A Mother's Day,,, of sorts!
Ohhhhhhhhhh PEOPLE! Life is taking a turn! This has been ONE of the busiest weeks of my life... with THE busiest week yet to come... and Mom is losing ground again. She has sloooooowed almost to a halt. Getting her across a parking lot has become an all day affair. Yesterday I was serving Mother's Day Brunch to the Preschooler's and their Mom's at church, and fortunately I always allow myself PLENTY of time - but Mom was moving ever so slowly - I really wanted to take her hand and DRAG her but I didn't! I turned around though and said "c'mon Mom... pick it up - just a LITTLE..." and she said, "well, these dogs keep runnin' in and out of my legs!" People, there weren't ANY dogs in the neighborhood! There weren't even any crickets or grasshoppers! I'm not sure - there MIGHT have been some ants! Oy VEY!We are also having bladder issues. Or pants issues. We're not sure WHAT is causing it - sometimes her pants are wet - and sOmetimes her bed is wet - but MANY times everything is DRY - but virtually EVERY morning we have a naked from the waist down Mom wandering the house! This is a scary sight to wake up too, let me tell you! It takes you out of that sleep stupor post haste! I wish it took her out of HER stupor! I don't know WHY I bother to ask her why her pants are off... but excuses can be anything from "he was holding me down and wouldn't let me get up!" to "well, I thought the others were comin' along behind me..." to "because I couldn't find that cup." ??? "Which cup Mom?" "THAT one right THERE!" *points to cup* Oh... well... it's right there! Put your pants on!
This morning she is sO out of it that when I asked her why her pants were off (and laying over the kitchen trashcan, by the way) she did not even recognize that I was speaking to her. Her head did not turn in my direction, and she just continued to gaze off into space. I moved myself so I was right smack in front of her and spoke again. She looked up at me but no lights were coming on. I had to literally YELL her name to get her attention! And not Mom -- I had to say LOUISE! However, once I had her attention, it only took us an hour to get pants, shirt, and shoes on her. And a little while ago she told Dennis and I that "those sure are some pretty flowers coming up out there on the plantation." She was pointing to the "deck", of course! I was IMPRESSED she thought up plantation though! That's a BIG word for her!
Sooooooo... WE are celebrating Mother's Day here TODAY! The kids are coming over this afternoon and Dennis is picking up a bushel of crabs, and we are just going to relax and eat and talk and laugh... We're doing it today because Mathew has to work tomorrow and on Saturday Amanda won't be in a hurry to leave to get Luz home for bed for school the next day.
So, this is the last day of my immediate business! After church tomorrow I will have time to come visit EVERYBODY and get all caught up with y'all! I think! (things pop up out of nowhere these days..... I think I have a certain block of time to get "this" done, and all of a sudden whoooops it's gone! and I'm rearranging my schedule again...) But I AM coming around now to see some of you - right now!
posted by Melli at
10:27 AM
14 comment(s):
I'm so sorry about your MIL!! How disconcerting. I just feel so bad for her -- and for you -- especially because there is no hope of it getting better.
But I hope you have a wonderful, fun time today with all the kids!!
And I hope the class you're teaching goes well. It's tomorrow, isn't it?
By
Anonymous, at
5/08/2010 12:01 PM
Oh my darlin' I'm sorry to hear this. I ask this with all the love there is for you but wouldn't it be easier to put her in a care home? I know it's expensive and I know that it's hard to do that to love ones but sometime there comes a point in time when for everyone's sake it is the best thing to do. Tough on you and the family and know that I send all my aloha to you all. :) Have a wonderful Mother's Day :) xoxox
By
Anonymous, at
5/08/2010 1:01 PM
I agree with Thom. Caregivers often are the LAST to take care of themselves. Just make sure YOU are OK too! I'm praying for the situation. And I hope you have LOVELY Mother's Day Celebration. You deserve it!
Love,
Susan
By
Susan, at
5/08/2010 1:43 PM
I am so sorry your MIL is getting worse. Is this going to curtail Dennis's trip? And how much longer before she needs the type of care you can't provide? I am praying.
By
Charlene Amsden, at
5/08/2010 2:31 PM
I see it with Chantal what you are both going through. Meanwhile we think that her husband has Alzheimer too on top of his damaged brain, what is strange is that he has the same behavior than mom ! without pants (and he went so in the garden ! ) and slower than a snail ! It takes him at least 20 min to get down the stairs with only few steps and when their dog is sitting at the end on the floor he refuses to go down because of the big black monster, but in the kitchen he eats with the dog from the same plate !
I hope at least you had a good laugh and fun with your family ! Dario invited us to a nice restaurant and his friend and pregnant wife came too we had a real nice time ! There seams to be a Babyboom amongst his friends, 3 of them are awaiting the second baby for October, November and December, and Shirley now in June !
By
Ingrid, at
5/08/2010 4:41 PM
I feel your pain my friend. It is not easy taking care of someone whose mind is slipping. You are in my prayers!
Happy Mother's Day!!
By
Jane, at
5/08/2010 10:13 PM
Hi! I"m new follower to your blog. It's tough being a caretaker, I've been there for my mother. My thoughts and prayers are for you. If you have some time I'm a brand new baby blogger and come visit. My blog is http://somewondersoflife.blogspot.com/
By
Rose, at
5/09/2010 12:12 AM
I'm sorry about Mom. You must have the patience of a saint having to cope with that daily.
I hope you'll have a great Mother's da though!
By
Jientje, at
5/09/2010 1:32 AM
Happy Mother's Day Melli!!!
Check out Dackel Princess. I have an entry up about Einstein, the World's Smallest Horse!
By
Maribeth, at
5/09/2010 8:10 AM
Happy Mothers Day Melli!
By
A Lady's Life, at
5/09/2010 2:55 PM
Hope you a wonderful Mother's Day, Melli!!!
By
MaR, at
5/10/2010 8:37 AM
Oh my! I'm so sorry to hear it's getting harder with Mom. :( That has got to be so tough on you!
A belated HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! I hope, even with the glitches and such, that your day was special and filled with lots of love. :)
By
Unknown, at
5/10/2010 12:52 PM
Oh, Melli! I'm sorry that things are turning down for your MIL. So many times the stories you tell make me smile, but this one made me sad.
I do hope you had a lovely Mother's Day celebration. (Nothing wrong with a day early!)
By
Karen (formerly kcinnova), at
5/10/2010 5:26 PM
I see your sense of humor is still intact. So sorry to hear that Louise is losing ground. I'm glad you could all get together to celebrate Mother's day. Gotcha all prayed up babe. We are home now and I'm resolved to be a better blogger, slimmer, smarter, a better cook and a whole lot of other things! Hope wishing makes it so. Miss you.
By
Lazy Daisy, at
5/13/2010 4:14 PM
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