Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween! Dad and I had a relaxing weekend, not doing much at all. I did get lots of things done around the house. Friday morning I took Dad to Marion to his dermatologist. He asked several times where we were going and I kept telling him. We didn't have to wait long in the waiting area. (Sometime soon I'm going to write about what happened about a year ago in this waiting area!) Once we were in an examining room, Dad read the posters on the wall and continued to ask where we were and why. I got him a magazine to look at and that kept him occupied until the doctor came in. After his appointment, we headed back to Rutherfordton. I took him to Life Care and I went to work. I picked him up about 5:00. The nurse warned me that his blood sugar may be high because they had a Halloween party with treats. We took it easy Friday night and just hung out in front of the TV. Yesterday, Dad just wanted to lay around in his recliner. I tried to get him to do some things at the bar and to go outside for a while, but he kept migrating back to his recliner. The two of us watched some scary movies on TV last night. Dad didn't want to get up when I tried to get him in bed, but I finally convinced him. I've been changing Dad twice during the night. He's usually really wet the first change and not so much the second. This morning I heard Dad get up and when I went in his bedroom, I saw that he had peed on the side of the bed and on the floor. I took him to the bathroom to get him in the shower and realized his depend wasn't even wet. I guess he just got out of bed, turned around and peed right there in the floor! I pulled all the sheets and mattress covers off the bed and got them in the wash. Then I got ready and went to church. Today Dad has been up and around more. He read the paper through a number of times, sat outside for a good while and did some walking around the yard. I just got him in bed and sat down to type. He started saying, "I must a milk, I must a milk...." over and over. Then he said, "Susie, why don't you read that?" I'm heading to bed... don't let the goblins get you! Susie

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Every morning I go in to the kitchen around 6:15 to take my vitamins, make coffee and get my orange juice. I try not to wake Dad up because then I go put on my makeup. This morning, I heard Dad saying something in a whisper. I went to his door and heard him saying "diddle de do da, diddle de do da" over and over. After I get on my makeup, I go back to the kitchen and turn on the light. Often, that will either wake Dad up, or he will say something to me if he's awake. This morning he said, "Hey, Susie!" I said, "Good morning!" He reached his hand out to me and I shook it and then he pulled my hand to him and kissed it. He looked at me and said, "I love you, Susie." I said, "I love you, Dad." When I pulled the covers back, he had pulled off his bottoms and had pulled his t-shirt over his head so that it was around his neck and arms. I got him dressed and ready for the day. This afternoon, when I picked him up at Life Care, he was sleeping in a chair. I woke him and told him it was time to go home. He said, "I'm not ready to go home. I'm going to stay here a while." He was not going to budge. John came over and helped me get him up. Once he was up on his feet, he was happy and ready to do what we needed him to do. Tonight when it was time for bed, I woke him up and told him I was going to get him in bed. He said, "Lordy, Lordy, Lordy me mercy" and got right up. I had his hand and he pulled me to him and gave me a big hug. Bless his heart! Susie

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Weird weather we've had the past couple of days! Because of the storms, I shut my computer down last night and decided to keep it that way! Peter had picked up Dad and brought him home around 9. Thankfully it wasn't raining hard and he had no trouble getting Dad out of the car! Right after Dad got home, we realized he needed changing. I had him sit on the pot and took off his pants and depend. He has to have his shoes on, no matter what. So, I gave him his bedroom shoes to wear. After we got him cleaned up and changed, he watched some TV in his chair. When bedtime came, he did not want to get up. He kept saying, "I want to stay here." and "I'm not ready for bed." I hate to make him get in bed, but I was ready and he was sleeping in his chair. Again, it's that, "Don't make me move or do anything - I'm fine where I am" attitude! It took me, Van and Simon to get him up. Once he started walking he was fine. He went to the bathroom, and then I helped him brush his teeth. I got him comfortable and hit the sack myself. This morning, when I went in the kitchen and turned on the lights, Dad got up. He started walking toward the bathroom. He stopped at the bathroom door and looked around. I said, "What do you need?" He said, "I need some water." I said, "To drink?" He said, "No, to wash with." I said, "Do you want to take a shower? (Yeah, right!) and he said, "No, I want to go diving." I told him it was October and we would have to do that when it got warmer! Pretty wild! Van told me that the other morning when I was in the shower and Dad kept getting up that Van asked him what he needed and he said, "I'm looking for a place to lay down. Van said, "He kept getting up to find a place to lay down!" Funny. Funny. Funny.......... Susie

Scottie, Janice, Patti, and Tammy Wammy with Papaw and Zeb with Papaw at Tammy's 50th birthday party!!!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Our family has had a big weekend! We've been really busy but having a great time. I picked Dad up on Friday and Zeb picked up pizza for supper. My friend, Patti, came over and ate with us and Simon had a friend over. Then the boys left for the football game at Central. Dad and Van and I hung out and relaxed. Saturday was a whirlwind. We had Tammy Wammy's 50th birthday party here. I got up about 9 and Dad was still asleep. About 9:30, he was stirring and I asked if he was ready to get up. He said, "No, not yet." I waited about 15 minutes and went back in his bedroom and asked, "Are you gonna get up today?" He said, "No, I'm gonna lay here until it gets dark!" Then he laughed and laughed. I got him up and made him some bacon and eggs. Then I worked all day getting ready for the party, except to watch him and get his lunch. Once when I was yelling upstairs to Zeb, he kept saying "Okay, okay, okay, okay" as if I was talking to him. The party started at 4 and Simon watched him while we got things set up. I got him ready and took him down to the picnic area around 5:30. We had a covered dish supper. He sat and visited with everyone and really enjoyed himself. He ate and hung out for a while. We had a bonfire and he liked watching it. Zeb drove him back up to the house around 9:30. I went with them and got Dad in bed and Zeb stayed at the house with him, catching up on much needed sleep. It was a late night and Dad got up twice between 2 and 4. I turned off all the lights and he didn't get up again until this morning. Zeb and I had planned to go to church, but I ended up cooking a big breakfast and we have had a great family day relaxing and watching football. After Zeb left to go back to ASU, Van and Simon and I took Dad down to the pond. Dad was saying lots of things over and over. Once he said, "diddle do up 2, diddle do up 2....." Often when he says the same thing over and over he will start with a whisper, sort of under his breath, and then get louder and louder. While we sat at the pond, he did his usual spitting like he does when he's outside. I don't know what makes him what to spit over and over and over. He's sitting at the bar now, reading the paper. I think I'm going to get him in bed early so I can get in bed early too!!! Susie

Thursday, October 21, 2010

I picked Dad up at Life Care yesterday to take him to Dr. Glover. He keeps Dad's feet and toenails in good shape. Dad asked several times where we were going and I would tell him to the doctor. He would say, "What for?" and I would tell him to check his feet. He would raise his eyebrows, like "Is that necessary?" When we got to the doctor's office, we only had to wait a few minutes. When the nurse took us to the examining room, she asked Dad to take off his shoes. Of course he didn't want to. I helped him get his shoes and socks off and she went to get a sheet for him to put under his feet because he said, "Oooh, that's cold." While we waited a few minutes for Dr. Glover, Dad counted his toes several times, 1 -10 or 1-5, 1-5. Then he would look at me and laugh. Once, he said, "Put my shoes on." Another time he said, "Put my socks on." A couple of times he asked where we were. He looked out the window and said, "There's a lot of stuff out there." He did fine when Dr. Glover saw him but said "Ouch" a few times. On the way out to the car, he counted his steps - 45. I took him to David's house for dinner and Van and I left for Simon's soccer game. The game with Shelby went in to double overtime and stayed tied 1-1. We didn't get home until 10:00 and David met us at the house. I got Dad in bed and hit the sack because I was exhausted! This morning when I got Dad up, he fell back on the bed. He stood up again and started walking and almost fell sideways on the chair. I held on to him and he almost fell two more times walking to the bathroom. I was holding on to him as he was going to pee and he looked at me and said, "Okay, you don't have to stay." He came out of the bathroom on his own. I'm a bit worried about his difficulty with walking and balance, particularly when he first gets up. We'll have to watch him carefully. It was a quiet evening at home. Zeb is here for fall break and we had dinner together. Dad sat at the bar for a long time and then in his chair. I just got him in bed and as I turn and look at him he seems to be dreaming moving his hand in the air about something. I wonder what he dreams about........... Susie

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

After Dad had the episode last night with not being able to walk, he got up two times during the night! Both times he went to the bathroom and then I got him back in bed. The second time I changed him. While I was in the shower this morning, he also kept getting up and Van got him to lay back down. Van's mother came at 8:30 and we all left to take Dad to Life Care and then we headed up to Kanuga for a memorial service. My sister- in- law, Magi's, mother passed away. It was a beautiful service at an outdoor chapel. Peter picked up Dad today which was great because I had plans with some girlfriends to celebrate two retirements. Simon was home for Dad when Peter brought him in and I got here about 15 minutes later. Dad was awake and we watched part of a TV show. I got him up to get in bed and realized he needed to be changed. It was almost a shower poop, but we managed to get him clean. Again, I am blessed that Dad can still wipe himself and would prefer it. When I have to finish the job, he says, "Okay, that's enough." If I have to wipe him again, again he will say, "Okay, that's enough." I just got him in bed, got his things ready for tonight's change and for tomorrow morning. His blood sugar was okay. He was laying there saying Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen. I asked him if he wanted to say the Lord's Prayer. He said it with passion as he always does and finished with forever and ever and ever and ever and ever....... Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen. Susie