Please make it stop!

Yesterday (Wed.) my mom learned that she has a 2 cm lesion on one of her lungs. She is a 2 time cancer survivor. She's also lived under an enormous amount of stress in the last 13 months.

So, she is set to have a CT scan on Monday. My Dad is set to have one on Tuesday to see if he is still collecting fluid in his abodmen. I hope that both of the CTs turn out with negative results -- no cancer, and no fluid.

But yesterday evening, after having dinner w/ me and my boys (hubby is traveling AGAIN!), mom's car started giving her problems on the drive home. A friend gave her a ride home, so I didn't have to get back out. But that left her carless for today. And she had a medical appointment this morning. A friend of mine took mom to that appointment, as I was supposed to be at the nursing home for a care meeting for my dad.

So I picked mom up there and we did all the stuff together that she would have done on her own, had she had a car. The service guys at the Buick house told me this afternoon that "they had loaner cars." Thank goodness we'd not rented a car for mom yet. So, at 5:20 p.m. I'm finally home w/ my boys after a full day of errands and meetings for and with my parents.

Exhausting.

But...Dad will be released from the nursing home next week Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the CT results.

Back from Galveston

We're back from a week at the beach. Hurricane Dolly hit the Texas coast much further south than Galveston, but she still affected our weather. More cloudy and rainy days that not, but that was a blessing. We'd have all gotten sunburned early in the week if Dollly hadn't arrived. As it was, we all got sunburned on our last day there.

The waves/storm surge were/was incredible. We actually went to the beach on the day that Dolly hit and the waves were huge compared to the first day there. The boys enjoyed standing there and getting hit by the big waves.

I enjoyed the seafood at the various restaurants. Again, Casey's Seafood Cafe wins out www.gaidosofgalveston.com as the best seafood place. Their pecan pie dessert is absolutely wonderful.
They have lots of waitresses from Moldova working there this summer. Just an interesting fact.

If you're looking for a nice get-away, I'd recommend the beach house we rented: http://www.galvestonrentalhome.com. It's close to the beach, not in an overcrowded area and has all the amenities of home. Just take extra soap and toilet paper! They even have a washer and dryer on site and that made it soooo nice. I did not have to come home with suitcases full of dirty laundry! That's a vacation in and of itself.

Life is better

Mom is out of the hospital -- has been since Thursday evening. Dad got moved to a skilled nursing facility on Friday. I spent ALL DAY Saturday helping my mom get my dad settled and getting her ready to be at home on her own.

My little family is out of town for a much deserved rest. We left later than we planned, but we're here now and I'm looking forward to time away.

Next parental update

Mom is improving. The intestinal blockage is easing. She's now on a liquid diet. If she continues to improve, she'll probably be discharged in the next 24 hours.

My dad was going to be released from Plano Specialty Hospital to home, but now that Mom's in the hospital, I've nixed that plan. I have dad being evaluated by 2 different skilled nursing facilities (nursing homes). I'm praying that the facility closest to Mom and Dad's house will accept him so that he'll be very close to home and that will make it easy for mom to visit him.

Once there, dad will receive the rest of his IV antibiotics and will receive all of his therapies (speech, physical and occupational) so that he can regain his strength and return home. Dad will get a PIC-line inserted tomorrow. He's worried about it, but it's a very routine thing. I don't think it will be a big deal.

Must go sleep. Because I only slept 14 hours last night. ha

Parental updates

Tuesday's update:

Dad
----
Am waiting on a call from the gerenterologist to learn why he refuses to increase my dad's nutrition to 10 cans / day. That's what dad needs in order to maintain a healthy weight. I am bamboozled that the dr. will not believe what dad's GP, and dad's nutritionist both say is required to maintain a healthy weight.

Also want to learn how much longer he thinks Dad needs to stay there.

talked with the consulting neuropsychologist. Gave him the run down on dad. He is not going to change any meds. Yeah!

Learned that dad has 42 medicare days left for a skilled nursing facility. This is a good thing.


Mom
----
she has had a bad headache due to Morfine. Got that switched to Dalaudid (sp?) Her xrays this a.m. showed that she is improving very slowly.

I called the gastroenterologist and asked her to consult w/ the surgeon and call me tonight after she'd made rounds.



Also got dental appointments made for both parents for the month of August.

Now I'm off to bring in mail, pick up newspapers, feed their cat, take care of some laundry at their house and leave a key w/ their next door neighboor so they can handle the first 3 items on this list for me until mom gets back home.

Ugh.

And now my kids are grumpy. So am I.

Another Hospital stay?!?

Mom is in the hospital now too. At least I got her at a facility that is across the street from Daddy's. Must go fight the good fight for her today. With occasional trips across the street to make sure Dad is being tended to as well.

Same Song, Second Verse

I am on a merry-go-round and cannot seem to get off.

Today, I went to see my dad at the long term acute care (LTAC) hospital he's currently staying in. I specifically went to give him a haircut since he's soooo shaggy.

When I got there and worked on cutting his hair, the cradle cap on his bald head (it's NOT like the workers couldn't see see!) was SO bad that I wanted to be sick. I left the room and found the head of nursing. I asked her to come to Daddy's room. I showed her his head and the towel I was using to try to clean his head. I told her that Daddy should NOT have to be that dirty. I told her in no uncertain terms that I wanted his hair shampooed. I told her I was NOT happy.

I also asked her to find out from the wound care nurse if Daddy could take a shower. She reported that the wound care nurse said he COULD shower as long as the nurses redress his wounds. I told her I wanted Daddy showered and his head shampooed today.

Well, the tech. came by the room and said since Daddy had already had a sponge bath today, she would shampoo his hair, but would save the shower for Thursday.

What is it about the people who work in these facilities that make them blind (and unable to smell) to the state of the patients?

And on top of it all, I think my mom is getting sick. She was so exhausted that she could not go to the LTAC today. She sounds like she's getting sick. She's doing too much and doesn't have time to take care of herself. I cannot be all things to all people. I'd just like to have my sibling show up and pitch in and help care for our parents. Oh well....

Daddy is to have a CT scan of his abdomen tomorrow to see if the infection is gone. I hope and pray that it is. Then we can work on strengthening him and get him out of the LTAC.

Who'd have ever thought that an appendectomy would lead to all of this?

Missing you

My Nana has been gone for two years today. Since it's a holiday, we all slept late. I woke up just about the time she passed away two years ago. It was odd to awaken and know that that was the time she'd departed this earth. As a Christian, i know that Nana is in heaven and that I will see her again someday. But it's just a bit sad to realize that it's already been two years.

Of course, I'm glad that Nana was spared seeing all that my Dad has been through. That alone would have killed her.

God's timing is always best.