August 22, 2004

Unfortunately Mom’s cognitive improvement didn’t seem to last after she went back to Facility. In fact, even her high spirits quickly disappeared, as she fell into ‘grouchy’ mode for 4 days straight. Mom being consistently grouchy says to me that she doesn’t feel good. So now I’m trying to figure out what could be wrong.

The first day I noticed her nose was running and thought, “Okay, she has a cold and that’s making her feel bad.” We gave her some medicine and then her cold symptoms seemed to disappear. Her grouchiness stayed.

By the 5th day, she finally started to smile and laugh and seem like she felt better, but her stomach was distended and hard. It was so hard that it felt like a pregnant woman having a contraction. It’s a little bit softer now…. Now it just feels like a pregnant belly. I called the doctor’s office on Saturday and they said she should be okay until Monday and gave me an appointment. She is having regular bowel movements and I am totally puzzled about her stomach. It doesn’t seem to be causing her undue discomfort. At any rate, tomorrow morning we’ll see her doctor and maybe he’ll have a clue. I had forgotten about making an appointment for a post hospital checkup, so at least I’m killing two birds with one stone.

When Chris and I went to pick her up today, she had just finished eating all her food and was chowing down her neighbor’s unwanted broccoli. Then she had a nice slice of chocolate pie. I gave her some juice once we got home. She seemed agitated from being confined in my tiny house, but still managed to smile and goof around a bit. She had a BM (her 2nd of the day) while she was here, to confirm her bowels are indeed moving with no trouble.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Josh will be here on Saturday night! We’ll have Sunday together and then on Monday he is leaving with Chris and a friend to go to Raleigh, NC for three days. They’ll be back Wednesday. I took Thursday and Friday off, so combined with my scheduled Saturday and Sunday we’ll have four days together. He’ll be leaving to go back home on Monday when I go back to work. I’m so happy, happy, happy, to be seeing him. Leah won’t be here this time, which is the sad part. We’ll really miss her.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I called Mom’s cousin in Fort Myers, FL to make sure she survived Hurricane Charlie and we had fun chatting for a while. She is the sweetest thing and I know she was a favorite of Mom’s before Alzheimer’s. I like the feeling I get of being connected to Mom when I talk to her. She has been sick, but is going to try to make it to Ohio next year to attend her 60th Alumni gathering. I’m planning to meet her there for a couple of days if she is able to make it. My Aunt Izzy said I could stay with her next time I’m there. Great! Something else to look forward to! *smile*

As always, my days off have flown by and it’s back to work tomorrow.

2 Co 1:3-4 ¶ Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.