Can You Relate?

My 84 year old Mother emailed this to me today.  We sure had a good laugh!  I can so relate to this... and it brings back bittersweet memories of Dad when he lived at home... We tried all kinds of designated areas and boxes for Dad to place his wallet, glasses, keys, but he could not even remember where the designated area was...

This video reminds us all on the importance of a sense of humor.  Especially now, in these trying times in our world, we just gotta take the time to laugh...

Bless Her Heart and Long May She Dance...

My cousin sent this to me...and as I watched it I had this HUGE SMILE on my face!  90 years old! My Dad loves to dance too...but lately, he does most of his dancing sitting in his wheel chair...

What amazed me is not only her endurance dancing throughout the entire song, with only one time to steady herself with her hand on the wall, but she danced wearing that sweat suit with a turtleneck underneath!  I would had combusted into flames!

Her grandson shot the video and put it on U-Tube.  Apparently she got more than a million hits.  She has done subsequent dances to "Dancing Like Jagger" and "Baby" by Justin Bieber.

Bless her heart and long may she dance!

An Excellent Explanation About The Difference Between The Left and Right Sides of The Brain...

It's late...or should I say, early in the morning...and we have big plans today...so I must get at least a few hours of sleep... but I wanted to share the following video...

It is Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a brain scientist, who, while alone in her apartment,  at the age of 37, had a stroke on the left side of her brain. Being the scientist she is, she found the experience  fascinating and tells us all about it. Her full story is in her book, MY STOKE OF INSIGHT. 

I thought this was so interesting, because after watching it, I feel my Dad operated more from his left brain than he did from his right.  Now I feel he is experiencing the wonder of the right side... what do you think?

Feeling The Love...and Wanting To Pet The Bunny....

Mom and my sister Holly went to visit Dad yesterday.  They found him in the TV room, listening to a church sermon.  He was totally engrossed in what the Chaplin was saying, so they hung back and just observed Dad from the hallway...

Before wheeling Dad out to the patio, Dad introduced my sister to the Chaplain, as "Donna" (me) .  My sister corrected him, and when Dad was flustered, told him it was alright. My sister wheeled Dad out to the patio.  Dad smiled happily in the sun, chatting them both up on how well he was cared for and how happy he was...

My sister did not like how Dad's eye looked, but it is an ongoing problem.  It looks bad, they treat it, it looks better, and then it looks lousy again.  He was to get his shower and shave after lunch, before they put him in bed to elevate his legs.  Mom and my sister both were "poked" by his whiskers, so he really needed a shave!
My sister noticed he needed his nails trimmed, so she cut his nails and massaged his hands.  She always comes prepared to care for Dad.  He thanked her profusely.  Dad was always a well groomed man.

I went to Barber School back in the early 70's, so when I visit Dad, I try to remember my scissors, in case Dad needs to have his ears or eye brows trimmed.  Some times the nursing home stylist misses those details...

The Activities Director came out to visit with all of them.  She brought a baby Jack Rabbit out to show them.  Her husband had found it abandoned in the street.

Isn't it adorable!

Dad LOVES animals, but my sister was protective and would not allow him to hold it.  They put it down on the ground so Dad could enjoy the bunny hopping around in the grass by the shade tree...

See him? (click to enlarge)

Dad's lunch was served and both Mom and Holly each turn turns helping Dad chow down his lunch.  Both of them were starving even more as his lunch looked and smelled delicious!  After he finished his meal, they wheeled him back to visit with his friends.  My sister brought him some punch.

Dad began a discussion with one of his military buddies, so they hugged and kissed him good bye...my sister always stops by the cafeteria window and blows him a kiss...Dad looked for her and smiled as he caught the kiss she blew him...

On the way out, Mom asked the head nurse to PLEASE have all calls directed to me, instead of her.  It seems we always have to remind them, especially after he returns from the hospital when they start a new chart.  The nurse told Mom they had a new night nurse who did not know Dad's situation that well, but she would make sure another note was placed on his chart.

Mom got a call the other night from Dad.  He thought he was talking to my second to the oldest brother, K____.  Dad ranted into Mom's message machine on how he could not reach his Mother and how he wanted to come stay with my brother and his wife.  Dad told him how he would work in the yard and help him...like he used to...

Mom asked if they could please be more creative and dissuade Dad from the calls.  My sister suggested if Dad persists, they should call me (like they are supposed to!!) instead of Mom.  Dad's calls really freak Mom out.  She about jumps out of her skin if she gets one of those night calls...

Thankfully, it sounded like another great visit.

Mom and Holly had planned on having lunch together, but my sister had to get back home to take her husband to pick up his new red Italian Fiat...

My brother in law was one of the first 500 customers to get the new Fiat Prima Edizione .  He was one of the customers in their "Numbers" commercial.  He is #78.  He is wearing a tan shirt and glasses.  He  has deep dimples when he laughs...

Fiat Prima Edizione "Numbers" Commercial


Hard Work, Knowledge, Attitude and Love of God...

Yesterday, my husband's life long,best friend and his wife, drove to our house from their time share at the Hilton, to spend the day together.  They came to town Thursday, but her brother and his wife and family flew into Vegas to visit with them and celebrate some family birthdays.  They decided to meet in Vegas so they could visit with them, but also with us.  We had a great day, as we always do when we get together.  They return to California today.

I checked on Dad, while we were out and he was doing the same.  We are all very blessed to have had the same nurse watch over Dad since his arrival on the third floor of the hospital. We appreciate so much the hard work and dedication of these wonderful people with skilled knowledge who choose this particular work of care giving.  Still stable, and a bit more alert.  He did test positive for the MERS again...I expected it with all the antibiotics he constantly has been taking...

This morning I called and his male nurse told me, despite his Foley catheter, Dad tried to get out of bed.  Thankfully, this particular nurse, who also took care of Dad last May during his fall, keeps close tabs on Dad and got to him before he almost fell out of the bed. We are so very blessed...

Dad can be very determined and stubborn.  He gave the nurse a difficult time about wanting to get up and walk around... so the nurse had to put a chest restraint on him to prevent him from getting out or falling.  He assured me there were no restraints on Dad's wrists.  He could move around the bed, but his movements would be restrained if he tried to sit up or slide out of the bed.  The nurse said he might be able to remove the restraint this afternoon, but it depended on how Dad was doing.

His blood sugar is "like a roller coaster", according to the nurse, mainly due to his bladder infection.  He believes Dad will probably be kept another two to three days. 

I was able to speak with Dad briefly, before his lunch was served.  Dad had just awoke, so his voice sounded garbled.  He was talking a blue streak, and I was having difficulty understanding him, but I think he was telling me he wanted to get up and the "big guy" was making him stay in bed.  He also told me he liked the food but not the coffee.  He likes the coffee better over at "the other place".

I told Dad I was happy he was feeling better and stronger, but he HAD to stay in bed and do what the nurses told him to do, so he can get completely better.  I urged him to keep his usual positive attitude and follow the rules. I reminded him to be humble and be filled with the love of God, assuring him I knew it was a challenge to have to stay in bed.  Dad would always bring up trusting in the Lord and remembering the love of God when mentoring me about some difficulty in  my life... I could tell Dad was smiling when he promised he would "take it as it comes" and follow my advice.

Besides his family, Dad loves mathematics and science.  He also has tremendous love of God.  Both he and Mom have always taught us the value of hard work, knowledge, attitude and the love of God.  Ironically, today, Mom sent me another video via email.  I am including the link below.  Please watch it to the end, and you will see why I chose to share it with you...(nicer if you turn on your sound too :} )

Mathematics

Have a great week every one...