Today was the care plan meeting. It's where everyone gets together and talks about the plan of care. Duh! :) Anyway, before the meeting started, I went to see Mom and Dad who happened to be in Physical Therapy. (Mom LOVES P.T) The nurse was in there giving them their meds at the time and she had just given Dad his crushed in pudding. As I walked in he began to choke. A lot! He threw up a little as he was gagging. It was rough to watch. I was right there with him and encouraged him through it. They are planning to do a barium swallow to check things out in regards to his swallowing ability. But I truly believe that the thrush is part of the problem. I won't go into the gross reasons why I believe it. Just trust me. He sounded so congested while he was choking. I later asked the Unit Manager to check his lungs which she did. Her opinion was that he needed a check xray after listening to him. He was very uncooperative when she checked him. I don't know if it was because he is feeling bad enough that he couldn't follow the instructions or if he is just so frustrated with his situation that he is just being stubborn and shutting down in a way. Yesterday, when I was driving home after visiting them, I got to thinking that I feel a little like Dad is drifting away. I have said many times before that I feel like there is more going on in Dad's than people understand and that Dad can articulate. One of the staff noted in the meeting that when she has stopped in their room on a couple of occasions that when Mom is in the room that Dad just shuts down and defers to her. But she stopped in once when Mom was in the bathroom and Dad talked and responded quite a bit to her.
So, at this time, Dad is on treatment for thrush for the next 10 days, he is having a urine test done to check for infection and he will have a chest xray tomorrow. I asked today for them to try applesauce for his meds instead of pudding. I'll find out tomorrow how that went.
I have been working on their apartment in our house. This may sound weird to some folks...those who keep things the same if their kid moves out of the house -- they leave the room the same for years. Well, I'm a different animal. I have to change things, move things around, paint, etc. The day after Mom and Dad moved to the facility I threw out their plastic table cloth and placemats. I changed the position of the little kitchen table. Later I moved the furniture around in the living room...redecorating with the existing furniture and accessories and removing some accessories and storing them Yesterday I cleaned out a lot of stuff in their bedroom. Non essentials like piles of foam rubber pieces that must have had some purpose for their existence. As I have been making these changes I have struggled with the feelings like I am pronouncing them dead or killing them in some way. It's weird...I'm weird, I guess, but for me, this is therapeutic -- this is how I cope and move on, by making these changes. I have left the door to their side of the downstairs open -- made it an extension of our whole house and that has been good. The dogs love to chew their bones in Mom and Dad's living room and hang out with me over their while I am working. I think they like the carpet more than the tile in our living room.
Tomorrow there will be a 4th of July celebration/event at the nursing home. Mom and Dad are looking forward to seeing David, Heather & the kids tomorrow...well, at least Mom is.
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