Christmas 2011

We went to Bengi's for dinner, games and a lot of fun and family LOVE.

Mom was very glad that she went. She loves all of her grandkids. I saw her laughing when we were playing the headband game. First time in a long time that I know that she has had a Christmas party that was so much fun.

Mom's Christmas Spirit......

I worked all day yesterday making some cookies and fudge. Bagged, labeled them and then put them in reusable plastic containers, put bows and ribbons on them.

Today we went to hand them out to mom's friends. Mom said "Do I have to go?" I told her "Yes you have to carry the basket". So I loaded her up in the wheel chair with a big basket of goodies on her lap. Now she complained but she enjoyed it a lot more than she thought she was going to. We visited with each one of her friends. It was fun.

Tonight we went to church to listen to the choir put on a "Cantata". It was really beautiful music. She was glad that we went to that also. It takes her a long time to get in and out of the car, but she always enjoys it.

Just trying to get her in the Christmas spirit.

Mom's eating

Yesterday mom didn't get up till 9 am and then she had a really big bowl of cheerios with strawberries.

Monday was cleaning day so we have to be gone for a little longer. We usually leave a little later too, but she wasn't hungry so we did our errands. By the time we got ready to eat it was pouring down rain and she didn't want to get out of the car so we went to Sonic. We never go to Sonic, but she ordered a hamburger, onion rings. She ate all of the lunch and it was a BIG lunch. Then she wanted to go to Starbucks to get coffee. So when I was getting ready to go in she asked me if they still had those Cranberry Blitz's. So I bought her one of those and she ate the whole thing.

My mom has a good appetite. She has gained 6 pounds, but she doesn't get much exercise to work it off.

Washing her clothes

Most of the time I wash mom's clothes. But today she got up and she got them all in the washer. But about 7:00 pm she decided that she had forgot to put them in the dryer.

She couldn't get the door open, so I went in to help. She managed to get the clothes in the dryer. Then she asked for help again, she couldn't get the dryer to come on. The door to the dryer was standing wide open and she was twisting the knob all around. How do you gracefully tell her that the door is open.

When I told her that she needs to shut the door before it will come on. She says that she never had to before. So we shut the door, she twisted the Knob to permanent press and pushed the button and guess what? it started right up.

Christmas

On the way to Edmond to go to Mom's great-grandson's Christmas program. She was telling me about when her 2 sisters worked as Telephone operators in Enid.

Her dad would drive from Waukomis to Enid to pick them up so that they would be home for breakfast at 8 am. Her mom always had a great big breakfast on Christmas Morning and opened their presents.

Carrot Cake

I stopped at McAlister's to bring mom her broccoli cheese soup. I also brought a croissant chicken salad sandwich to split. For desert I got mom a piece of carrot cake. It was a BIG piece of 3 layer cake. She ate the whole thing. I thought that she would save it and eat it later. She must have been really hungry.

Time to take Pills

Put a roast in the crock pot this morning. Sitting at the table eating super at about 6 pm and mom asked if it was OK to take her pills at this time. She has always waited till 8 pm to take her pills. I never really thought anything about it. I told her that there was no particular time that she takes her pills, and that I usually take mine with supper. She looks down at the 7 day pill organizer in front of her and points to the row of the PM pills. She says "It says right here to take the pills between 8 and 10." I never realized until that moment that is why she always took her pills at 8 pm.

Jimmy's Egg

Saturday mom gets her hair done. On the way back upstairs we stopped and asked Beth if she wanted to go with us to lunch. We told her we would be ready in an hour.

I don't know who enjoyed it more Mom or Beth. Food was good as usual and mom got to pay for lunch, Beth didn't want her to, but we got to get the ticket first.

We will do it again.

Forgot MOM

Today we went to social security office. Mom lost her social security card
She keeps saying that they changed her SS# when dad died. I think she has her Medicare and SS mixed up
So we got to SS office we got number 47 and waited because there was just 1 person at the 3 windows About 15 minutes the waiting room was full not one chair was empty. The door opened to the back office and she called out #46 but no one got up so she said #47 I said that's us and I got up and started to the back and instantly remembered I didn't get mom. I turned to get he and EVERYBODY was laughing. I was so embarrassed. I only did this on other time when we were at Golden Oaks. We came down the elevator and I saw a nurse and walked out and started to talk to her but we both turned and saw mom still in elevator. Jennifer gave me a hard time for weeks. OH wait she is still giving me a hard time.

Social Security Card

Mom has lost her Social Security Card so we are off the the Social Security Office to apply for a new card.

Memory Loss

Dealing with a parents memory loss will teach you empathy and compassion.

It makes you want to remember all the good times that you had with your parent.

It's making new memories that you will treasure.

Embrace every moment you have with your mom or dad.

Getting ready for Church

I went to check on mom to see if she was ready for church. She is sitting in her walker with shirt not pulled down and pants at her ankles. She said she can't get dressed. So I helped and then went back to finish. She got to her recliner to put on her shoes.

As I was helping get mom in her wheel chair. She asked me "How much longer are you going to have to do this?". I told her "For as long as it takes"

I then sit down in front if her and told her "As long as you can go to the bathroom by yourself. When as you lose control of that function, then we are going to have to get some help" That made her laugh and she agreed.

I've Learned...

The following is attributed to Andy Rooney of the 60 Minutes television program. He offers great advice and in less than 100 words sums up caregiving like nothing we have seen before. Here is what he reportedly said:

I've learned...
That being kind is more important than being right.
That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him/her in some other way.
That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
That the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?
That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
That I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

Post Office Box

I come back to Enid and asked mom how she had been. She said she had a horrible time. She went down to get the mail and they moved the mail box. She had a time trying to find the mailbox.

I went to check and the mailbox was still in the same spot.

Not sure what she was thinking. She gets so confused.