Thursday, July 14, 2005

Still here

Sorry I haven't posted recently - had a rather rough week. Saturday night my brother had a mild heart attack - he was in the hospital till yesterday. I had my mother staying with me for those few days, she is 84 and suffers from dementia ( I have an apt with a neurologist set up to see if it is Alzhiemer's) It was a rough few days - she can't walk well and my apt is not really set up for someone who can't get around, plus she was sleeping in the boys room on the bottom bunk and had a hard time getting in and out of bed - mind you that didn't stop her from getting up in the middle of the night and wandering around. She hated sleeping in there because it was "dark" mind you I had lights on for her. She sees people who aren't there and has conversations with inanimate objects and has no idea who I am half the time. I have been trying to get a home care attendant for her - all the paper work is in and a social worker as been assigned to her case, but bureaucracy moves very very slowly. Joseph is home now and my mother is back in her apt where she can get around better and I am back at work today - trying to catch up on all the work that has piled up the last 3 day. Next week I will be in CT on a business trip. I just hope I can get my mother a home care attendant before Joseph goes back to work in a week.

All this has taught me one thing, make arrangements now for your future - don't wait till you are old and sick and can't afford to take care of things. Well now that I have depressed everyone sufficiently - I will post again later with more up beat news and knitting content - I have pictures to post and thanks to send.

4 comments:

Heather said...

I am so sorry you have had such a rough week. Blessings and healing to you and your family.

Deneen said...

I am so sorry about your brother. I feel for you with your mother. Dementia is tough, it's hard when they don't even know who you are and that you're trying to help. I hope the paperwork moves a long quickly for you. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Unknown said...

*hugs*
Will be sending positive energy your way.
Good point to make about planning now for things in the future.
As the cost of health care rises (at a seemingly unstoppable rate) it would be wise to sit aside not only money for retirement but also for the unthinkable. (ok off my soapbox.)
Take care and good luck hun.

Trixie said...

Honey, I am so sorry about the week. My Great Grand mother lived with us until she was 104. In those last years mobility was limited, personal care was an issue, and she was blind. She only wanted specific people to care for her and was using two hearing aids. She wasn't always clear. It was an incredible drain on my mother who literally collasped when Granny passed away. She couldn't work for months and months. It is a normal response to care taking. Exhaustion. Make plans now for respite care for yourself and your brother so that you get a break once in awhile. Hang in there. We love you.