Happy with ice cream...

My youngest brother E___ visited Dad this morning.  I just received his email, so am posting it now.  My brother found him in the dining room enjoying some ice cream.  He took the following picture, and the post below is the email he sent, sharing his visit with Dad.

Pops said he can fly and look over us. Higher you go up the longer you live. 

He prays every night to bless his union. To be warm, happy and sexual. 

His wife is Dr. Dr. And he has more. He flirts with them.

He said I was very handsome. Likes my blue shirt with my blue eyes.
Love and respect is most important he said.
He's known all around the world.

I told him a quote I heard and he loved it. It was..."You can watch things happen
You can make things happen
Or you can wonder what the hell happened."

He laughed big. : )

Love,

E___

Road Trip...California here I come...

First and foremost, I want to apologise to all my blog friends.  I have been way behind responding back to your comments, and visiting you..  I can't promise I will have much time in CALI, but upon my return, I WILL catch up! Once this Reverse Mortgage is behind us, I think things will get back to me spending more time on the computer.

I leave this morning for Corona to enjoy the day with my youngest daughter.  The one who is pregnant with her first baby, our 9th grand child! 

Friday morning, I leave my daughter and drive to the nursing home in West Covina to visit Dad.  Then over to Mom's for lunch and a movie.  At 5:30pm I meet my sister after she gets off work and spend the night with her.

Saturday morning, we both will attend a Journal Art Demo at STAMP YOUR HEART OUT in Claremont, CA.  The demo is being conducted by Marylinn Kelly at http://marylinnmlkelly.blogspot.com/
I had met Marylinn blogging online.  Turns out she knew my sister and used to work with her at the stamp store, STAMP YOUR HEART OUT.  My sister used to demo making cards.  Both of them had lost touch over the years and were so happy to reconnect.  This will be my first time meeting her.  Hopefully, she will have time to go out to lunch....

After the demo (lunch?) I drive back to Mom's and spend the rest of the day and evening with her. 

Sunday morning, Mother's Day, is our traditional lunch and a movie with Mom and my sister.  We also celebrate my sister's birthday, which is a few days later.  Afterwards, I drive to Beaumont, CA to stay with my eldest daughter, her husband and play with my two grand sons....

Although, I may have some competition, as my grand son's other Grandma gave them a three story fort complete with rock wall, something to drive and all kinds of stuff that makes little boys do their homework so they can get outside and play on it!!!

The youngest grand son has an Award ceremony at 11am on Tuesday, so I must attend that before I return home to pick up Izzy from boarding.  She has been so good lately....she is really turning out to be a wonderful pet!

My husband is working and having two of his buddies visit while I am away.  They are generally gone most of the time, and we all know, Izzy would not do well with three men!  She was watching me back her little suitcase, and she gets excited to go to the Vets.  The staff there are wonderful with her.  Izzy loves being around the other dogs, going on walks and having her treats...so it is working out for now...but I hope to have my husband putting on her halter / leash, himself, and walking her.  Maybe next year...

Can't wait to get on THE ROAD TO LOVE....talk with you soon!!

Mariachi Madness...

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!!
                                                  
The nursing home had a Cinco de Mayo celebration today.  One of the nurses called me (HOORAY!!) to inform me that Dad slipped out of his wheel chair and landed on his boo-tay.  Apparently, Dad lovin' the Mariachi music; he was "rockin' out", chair dancin' in his wheel chair, got carried away, and fell.

Thankfully, he was not bruised or hurt.  He had no complaints other than the Aides who were helping him get back in his chair, were hindering him from swinging his arms and snapping his fingers!

I had to laugh.  I can just see Dad swingin' and a swayin' to the music.  If I had been there, I would have been dancin' with him!

Dad rushed to the hospital...

I was out running errands and Mom called to tell me the nursing home had sent Dad to the hospital. (THEY DID NOT CALL ME FIRST, AGAIN!!!!)  Mom was a wreck...and had just made herself lunch, when she got the call.  She told me she felt like she had a bowling ball in her stomach and no appetite.

Apparently, Dad was sitting in the dining room drinking some coffee and was spilling it on himself.  When the Aide went to him, Dad was unresponsive.  They called 911. 

Dad spoke a few words to the 911 people, mostly kept his eyes closed, and responded only to pain stimuli.  I know Dad will go into "combat mode" when he is afraid and going somewhere strange.  He closes his eyes and won't talk to anyone unless he feels safe.

Mom sent out a fast email to everyone and told me she was off to the hospital.  She had taken the day off to work on the Medi-Cal paperwork...

I sent a text to everyone.  I just got home and called the hospital.  They transferred me to the ER, and then to Mom.  She is sitting with Dad.  The doctor discovered Dad has a bladder infection, so they are treating him with antibiotics.  He does not seem to have any paralysis.  We were concerned he may have had a stroke.

Ironically, the doctor has a Father with Alzheimer's and suggested not doing a battery of tests on Dad.  Mom told him she did not want him to be traumatized or upset.  The doctor agreed and said they would only do tests which would disturb Dad the least. The doctor told Mom he would probably keep Dad over night.

5:49pm  My sister just called.  She spoke with Mom who was on her way home from the hospital.  The doctor determined Dad could return to the nursing home and did not have to stay in the hospital.  What a relief!  Just has a bladder infection, so he must have felt pretty lousy, and no doubt, disoriented.  Closing his eyes, is something Dad also does to concentrate or to disengage himself.  If something is unpleasant to him, he will just close his eyes and take himself to a nicer place.

I am soooooooooooooo relieved!  I want to thank all of you for the prayers, I know you all prayed for Dad...  and the prayers were heard!

6pm The nursing home called me...HOORAY!!! Dad is safe and sound back in his bed.  Am so glad he did not have to stay at the hospital.  I know he will feel more comfortable there.  The nurse told me he was sleeping and had not eaten any dinner.  I told her he was probably exhausted from being in pain.  Once the antibiotics kick in, and he gets some shut eye...he will no doubt wake up STARVING and RAVENOUS!

Welcome back Dad....sleep tight.

The yawn and the short of it....

Mom went to visit Dad today. Mom had brought him a beautiful prayer blanket, made by some church friends.  Dad was sitting in his wheel chair in the hall by the nursing station.  Mom greeted him and showed him the prayer blanket.  Dad smiled, looked at it and told her he had already seen it...

It was such a pretty day, so when one of the male Aides walked up and offered to push Dad's wheel chair out onto the patio, Mom thanked him, but told him she could manage herself.  Dad turned and said "NO! I want to go to my room."

Dad wanted to get into his bed, so the Aide helped him get comfortable.  Mom tried to call me on my cell phone, knowing I had not got a hold of him the day before...Unfortunately, I was vacuuming and washing floors and did not hear the phone...

Mom attempted to chat with Dad, but everything she discussed, Dad told her he had heard about it before... Dad began to tell Mom he was going to be traveling to Mars...Mom was not sure she had heard him correctly, and asked him to repeat what he said.  Dad yawned and shut his eyes.  Mom asked if he was tired.  No answer...Dad was snoring and fast asleep.

Mom informed his Caregiver for the day, Dad was asleep, and asked her to keep an eye on him.  She promised Mom she would.

Shortly after Mom got home, she made herself a nice lunch and sat down to eat.  The phone rang.  It was Medi-Cal.  The caseworker had a thick accent and began talking quickly, giving Mom a list of orders.  Mom had two pages of notes within ten minutes.  The caseworker wanted Mom to open a separate checking account for Dad with no more than $2,000 in it.  Mom explained they had a Trust and the way they did it last year had passed.  The woman hissed at Mom telling her it did not matter and this is what she needs...And she wanted her to fax it to her immediately.

Mom explained she needed her son's help and would need some time.  The caseworker gave her until May 20th and if she had not received the needed paperwork, Dad would no longer be covered by Medi-Cal.

Poor Mom...she is so frazzled.  I will see what I do to help her...

Looking well and happy in red...

My wonderful sister went to visit Dad today.  She found him sitting around a table with other residents.  He looked good in his red shirt, sitting in his wheelchair, with his eyes closed.  It was a bit cool when she arrived, so she took him back to his room and gave him a manicure.

She gives him shoulder and leg massages each time she visits.  It relaxes Dad and prevents him from becoming stiff sitting in the wheelchair.  After awhile, it looked warmer outside, so they moved their visit out onto the patio.

While sitting out on the patio, they noticed his Angel, Doctor-Doctor in another resident's room.  She was making up the bed.  When she saw Dad, she became animated, making silly faces.  She began dancing, and waving at him.  Dad broke out in joyous bursts of belly laughs and waved back at her.

My sister got such a kick out it, and was laughing herself watching Dad's reactions.  She video taped him laughing and joking around with her.  Afterward, she recorded him talking to the family.  The picture was so clear and his voice was loud enough so we could all hear what Dad was saying.

It was such a relief for me.  I felt like I was sitting there on the patio with them.  Hearing both of them laughing and having such fun, made my day.  I had been so frustrated yesterday in not getting a hold of him...so this really warmed my heart and soul.

Obviously, she had a GREAT visit.  I look forward to seeing Dad.  I will leave Nevada on Thursday and visit Dad Friday morning.

Here are two pictures of Dad my sister took.  One of him smiling and one laughing while he watched his Angel making faces and dancing for him....

*&%#@&%$#.....

Tried all FRIGGIN' day to talk with Dad....put on hold, disconnected, call back later, eating, activities, bathroom, passing meds, shower.......HOLY SNOT!!!  Are they makin' up stuff or what???!!!

COLOR ME.....F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-E-D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!