Thanksgiving 2010

The girls and I picked Bill up from the care facility and we all went to JJ Jamoke's for a turkey dinner. I'll probably be able to have three or four meals (sandwiches, at least) out of the food leftover, which they let us take home. It's been a dreary, windy day, but the food helped warm us up. The girls are trying to find a way so Bill can hear the TV without turning it so high. The head phones he was using here at home are full of static when hooked up over there. We'll see what they come up with. Hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving!

Nov. 23, 2010

Picked Trina up from the airport Sun. afternoon. Time sure flies by when she is around. Today she bought a little tree and a couple other trinkets to decorate his room. Taking in some more family photos tomorrow. He seems to be doing pretty well, but he sure is giving the activities lady a challange. He doesn't want to do anything she suggests.
She (Trina) got a massage this morning and got me a pedi/mani cure. Boy, did my feet feel good afterward. This afternoon she showed me how to make an album on Facebook. Hope I can remember it next time I try.
After I dropped her at the bed and breakfast tonight (about 7:20), I went up to the facility. Closing time is 8, but I had talked to the on-duty nurse and he said he wouldn't kick me out if I wanted to stay a bit later, so I went in and watched NCIS with Bill. Stopped off on the way over to buy some caramel corn, so it was even better than a movie and pop corn. :-)
Going to the B & B for breakfast in the morning. They're pretty fancy cooks, so should be good.

Nov. 18, 2010

Only saw Bill for about five minutes yesterday. Ran in long enough to leave some 3-ply Kleenes (finally) and a small pkg. of Whoppers. Ran into Saginaw with Daniel to check out a couple Goodwill shops. Had a few extra minutes, so stopped at Covenant and picked up the bag of clothes they forgot to send with him.
Today they had Thanksgiving Dinner for the second floor at the Facility. I hadn't planned to go, but changed my mind and went up. He had refused to go to the dining room--was too tired and wanted to sleep. When I walked in I told him he had to go eat with me, but he whined a little and said he didn't even want to eat. An aide and I went down and got meals for both of us. For someone who wasn't hungry, and wanted to sleep, he sure cleaned up pretty well. We had turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce (the good stuff--all ground up), delicious rolls, green bean casserole and pie. I chose apple for both of us. Never have figured out whether he likes that or pumpkin better. I DO know that peach is usually his favorite. Probably because it is so seldom available. :-) I had heard someone mention chocolate cream, but that was all gone by the time I got there.
They worked him for two hours this morning in rehab. I'm going to check and see what the possibility is of shorter sessions. Gosh, for months he hasn't stayed awake, let alone moved for two hours at a time.
Rose (used to come stay with Bill) is coming over tomorrow to clean up the bathrooms and kitchen. Folks will just have to ignore the rest of the place. Did get all the bills paid tonight--on time I think (and hope). Now, it's time for B.T. and Tilly. Poor Buster, I haven't walked him for two days. Will try to fit that in tomorrow.

Bill in Caro

For those of you who aren't on Facebook, here is what Trina posted there (I called her a brat because she posted it before I got to posting my blog.): Mom got Dad settled he is at Tuscola County Medical Care Facility, 1285 Cleaver Rd., Caro, MI 48723. Their webpage http://www.tcmcf.org/home.hhtml under contact us has a way you can send email to the residents. Dad isn't sure if he wants a phone...they supply tv/vcr/dvd player and basic cable so that is cool mjakes it easier for us. Hospital forgot his clothes in the closet so mom will go back to get them later.
So, that's where we are at this point. The nice thing is that I can stop in for just a few minutes when I'm out around town if I want. The bad thing is he's not home. Now, it's up to him. I told him if he gets so he can walk to the bathroom and the kitchen, I'll bring him back home....one step at a time, I keep telling myself.

Update on Bill

He's been seen by the Dr. from Caro, a doctor from the hospital, a cardiologist, and a neurologist. I don't think there were any others, but I'm not sure. The social worker is in the process of finding a place where he can go for rehab. If rehab doesn't help him improve a LOT, we will be looking for a long-term care facility. He did walk down the hall this afternoon, about as far as it would be from his lift chair to the front door. I was quite surprised, because he hasn't been on his feet since Monday afternoon. He's cooperative and nice to everyone who is working with him. He's also happy that he has his dentures and can eat most anything he wants. I think he has pneumonia, the doctor from Caro thinks he has Parkinson's (I'm fairly certain that's not so.) They've ruled out heart problems. The brain has shrunk, and they are going to do some more checking on that. Haven't seemed to be able to get anyone interested in finding out why he's lost feeling in his legs and can't get a message from his brain to his feet. Guess I'll have to try harder tomorrow. I'm doing pretty good. Getting more sleep at night to make up for losing my afternoon naps. :-) Trina is coming home for Thanksgiving week. She has been talking to the hospital every day and to some of the doctors, so I won't be able to get away with anything.

Great October

The month started off with an opportunity to see my brother Jerry and his entire family at his daughter Melissa's wedding in Marion, IN. Also got to see Don and Regina who went down for the day. Trina came to Caro and stayed with Bill and Lita took me to the wedding. It was a pretty wedding and I wish the happy couple a long and blessed marriage.
An added treat was a small town, Fairmont, about 15 miles away which has a James Dean museum, which Lita took me to see. Not sure she really enjoyed it, but I sure did! Then she took me to see the house he grew up in and out to the cemetery to see where he is buried. I added a T-shirt to my collection. :-)
Although short, we've had a beautiful color season. Now, I'm enjoying walking down the sidewalk listening to the sounds as I kick drying leaves as I go.
The past two Saturdays my young friend, Daniel, has taken me for rides to see the color. Both days we ended up by the bay and did a little walking. If the weather holds, tomorrow we will take along some food and see if we (I) can walk the entire trail and see how much wildlife we can spot.
I'm rocking babies for two MOPS groups this year, so I'm getting my baby-fix almost once a week. Have also been having play dates with three Poodles whose mother is on vacation. Someone else is feeding them, so I just have to go play when I feel like it. I feel like it about twice a day. Going to have to bring Sugar down to see how Tilly and B.T. react to her, although I keep saying I don't want a Poodle. Everybody says, "But then you won't have to worry about all the dog hair.) Will that make much difference since I already have to worry about all the cat hair?
Have been enjoying 'visiting' with folks on Facebook, but if I don't get on for a couple days, I never know what I might miss. Guess that isn't necessarily a world crisis, though, is it?
Everyone take care, Miss you.

Labor Day week end

Both girls were home for the week end. Picked Trina up at the airport in Saginaw on Thurs. afternoon; Lita came in time for supper Fri. Sat. Nikki and her three kids came over with Lita's small deep freezer. We had lunch at Mickey D's, then went over to Fairgrove for the Bean Festival. They had a lot of neat inflatables for the kids, and of course we older ones had plenty of fun just watching them.

Sunday the girls and I emptied out the old 15 cubic foot deep freezer and consolidated it to fit into the "new" 5 cubic foot one plus the fridge freezer. I'd been fixing as much as possible out of it for several months, so we didn't have to throw much away. :-) Was a bit surprised to find that the top layer of our wedding cake was no longer in there, so went ahead and discarded the top layer of our 25th anniversary cake and the top layer of Trina and Dave's wedding cake. Now trying to make connections to get DTE to come get it out of here for us. Sort of hate to see it go. It must be from the early 40's and has really worked well for us. Expect it eats up a lot of energy, though.

MOPS is starting again. This morning I went to the first meeting in Reese. The one here in Caro hadn't started yet. Then, this afternoon I got a call that the one here is geering up, so I'll have to check and see how many of them overlap. These difficult decisions really get me down. Lol

Enjoying the weather. Walking with others (and their dogs) every chance I get, and alone if I have to. Not enough I guess, since I've gained four pounds. Now it's back to pounding the pavement even more.