time
Today, Mommy got some mail. She got a Christmas card from her sister, Bonnie, and she got a letter from my daughter, Hannah.
Click here to see the recording :-)
(edit)
And, yesterday, Mommy watched a video of Alisha that we captured.
Click here to that :-)
Click here to see the recording :-)
(edit)
And, yesterday, Mommy watched a video of Alisha that we captured.
Click here to that :-)
Thursday, December 18, 2014
SHE WALKED!
No time to write a post, but I've uploaded our miracle video.
Her PT is AMAZING!
Click here to see the miracle.
(And, this is actually the third time she made that trip across the living room this morning. That, when she hadn't done more than a few shuffle steps and few feet the whole time she's been here until today!)
Her PT is AMAZING!
Click here to see the miracle.
(And, this is actually the third time she made that trip across the living room this morning. That, when she hadn't done more than a few shuffle steps and few feet the whole time she's been here until today!)
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Home again, home again, jiggidy jig (+ breakfast video link)
Jeanie has been especially faithful about praying that Mommy will feel as though she's at home here at my house. I am so thankful for her prayers. For the last few months, Mommy has been wanting her own parents to come and get her and to take her back to Herrickville.
Mommy was fixated on this when Marjie and I went down to visit a few months ago. Mommy told me that when she gets back home to Herrickville, her mother is going to fix her hair.
One of the therapists mentioned to me that this is a common dream for Alzeheimer's patients. A dream that their mother will come and fix their hair.
One of my friends (I still have to email her back!) has offered to help me and she is a hairdresser, so maybe we can make Mommy's dream come true in a little bit of a way. Although neither my friend nor I look anything like Grandma O'Connor ;-) And, I doubt we could make Mommy's hair look as she is envisioning it in her imagination.
At any rate, back to the feeling that she is home. Yesterday, the PT came for a visit and this conversation ensued:
Physical Therapist to Mom: "Have you lived in Pittsburgh your whole life?"
Mom: "Yes."
PT to Mom: "Have you lived in this house your whole life?"
Mom: "Yes." Then she turns to me, "I have, haven't I?"
Me: "You've lived in Pennsylvania most of your life."
Mom to PT: "I've always lived here."
Me to PT: "Always is about a month long."
This is not only adorable, it is a direct answer to prayer. Praise God and thank you, Jeanie, for your faithfulness in prayer.
I've also taken another video. I was going to post this yesterday, but the PT fussed at me a little for feeding Mom as Mommy needs to do as much as she can for herself. So, I thought, I shouldn't post that I was doing too much for Mom. But, if I worry about posting possible mistakes, I'll never upload a video. Also, I look hideous in this one. I know you're not hitting the play button to look at me, but I still have my pride to consider. But, again, if I worry about posting only videos where I look good, I'll never upload anything. (I really thought about retaking the whole Mommy opening the gift from Aunt Bonnie because I looked so bad. Nobody would know because if I waited a day, Mommy would not remember the gift and it would be brand new again for her :-) ) However, this isn't about me. And, I'm never going to look like I want to look on camera.
So, enough said. Here is a link to see a typical breakfast time. (And, this morning I fed her again. Morning time is a little rushed around here. A lady was coming to bathe Mommy at ten so we needed to get the oatmeal bowl empty and pot filled if possible before ten o'clock. I'm doing the best I can, and tomorrow, I will try to have her feed herself while I read and we'll see what happens).
Mommy was fixated on this when Marjie and I went down to visit a few months ago. Mommy told me that when she gets back home to Herrickville, her mother is going to fix her hair.
One of the therapists mentioned to me that this is a common dream for Alzeheimer's patients. A dream that their mother will come and fix their hair.
One of my friends (I still have to email her back!) has offered to help me and she is a hairdresser, so maybe we can make Mommy's dream come true in a little bit of a way. Although neither my friend nor I look anything like Grandma O'Connor ;-) And, I doubt we could make Mommy's hair look as she is envisioning it in her imagination.
At any rate, back to the feeling that she is home. Yesterday, the PT came for a visit and this conversation ensued:
Physical Therapist to Mom: "Have you lived in Pittsburgh your whole life?"
Mom: "Yes."
PT to Mom: "Have you lived in this house your whole life?"
Mom: "Yes." Then she turns to me, "I have, haven't I?"
Me: "You've lived in Pennsylvania most of your life."
Mom to PT: "I've always lived here."
Me to PT: "Always is about a month long."
This is not only adorable, it is a direct answer to prayer. Praise God and thank you, Jeanie, for your faithfulness in prayer.
I've also taken another video. I was going to post this yesterday, but the PT fussed at me a little for feeding Mom as Mommy needs to do as much as she can for herself. So, I thought, I shouldn't post that I was doing too much for Mom. But, if I worry about posting possible mistakes, I'll never upload a video. Also, I look hideous in this one. I know you're not hitting the play button to look at me, but I still have my pride to consider. But, again, if I worry about posting only videos where I look good, I'll never upload anything. (I really thought about retaking the whole Mommy opening the gift from Aunt Bonnie because I looked so bad. Nobody would know because if I waited a day, Mommy would not remember the gift and it would be brand new again for her :-) ) However, this isn't about me. And, I'm never going to look like I want to look on camera.
So, enough said. Here is a link to see a typical breakfast time. (And, this morning I fed her again. Morning time is a little rushed around here. A lady was coming to bathe Mommy at ten so we needed to get the oatmeal bowl empty and pot filled if possible before ten o'clock. I'm doing the best I can, and tomorrow, I will try to have her feed herself while I read and we'll see what happens).
Monday, December 15, 2014
Package from Aunt Bonnie
I did another video today for you all. Videos work better because then you can see her expressions. Anything except for the almost constant stoic expression is really hard for me to catch with camera.
And, this has been a really hectic day. I knew this morning that we were going to be getting a visit from the nurse, but then around 10:00 this morning, a social worker called and asked if she could drop by. "Yes, of course," I said, and so she came and she was just about one of the nicest people I've ever met. She gave me a lot of tips about how to access ways to help care for mom. Like wheelchair compatible transportation and so on. She also said that the reason that PA is so wonderful when it comes to helping care for the elderly is our Lottery. She said that PA is the only state in the Union where all the profits from the lottery help the elderly. Of course, I remembered Daddy buying all those lottery tickets for all those years. So, in a round about way, he helped provide all these wonderful services for Mommy.
Anyway, while the social worker was here, an occupational therapist called and asked if he could also stop by today, and, of course, I was really excited to have more help.
That meant that Mommy (and I) got a short nap between the nurse's visit (after the social worker left) and the visit from the occupational therapist.
But, all those visits took their toll on me as I am worn out and have no energy for a long blog post telling all that the three visitors helped with and gave hints about.
So, to end this post, here is a video of her unwrapping a package from Aunt Bonnie.
Click here to see it :-)
And, this has been a really hectic day. I knew this morning that we were going to be getting a visit from the nurse, but then around 10:00 this morning, a social worker called and asked if she could drop by. "Yes, of course," I said, and so she came and she was just about one of the nicest people I've ever met. She gave me a lot of tips about how to access ways to help care for mom. Like wheelchair compatible transportation and so on. She also said that the reason that PA is so wonderful when it comes to helping care for the elderly is our Lottery. She said that PA is the only state in the Union where all the profits from the lottery help the elderly. Of course, I remembered Daddy buying all those lottery tickets for all those years. So, in a round about way, he helped provide all these wonderful services for Mommy.
Anyway, while the social worker was here, an occupational therapist called and asked if he could also stop by today, and, of course, I was really excited to have more help.
That meant that Mommy (and I) got a short nap between the nurse's visit (after the social worker left) and the visit from the occupational therapist.
But, all those visits took their toll on me as I am worn out and have no energy for a long blog post telling all that the three visitors helped with and gave hints about.
So, to end this post, here is a video of her unwrapping a package from Aunt Bonnie.
Click here to see it :-)
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Christmas Tree Exercises
The physical therapist wanted her to practice reaching for things, and so we decorated the tree some today for exercising.
I made you all a video of it. I thought you might like to see how Mommy is doing and how I am tricking her into doing her exercising. I'm pretty proud of me - plus, as David noted, "We're getting the tree decorated too."
Click here to see it :-)
I made you all a video of it. I thought you might like to see how Mommy is doing and how I am tricking her into doing her exercising. I'm pretty proud of me - plus, as David noted, "We're getting the tree decorated too."
Click here to see it :-)
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