Pat's Post from Sat and Sunday! POD 10 & 11

Hi all –

Since I was not able to blog, I decided to crate this word document to inform you of the happenings down here with mom and dad.  If anyone wants to attach this to the blog, please do so.  I feel that it is easier for me to write this way with a full keyboard instead of the hunt peck method with my large thumbs.

Thursday June 28, 2012

·         Andrew and I arrive at 8:00 pm met with mom, dad and Sheilah.  Took transition picture with Sheilah and she posted it on the blog.  Reviewed mom’s treatments and went over daily procedures – time, quantity and reps.  Discussed what needs to be done on daily basis etc.

Friday June 29, 2012

·         Heard beeping in house, Sheilah and I determined it to be a battery in smoke detector.  Asked mom and dad about the beeping noise and they could not here it.     Asked when the last time they changed the battery and they said 2 ½ years ago.  Decided it was time to change the batteries.  Andrew replaced the batteries later in the day and confirmed it was last replaced in January 2010.

·         Replaced furnace filter in hallway by bedrooms.  Last replaced was February 2012.

·         Vacuumed the upper level.  Not only is the vacuum heavy, but the suction is so great that it is difficult to pull back and forth to vacuum.  Can someone else please concur?

·         Andrew took Sheilah to the airport and evidently had a good visit with Sheilah. ·         Went to Physical Therapy today and Chuck had the walker raised 1”.  Mom is walking more erect now and is able to use the walker for exercising and get better effect of the exercise with the walker at the higher position.

·         Bought in the walking sticks as asked by Sheilah; mom refuses to use them because she is unsure on them.  Chuck had mom use the sticks to walk 100’ towards the door and back.  Chuck commented that she was doing quite well.  When I talked to mom after the session she said that she will refuse to use the sticks because she feels more secure with the walker.  I explained that we are not trying to get rid of the walker at this time, but we are trying to get her to use the sticks as the next support apparatus.  We do not expect her to go immediately from walker to sticks without any transition period between.  I than surprised her and told her that I just added that to her daily exercise program, she is to walk with the walking sticks twice a day on the deck back and forth for a period of time that she feels comfortable.  I hope that isn’t too much to ask of her.

·         Chuck added another stretching exercise to work on in addition to her other ones; it is to be done to strengthen the back part of the calves.  I placed the sheet with the others to work on when exercising.

·         Reviewed Dads prescriptions with the pharmacist at Food City.  Doctor renewed all prescriptions at the same time so that they all will renew at the same time next year.  Mom and Dad are confused why that the prescription says one more refill and the pharmacist needs to contact the doctor.  Prescription had expired.  Pharmacist says that if they order their prescriptions one week before they need them that he would contact the doctor to renew the script.  I explained that to mom and dad and they will order the prescriptions a week early now.

·         At dinner time, Dad suggested to mom to get her hair done, he said “I only want you to look the best that you can so that you will feel better, more back to normal”.  Mom said that she washed her hair with Sheilah and that she will wash and set her hair tomorrow.

·         During her exercises this evening, mom cursed me out a half dozen times and than shot me with her finger gun another half dozen times.  She said that she wanted Sheilah back, “Sheilah was tough, but you are absolutely difficult”.

·         Seepage on the bandage this evening was rectangular in shape a little larger than a postage stamp.  Since Sheilah thought that the exercising was the cause of the seepage, I suggested that we exercise earlier tomorrow (preferably before dinner) wait until after dinner to change the dressing and see how well the bandage looks Sunday morning.  No comment from mom at this time.  Does this idea have any merit or not?

·         I was pressing on the sides of the incision above the bandage this evening and while doing so, mom said “Ouch”.  I revisited the area and asked if it hurts and she said yes.  Is there going to be a tender area due to the incision?  I know with my knee surgery, if I hit my knee in a certain area I still get a sharp pain up and down my leg.  I am thinking that this is the pain mom is feeling when I checked this area out.  I will review this with her again tomorrow.

·         Andrew wanted to go miniature golfing, he felt the need to teach me a lesson on the golf links.  I asked if he wanted a 36 hole mini-tournament and he agreed.  Andrew wins the front 18 holes by 4 strokes, I win the back 18 holes by 5 strokes. I win the tournament by 1 stroke.  He is seeking security cameras to see if I was cheating.

·         Returned home after golf tournament and was greeted be the beeping noise that we thought was the fire detectors.  Will look tomorrow for that sound.

Saturday June 30, 2012

• At breakfast this morning mom announced that she was able to roll over in bed without any pain last night.  Very promising news.
• I asked mom how she was feeling this morning and she said that her legs were sore.  I explained to her that this was good and that when she doesn’t feel sore in the legs anymore that would mean she was better.  She did not like this answer, I think she wanted sympathy from me and I was not giving it to her.
• Asked mom to do exercise at 9:00 am, she said that she was good enough to do them by herself.  I told her that we came down to help and to let us help.
• Dad talked to her a few minutes and came to the kitchen where I was and said that she was ready to exercise.  He said that he did not realize how stubborn she could be.
• Mom volunteered to use the walking sticks and we walked on the back porch for a few minutes.  She was able to go to the planter boxes on the railing and pull the dead plants.  I believe that she really enjoyed being outside.
• Washed the Green Subaru.  Cleaned inside, outside and washed the windows.

• Andrew was concerned that the oil light reminder was coming on in the Prius that we drove down here.  I asked Dad where the nearest Toyota shop or Jiffy Lube location was because Andrew wanted the oil changed.  According to Dad, the nearest location was Knoxville and that he has his oil changed at Wal-Mart.  I let Andrew know this and he volunteered to take the car in.  While waiting for the car, Andrew became hungry so he purchased some animal crackers and went outside to eat them.  A few moments later someone came out and asked him if he was hungry they would get him a sandwich.  Fortunately, he declined the southern hospitality and explained he was waiting for his car and thanked them anyway.

• Mom was telling me how to make hotdogs for lunch and that she and dad had already eaten.  I looked at her and said that I have made hot dogs before and that I wanted to wait for Andrew.  Mom gives me the sigh that she does and gets up to walk out of the family room to the dining room where dad was walking out of the kitchen to the dining room.  Dad asked mom where she was going and said that she was going to take a nap.  Dad said that that sounded good and that he would take a nap with her.  I told them that I would be quiet and dad turned his head to me and said “You do that”.