Went in to see Aunt on Friday July 17th. She was in a great mood. We walked around the home. I could not get her to go outside. When I headed for the door she put her hands out and said no. So we stayed inside. It was music day. A couple comes in with a guitar and sings old gospel songs. She seemed to really enjoy that. Only problem is that we sort of got squeezed into the front of the room and at one point she decided she was ready to go and there was no way out for us. But she read the music. I was very impressed!
All of us girls were going to be out of town so that prompted me to get some arrangements made for Aunt Dot. I did not want her to pass and have to be held waiting for me to get home. So Accent Funeral home in Meridian is going to be handling her arrangements. Very simple. Cremation-and I will take her ashes. Death notice in the Statesman. We will then put an obituary in the Pasco paper and take her and Uncles ashes back to Pasco and take them to Ultopia Cemetary.
It was a very hard thing to do but it was a responsibility I had to get taken care of . And now it is done and there will be no concerns when the time comes.

I have not seen Aunt Dot for a bit but I have talked with Sunbridge. She is doing about the same. Legacy has lost the young gal that was coming in but they are searching for another. It is nice to have another visitor to get in and stimulate her with conversation. I am embarrassed to admit that I have not been in due to a skunk issue here at my home.
Sunbridge has added a cream for her itchy back. That seems funny to me. I cant wait to see how much that prescription costs her!!
Renae and Theresa were in there last week and had a good visit.

Been a while. Ran in today to see Aunt Dot. Lots of the residents were in the TV room with the lights dimmed watching a movie. Dances with Wolves. Lots of action. Subtitles. Aunt Dot seemed to really be involved in it. Very attentive. I did not go in and disturb her. Watched with them for a while and left. Just one of the days when I am ok just seeing her and knowing she is alright. Sat with her last Thursday for breakfast. She sure is a good eater... She is looking older. Legacy tells me she is deterioriating. She looks good to me but I guess it is inevitable.

April 10

Got a call from Debbie with Sunbridge. Actually a voice mail. Changing Aunt Dots meds again.. I will call this morning to see what..
Wonder if they will increase her anxiety meds gain since she fell? Keep you posted..

April 8

Got a call from Sunbridge. Aunt Dot fell out of bed at 5 am. Landed mostly on her mat but her forehead on the floor. I went in on my way to work. She was in breakfast. She looked so pretty and happy. Her hair was in a french braid and she was all dressed. She smiled and "talked" to me. I did not stay for a visit. Just needed to see her and make sure she was ok. She has a small red mark above her right eye. Probably gone by now.
She just looks like a ray of Sunshine! Spring. New beginnings..

Feet

Got calls from Legacy and Sunbridge. Aunt Dorthys wound is much better and they have quit "wound measures". They are leaving her foot unwrapped and open. I have not seen it yet but that is pretty exciting news. I have actually not seen her foot exposed since October. I had been told that she would always have it covered so that she could not knock it into anything as she could possible loose the toe. This is big news! She is such an amazing lady. It is pretty impossible to keep her down.
They are also decreasing her pain meds as she is sleeping so much. 4 doses a day down to 3. Keeping her anti-anxiety on board. She goes a little stir crazy with out that one!
All is looking good for this last week. Maybe Easter is a new beginning for her!

March 6

So after our visit where Aunt D did not wake up, I ran in on Friday, Sat, and Sun, just to see her and make sure she was ok. She just is doing so good. You know what I mean! Took Ella back with me on yesterdays visit. March 5. Aunt Dot was in the hallway, finishing her morning fruit snack, still in her jammies and robe.
The whole way down there Ella is just insistent that she does not want to go. Old people are no fun. She is not kissing Aunt Dot. Gramma can kiss her because she is my Aunt but oh no, not Ella. That is disgusting! (this is Ellas favorite word for whenever we talk about going to see Aunt Dot - just the setting and all the wheel chairs and the old people that smile and try to make contact with her)
While we were in the hall another resident asked me for help. I left Ella with Aunt and helped the resident into her room right by us and then ran up to the nurses station to get help. When I got back Ella is holding Aunt Dots hand and talking up a storm. It is perfect because her thought process is just like Aunts. Not a lot of rhyme or reason! And they are both smiling!!!!! An aid came to get Aunt Dot and take her in for her shower and I leaned down and kissed her and then Ella stretches way up so that she can also kiss Aunt Dot goodbye! You could have knocked me over!! I thought it was pretty amazing. We talked about Aunt Dot as we left and Ella thinks she is a pretty great lady. It is just too bad that she has to be in that chair and that place. And then we spent quite a chunk of time talking about Uncle Norman and the injustices of life!

Ella and I went to see Aunt Dot on Thursday. She was sleeping and absolutely would not wake up! Ella was yelling "Aunt Dot, wake up!" and we were playing her singing birthday card Patty left right into her ears. Nothing. (Yes, she was breathing!)
We left and I ran back up the next day. Just to pop in and make sure she was fine. She was. They were getting all the residents ready for thier eveing meal - it was about 3:30 - and so she was dressed and her hair was fixed and out in the hall. We "visited" for just a few minutes. I had taken down some of her vests I fould here so I put them into her closet. Headed out.
Went back on Saturday and spent some time. She was just finishing lunch so I took her back to her room. I had gotten all of her pictures out of the frames and put them into am album so we looked through that. She did say Norman at one point. Smiled at the pictures of the kids. I did not want to take an album with empty pages so I went through and found old photos of my kids at school, out on the playground with lots of other kids. Heck, I dont even remember all their names but they were great filler. Kids make her smile! After looking through the album she did comment abou "mom and dad" while looking toward that picture of her and Norman that is in her room.
Put her by the window and went out to fill he bird feeder. Not an easy task with that plastic bag of food, the feeder taller than me and the wind blowing. I hope she enjoyed the show. I know the elderly gentleman sitting out in his car did! Talked for a bit then she kept trying to get out of her chair so I got a nurse, we changed her pants (she had her lunch on them) and laid her down.
Maybe it is getting harder for me to see her. Not sure. Her hands were all tucked in under the covers. She worked them out and put her hand up to my face. Said "you are the best" Made me cry. We held hands and talked. Then I told her I loved her and headed out. And then I cried all the way home.
Maybe it was looking at older pictures and then how that wonderful woman is now. It is heartbreaking. She is still so beautiful and her hair is awesome. But her eyes, most often, are vacant and she mumbles a lot. Sure, she says words that are real but nothing to do with what you are taking about. And you can barely steer the conversations any more. She is getting further and furthe away from us and there is no getting her back. Soon she will be gone and i dont know if i can bear it!

Jan 26

Saw Aunt Dot this morning. In the dining room. After her fall she seemed ok. Does have bit of a nasty bruise on her head. Above her right eye. Looked in her room for the mat they put on the floor. Couldn't see it. They can't leave it out unless she is in her bed. They are going to do some checking on side rails. There has to be something they can do! Maybe a sitter. Will talk with Debbie tomorrow.

New bed might not be the answer. Just got a call. Aunt Dot fell out of bed at 3am. This time has a bump on her head and a scrape on her arm. BP was elevated - normal for a tramua - at the time but has come back down by now. Her other vitals are good.
Last night Debbie tells me that Aunt Dot is becoming more anxious, agitated. Might have to increase her ?? I forget the name? medicine. That might be one of her new troubles. Cant lay still. They have a call into Doc. See what he says.

January 22

well, Patty got a call this morning from Sunbridge and Aunt Dot slid out of bed again. I don't really get it. Seems they are always walking into her room as she is falling. What the heck! Anyway, I went by and she looks great. In the dining room rearranging the creamer and sugar packets. And all of the name tags from the table. She had it all in front of her. She has to have her hands busy!!
In her room they lowered her bed (actually replaced it with a low low one) and pushed it in the to corner so she can only get off one side. Debbie thinks she is wiggling around trying to get that boot off. Maybe it is too hot. But they don't want her to go without it as she could possible break off her toe.
They started her on another round of antibiotics yesterday because the infection in the toe is back. I don't know what the next step is. Morphine for pain if they can not stop the infection. She has no circulation and there is just nothing they can do for her.
this is all for tonight. Thanks for reading.

Sisters

Had lunch yesterday with Patty, Renae, and Theresa. It was a good time spent with sisters! Afterward we went to Sunbridge and spent some time with Aunt Dot. I think it did her a lot of good to have us all there at the same time. She was responsive, talkative, made a small amount of sense, and was HAPPY! She smiled a lot and was laughing. It was a wonderful experience! I hope that we can go as a group again.

Visiting with Aunt Dot this week is changing. She is very somber. A lot of mumbling. Quiet. But then a semi coherant moment. She always smiles when she sees me but does she know me?? I have heard that when Theresa goes in Aunt Dot is very attentive. I think it is because she looks most like mom. How Aunt Dot remembers mom. LUCKY!