There's never a totally quiet week it seems. Nothing particularly earth shattering, but always a bit of a roller coaster...so hold on as we go for another ride!! It's just a kiddie coaster this week...
My mom has been complaining about her phone. She says it does not work and that there is a constant busy signal. That is not true, but it does have a stuttered dial tone due to the voicemail she was given when I first got her moved into her current apartment. We never wanted or used the voicemail and have since cancelled it, but the dial tone is still messed up. She talks about it a lot. She calls it a busy signal. Our cable/phone company has been a pain to work with on many occasions so I have put off another phone call to them.
In spite of this problem, the phone does work. In fact, my mom called and left me a message last week to wish me a "Happy Mother's Day". Thoughtful, right!? I also received another call thanking me for everything I do for her. Sometimes I think those calls are prompted by the medical staff where she is living. That particular call came on the day when I know one of the nurses meets with her. It's ok, I'll take what I can get in the positive phone call department.
One morning last week I received a call from one of my mom's good friends. She was heading to visit my mom and wanted to clear with me that she did not have plans. When she got there, my mom was not in her apartment, but the staff did locate her (I believe she was in "the Don's" apartment). This friend of my mom's was diagnosed and treated for ovarian cancer this past year, so she had not seen my mom in about a year. Unfortunately, my mom does not remember this diagnosis. I know she would support her friend if she could. After a few phone calls, they found each other and her friend took her out to lunch -- Olive Garden (again) at my mom's request. It was 0 degrees here that day, but they went anyways. Afterwards, her friend called me to tell me how it went. She said she can tell my mom is "failing". I do know this. It's still hard to hear. Those who see her less frequently are sometimes a better indicator of how much she has changed.
It is true. Just the simple fact that my mom seems to have no ability to put on makeup or do her hair anymore is very telling. She has a curling iron, but never uses it. I guess the part that's hard to come to terms with is, it's not because she is bedridden or physically incapable of doing so. However, mentally she is not capable and likely does not even think about it anymore. It probably has to do with "sequencing" and her inability to do so. She needs to be prompted on the steps of doing things and some of those things are becoming harder to do without assistance. Thankfully, she still manages to dress herself, although sometimes needs prompting on what to wear or what to do next.
So, I stopped by Thursday last week and brought her a few things. It was an earlier visit than usual. I thought I would curl her hair and maybe put some makeup on her, which I did do. I also called the phone company and requested they fix her phone problem. Now, I am waiting the required 72 hours for a fix...and they still can't promise they can fix it. Something about, "we might have to turn the voicemail back on in order to be able to do that, blah blah blah". I also have to call the phone company my mom's phone or they really give me the run around! Small things that end up to being soooo time consuming!
Thankfully, my mom has not even asked about her lost rings. I just did my third search for them while I was there. I am losing hope of finding them, yet I know because they are small they could still turn up. It is also ironic to me that they turned up missing on the morning of her birthday. My brother has a picture with her wearing the rings the night before her birthday. Now, I have to convince my brother to check the plumbing in her bathroom sink to see if they might be there. I don't think he will be thrilled to do that. After that, I am just about out of options. I would still love to at least find her mother's ring...
As I prepare this post, the plan is for me to take my mom to her primary care physician today, Monday. It's been about three months (the fastest three months ever), and time for another visit. It's also snowing at a fast steady pace here with predictions of a potentially icy commute in the morning. We will have to see if my kids have school and whether it's worth dragging my mom out in that kind weather is questionable.
Stay with me as I make my way through another week of caring for my mom...while still trying to give the best care to my three kids...and, oh yeah, sometimes remembering to take care of and time for myself!!!
My mom has been complaining about her phone. She says it does not work and that there is a constant busy signal. That is not true, but it does have a stuttered dial tone due to the voicemail she was given when I first got her moved into her current apartment. We never wanted or used the voicemail and have since cancelled it, but the dial tone is still messed up. She talks about it a lot. She calls it a busy signal. Our cable/phone company has been a pain to work with on many occasions so I have put off another phone call to them.
In spite of this problem, the phone does work. In fact, my mom called and left me a message last week to wish me a "Happy Mother's Day". Thoughtful, right!? I also received another call thanking me for everything I do for her. Sometimes I think those calls are prompted by the medical staff where she is living. That particular call came on the day when I know one of the nurses meets with her. It's ok, I'll take what I can get in the positive phone call department.
One morning last week I received a call from one of my mom's good friends. She was heading to visit my mom and wanted to clear with me that she did not have plans. When she got there, my mom was not in her apartment, but the staff did locate her (I believe she was in "the Don's" apartment). This friend of my mom's was diagnosed and treated for ovarian cancer this past year, so she had not seen my mom in about a year. Unfortunately, my mom does not remember this diagnosis. I know she would support her friend if she could. After a few phone calls, they found each other and her friend took her out to lunch -- Olive Garden (again) at my mom's request. It was 0 degrees here that day, but they went anyways. Afterwards, her friend called me to tell me how it went. She said she can tell my mom is "failing". I do know this. It's still hard to hear. Those who see her less frequently are sometimes a better indicator of how much she has changed.
It is true. Just the simple fact that my mom seems to have no ability to put on makeup or do her hair anymore is very telling. She has a curling iron, but never uses it. I guess the part that's hard to come to terms with is, it's not because she is bedridden or physically incapable of doing so. However, mentally she is not capable and likely does not even think about it anymore. It probably has to do with "sequencing" and her inability to do so. She needs to be prompted on the steps of doing things and some of those things are becoming harder to do without assistance. Thankfully, she still manages to dress herself, although sometimes needs prompting on what to wear or what to do next.
So, I stopped by Thursday last week and brought her a few things. It was an earlier visit than usual. I thought I would curl her hair and maybe put some makeup on her, which I did do. I also called the phone company and requested they fix her phone problem. Now, I am waiting the required 72 hours for a fix...and they still can't promise they can fix it. Something about, "we might have to turn the voicemail back on in order to be able to do that, blah blah blah". I also have to call the phone company my mom's phone or they really give me the run around! Small things that end up to being soooo time consuming!
Thankfully, my mom has not even asked about her lost rings. I just did my third search for them while I was there. I am losing hope of finding them, yet I know because they are small they could still turn up. It is also ironic to me that they turned up missing on the morning of her birthday. My brother has a picture with her wearing the rings the night before her birthday. Now, I have to convince my brother to check the plumbing in her bathroom sink to see if they might be there. I don't think he will be thrilled to do that. After that, I am just about out of options. I would still love to at least find her mother's ring...
As I prepare this post, the plan is for me to take my mom to her primary care physician today, Monday. It's been about three months (the fastest three months ever), and time for another visit. It's also snowing at a fast steady pace here with predictions of a potentially icy commute in the morning. We will have to see if my kids have school and whether it's worth dragging my mom out in that kind weather is questionable.
Stay with me as I make my way through another week of caring for my mom...while still trying to give the best care to my three kids...and, oh yeah, sometimes remembering to take care of and time for myself!!!
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| Visiting Mom |
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| Putting Some "Body" in Her Hair |
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| Always Loves Reading Letters from Her Cousin |
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| That's My Elbow on the left... Just Remembered Why I Don't Always visit Mid Morning -- Nap Time!!! |
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| Typical Treasures Found When I Empty My Pockets After Moms... A Missed Pill? Lip Pencil Gets Confused for Eye Pencil, No Longer Wearing Pierce Earrings...Perhaps Give Them To Kristin |
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| Perhaps More Praying to St. Anthony Will Help Find These Rings!! |
3 comments:
Here's hoping you find her rings soon. They will probably turn up when you least expect to find them. Good luck today at the doctor. N
How'd the doctor go? I hope you find those rings!!
Ramblings of a Suburban Mom
I have the same frustrations with our phone company too...I have needed to call them for months but keep putting it off b/c it's a pain trying to get them to change anything. (Of course, if you want to ADD something...well, then they are right on it!)
Keep holding onto hope that your mom's rings will eventually turn up somewhere. I'm glad for you that she hasn't noticed they're missing! :)
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