This blog was formerly dedicated in 2009 to my Dad who died of Alzheimer's in 2013. It's been three years now...and I find myself missing blogging...so I am re-inventing my blog... because, after all, life is about moving through, and going forward...

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mother's Day and a great visit with Dad...

Mom wanted to attend first service for church, since we were meeting my sister and niece for our annual lunch at Chili's and movie.  I was so tired I could hardly focus, but pulled myself together in less than 15 minutes and went to church with Mom.

After church we went out for oatmeal, my treat.  Just something light before lunch.  Got back to her house and I gave her texting lessons.  My sister and I keep teaching her...hopefully, this time, it will stick.  I helped her with her GMail and got those questions answered.

Having pre-bought the show tickets the night before, we drove to Chili's and met my sister and her daughter.  We enjoyed a wonderful lunch and exchanged gifts and cards.  My sister was so creative (as usual) and made frames for both Mom and I.  She also took some of those extra soft comfy socks and swirled them inside a cute pink and white Happy Mother's Day muffin sized baking cup, making it look like an pink iced cupcake.  She made us rice packs which are good for heat or cold.  Mine had hearts and a little dog that looked like Izzy...(I would post a pic, but I am still too tired and so far behind in my blog...maybe she will post pics on her blog....HINT HINT my sister....)

We had some extra time after lunch before the show started, so we went into Barnes and Noble.  I bought the May/June WRITER'S DIGEST magazine and it is packed full of great articles...My sister and niece went into Old Navy...

We really enjoyed LETTERS TO JULIET.  I LOVE anything to do with Italy, but it was a darling movie.  The young male actor reminded me so much of Heath Ledger.  I miss Heath. 

Afterward, Mom and I went to visit Dad in ICU. Mom and I had to dawn our masks, gloves and blue plastic robes.  We put them over us, keeping our purses over our shoulders.  We each cracked up at one another as we looked like blow up Michelin Men. Dad looked so much better, even his upper lip was not as swollen.  He was much easier to understand when he spoke to us.  His nurse told us last night he had not been putting out any urine and his blood pressure was very low.  They increased fluids through his IV and he had done much better today.

He told us we were "life savers" for coming to visit.  I fed him two cups of chocolate ice cream and he drank an entire large cup of water through a straw.  I noticed he could lift his head up and not recoil in pain and hold his neck like he did Friday in the ER.  That's awful fast healing for a 89 year old!!!

The nurse told us Dad was a delight and was no trouble at all.  Dad told us he wanted to marry her.  We all laughed.  We told her he will not ask for anything, so please ask if he is hungry, warm enough etc.  I shared with her what his favorite snacks were.  Dad told me he had been cold last night, so we got him another blanket and put it on him and got him all cozy.

We told Dad to rest, take his meds and follow his instructions so he could get better and return to Doctor-Doctor.  He promised he would.

I told him how lucky he was he did not break any bones. Dad agreed. I asked him again what had happened. He told me he was trying to get in the wheel chair. When I asked how he got outside, he said, "Oh yeah, I wanted to go get some ice cream. " I asked if he was walking too fast and he told me, "NO! I was running!" He told me, "I fell hard in the street" and then winced, like he remembered it...

I reminded Dad it was Mother's Day so he sang Happy Mother's Day to each of us.  He took Mom's hand and kissed it.  We threw kisses, which seem so sterile with all the protective garb we have to wear...and he threw a return kiss to each of us.

On the way back to Mom's, we stopped at Marie Callender's for soup, corn bread and a slice of pie to go.  Got home just in time to watch  Amazing Race....

First thing Monday morning, I am calling the nursing home and requesting a meeting at noon.  My three brothers from California, my sister, Mom and I want to get more answers and find out how this happened and more importantly, that it WILL NOT happen again!

4 comments:

Mari said...

I'm glad you had such a nice visit. Your sister sounds so creative - I would love to see pictures. I started with this post, so am now going to the one above, where I hope I will find answers to what happened that night.

Donna B. said...

Hi Mari...Yes, my sister IS VERY CREATIVE and CRAFTY. She is so busy with work she barely has time to post everything on her blog...so I must keep bugging her. Her blog is Allison Wonderland. See it under my favorites and frequent visits...

gayle said...

Glad you dad is getting better!! I do hope you get the answers you need soon!!

betty said...

sounds like you had a nice Mother's Day and I'm glad your dad was doing better and starting to heal; that is amazing at his age indeed!

betty