Friday, July 23, 2010

#4 ending life journey with mom

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...Image via WikipediaYesterday, we were busy, busy and more busy.  We were busy with company. I was detained and realized at 10pm I had not written the blog. TOO Tired, I went to be bed after mom had her night time routine.
Mom's bed time is 10pm.  We do it in steps to maintain her sanity. The first step is brushing the teeth, washing her face and placing the night gown on. A ten minute break. The second is potting time.  The commode is next to her recliner chair. Mom can bear weigh and take a few steps.  She pushes a button to lift her chair to a standing position, she holds your arms and lifts using her leg. Mom takes a few steps turns correctly to the commode chair. She needs help with pulling down and up her pants. Mom wears a brief. Sometimes she dribbles urine into the brief.  A ten minute break. The third step mom takes all her pills. The pills are placed on top of yogurt on a spoon. You cue her to swallow the pill and take water. A ten minute break. The fourth step is to walk her from the recliner to the bed. To position her in bed, you lift her feet up into bed. There is a sheet under her to lift her. One person on each side of the bed to do a manual lift to the upper part of the hospital bed. Then she has 3 pillows around the head of the bed. She sleeps until 5:30am. At 5:30am, potty time and pills.

Mom's appetite and food intake decreases every day. She still eats. Today she ate 1 yogurt, 1 ensure, 1 slice of toast, 1 cup of cream of wheat, 1/2 cup of hamburger soup, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1 slice of cheese, 1/2 cup of miso soup, 1/2 cup mix vegs,  and 1/2 cup of cottage cheese/applesauce.  She drank 5 bottle's of spring water. My mother is losing weight.

Mom said she is scared of dying. My mother believes in Jesus Christ. I tell her to have Jesus hold her in her minds eyes, focus on Jesus.

The hospice nurse came by in the morning for about 1.5 hours.  Mom's blood pressure was low normal, but better than 80/40.  She has no pain! yea yea and more yea.
My cousins, two girls and one boy,  came to visit mom.  Mom sat in the wheelchair for 15 minutes with her oxygen on. She socialized and said funny things. She still has her sense of humor.
an angel quilt at a quilt show
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