Tonight's picture was taken in November of 2008. Mattie was in the hospital recovering from his second limb salvaging surgery. His healthcare team wanted Mattie to exercise his lungs post surgery. The typical exercise of using a spirometer was NOT appealing to Mattie. So we found creative ways to exercise his lungs. A friend gave us this crazy straw that was connected to toy glasses. Mattie wouldn't try it, until I showed him how it worked. Once I did it, and he gauged my reaction, he then followed suit! I just love Mattie's expression and how he was checking that fluid was actually being sucked up into the straw!
Quote of the day: Life seems sometimes like nothing more than a series of losses, from beginning to end. That’s the given. How you respond to those losses, what you make of what’s left, that’s the part you have to make up as you go. ~ Katharine Weber
This morning, my dad had a physical therapy session. I have known Cassidy since 2022, when she started working with my dad in the hospital, post pacemaker placement. My dad had a hard recovery process back then and was in the hospital for three weeks. As I always say, Cassidy reminds me of me, when I was her age. I liked her immediately when I first met her. I like her energy and her honest approach to issues.
Given that it was cooler temperatures today, yet the sun was out, I had my dad and Cassidy do his walking routine outside. My dad responds to fresh air and being outside is far better than trying to do a walking routine with him inside the house. When inside the house, he refuses to walk, and instead walks to every chair possible to try to sit down. Overall, I see a major decline in my dad both physically and cognitively. Ironically my dad's weekday therapist doesn't see what I do! But Cassidy does. We chatted about this today, and what I love about her, is she always makes time to check in with me. She maybe in her late twenties, but she gets how important my role is in this equation.
Cassidy notices that she gives my dad direction or feedback and thirty seconds later, it goes right out of his head. As if he never heard it! I was expressing to Cassidy my frustration with my dad's participation in his memory care center. My dad will be at the center for about 6 hours, three times a week. When I pick my dad up, he has no idea what he did for 6 hours. NOTHING. When we ask what he loved about his day, his response is.... being picked up by us. On Friday I asked my dad if it bothers him that he doesn't remember anything about his day! His response was.... not at all! The only one bothered by this is me. Cassidy was telling me that she works with several patients in the hospital who have dementia. Apparently they are all like my dad. Part of me thinks this is just what happens in late stage dementia, a person can't recall anything, and truly isn't oriented to time, place, and person, therefore, there is nothing to worry and focus upon. I think that is a possibility, but another part is my dad's personality. He was never a person who loved conversation, interacting with people, or exploring the world around him. So to me it is a double pronged problem. Nonetheless, it frustrates me, as I am caring for someone who has no insights about what is happening from one moment to the next. It is upsetting, as are the multiple repetitive questions throughout the day. It is hard to describe unless you live with it 24/7.
After Cassidy left, I took on some cleaning projects around the house and then at around 2pm, I took my parents to Dairy Queen. Typically we used to go to our local diner on Saturdays! I gave up with that restaurant because of poor food quality and cleanliness standards weren't up to par. I am awaiting the opening of a brand new restaurant in our area, and one of our favorite servers, Dawn, will be returning to work in this restaurant. Dawn is great with my dad, and this restaurant will be a welcomed addition from what I have been dealing with at the diner.
No comments:
Post a Comment