Recently, Mom has been experiencing a new level of muscle weakness particularly in her legs. Some days she is good and then others she can barely walk. When these “spells” come on her she also gets very tired and achy throughout her body.
Her most recent bout with whatever this is came yesterday. She didn’t have the strength to make it to the bathroom on her own. Fortunately we have a kamode she can use in her room. Even with that I had to help her to stand up.
It seems to pass after a time and today she is moving much better and is feeling stronger. Her shoulders and back ache, though, and she has taken Motrin and muscle rub. She did have bloodwork on Friday so I am hoping that givers us some answers.
The week has been eventful as far as it concerns elder care. The snow storm was a huge challenge for mother. She hasn’t quite recovered her sleep schedule yet or her best grace. This morning she told my son that when he comes to live here she is going to make him live in tent on the side of the house and she will make sure he had an outhouse to use.
Photo by u041cu0430u043au0441u0438u043c u041au043eu0441u044fu043au043eu0432 on Pexels.com
Yesterday I got a call from Sullivan County Health Care, where my ward Grace lives. Her appetite has been very poor for some time, but since the storm she has eaten almost nothing and she is drinking very little as well.
It is now to the point where hospice has been suggested. This next turn of the wheel has finally come.
I got the call from the visiting nurses out of White River Junction last night, and set up the appointment to sign paperwork for 9:30 this morning.
I am so thankful for the support network I have to help with mother. Amanda is away at a family life conference in Shrewsbury MA today, so my daughter Melanie came to sit with mom for the four hours I would be gone this morning.
I was driving the road along the Ashuelot River by 8 A.M. By 9:30 I was pulling into the driveway at Sullivan County Health Care.
The nursing home is under major reconstruction. The new stucture is going to be absolutely beautiful.
As I walked through the hallways, filled with temporary storage containers for the current construction work my heart felt such sadness. Grace will probably not be here to see the finished work on her current home.
During this visit, though, there were lots of wins to celebrate. I got to introduce the hospice nurse, Jen, to Grace personally and we both had a nice visit with Grace before Jen and I had to step aside to sign paperwork. Grace was having a good morning. She has lost quite a bit of weight now, but she was in good spirits, and pain free.
One of the things I am most glad about is that Grace will now have a weekly visit with a chaplain. She has really missed the in person spiritual direction and Scripture reading. I will also have a weekly check in from the chaplain to let me know how things are going on the spiritual- emotional front.
HAVE YOU OR A LOVED ONE EVER BEEN UNDER A CHAPLAIN’S CARE?
Notes From the Vicarage 