1-14-2012

"Jubilee" would be an interesting word for today's visit.

I got there shortly after noon, and found Mom walking down the other hallway that leads to their activity area  (as opposed to the one her apartment on), and not using either her walker or her cane.  'Hi Mom - what are you doing?'

"I need to go change clothes, I've had an accident. It's so embarassing"


Don't worry, Mom.  Let's find your walker and go to your apartment.  

She hadn't been wearing any of her Depends, which I asked about and got a story about how they keep coming in and taking them out of her closet.  I looked and all she had were these large diapers, rather than the pull up kind.  I made a mental note to buy her some more.

Her room was WAY too hot again, and the clothes changing process took a long time. I ended up needing to help her.  She was trying to put her pants on with her shoes on, and got stuck.  On a positive note, I saw that her toenails had been trimmed.  I asked her if she had seen the podiatrist.

"Yes, and don't my toes look so much better?" They sure do, Mom.

"Don't say anything to the nurses about my diapers being missing."

Why not, Mom?  If things are missing, I should talk to them about it, and they should be able to give you more. They have them here.'

"I don't want to get blacklisted.  You know how that goes...everyone just talking behind my back and turning their heads on me."

I wouldn't worry about that, Mom.  It is their job to help take care of you.

We started walking toward the jubilee, using her walker.  It took us 15 minutes to get from her room to downstairs, and she was very wobbly the whole way.  One of the nurses came behind us and rather than go around, she stayed with us...coaching Mom on how to lift up her knees and stand closer to her walker.  I should have been doing a better job.

We finally got to the "Jubilee" and sat down to be served.  "You're going to eat with me too?" Yep.  "Cool!  I'll take every minute I can get."

We chit chatted about the food and decorations, and I talked briefly to the other woman at our table.  Then Mom said "Speaking of borrowing.  I could sure use some money."  For what, Mom?  "In case I want to buy stuff when I go out."  I just kept eating... a few minutes later "I think I want to buy a bicycle."

What are you going to do with a bicycle, Mom? All I could think about was the difficulty she had walking here.

"So that I can go riding outside, around the block.  It should be around $26 dollars."  Oh, ok...well you might want to wait until the weather gets a little warmer.  I went up to get us some dessert, and brought back a plate with 4 little bon bons on it for us to share, and was very impressed when Mom only ate one and then said she had enough.  "There is so much sugar in that."

If only she could have thought that way 10 years ago.  Even worse...that thought didn't stop me from eating the 3rd one, which I shouldn't have done.  We made our way back up to her room, at about the same pace we came down at and chatting along the way.  "So when are we going home?"

This is your home, Mom.  "No, I mean to the place I was before."

This is where you live now, Mom. "I know! You've said that 2 times already."

Stay closer to the walker Mom, and remember to pick your knees up.

I had brought my good camera, but didn't take any pictures.  There wasn't really anything I wanted to capture today.