Correction

Regarding the trip to the Dr. yesterday, Jimmy met Aunt Lou at the Dr. like usual. He did not ask Ann Marie to take Aunt Lou to the Dr. Aunt Lou had asked Ann Marie if she would like to ride up there with her, so Ann Marie decided to take her in her more comfortable car (she usually goes in the nursing home van), and make a day out of it for them both. So that is what they did. GOLD STAR to Ann Marie for her caring ways.

Cindy

So Long Wheels!

Well Aunt Lou has flown out of her bandages on her foot!! She can begin to bear weight on her "sore" foot. The area is closed and the Dr. did not do much to it today. She is EXCITED and anxious to be out of the wheelchair. Ann Marie is bringing her walker tomorrow. She walked a little in PT today when she returned today. They will be working on her balance too. Aunt Lou said PT has had her on the bicycle and also a machine to work her arms. She said she had already walked to Dallas and back in PT. Ann Marie took her to the Dr. today since Jimmy had something he had to do at work. He met them at the Dr. to hear the good news. The Dr. said for them to take her shoe for her "sore" foot back to the shoe place in Ft. Worth and they would take a new mold of her foot and fix her shoe to fit her foot. The Dr. said not to get too wild, but to begin bearing weight on it. After the Dr. visit, Ann Marie and Aunt Lou in her wheelchair, went shopping at Hobby Lobby. Aunt Lou said her neck was sore from looking around so much. She said they got canvases, paint brushes, etc. and some more baby blanket materials. She said they had "everything" there. They also went to the DQ and Aunt Lou had a hamburger, onion rings, and a Coke. She said she ate it all; "it tasted so good." Then when they returned to the nursing home she had a candy bar. She said it was good too. She said if she didn't get out of that wheelchair soon, her behind would be so big it wouldn't fit anymore. Bingo was finishing up, so they went in to deliver the good news. They gathered such a crowd, and were having such a party that Blake asked them to leave; they were interrupting the game. She was laughing about it and said she understood because when she played, she couldn't concentrate if there is a bunch of talking. It was also nice of Aunt Lou to step aside and let someone else win this week, since last week she won five times.

Cindy

Bingo Champion

I talked to Aunt Lou and Ann Marie today. Aunt Lou won 5 games of bingo today. She says it couldn't be rigged. :) She sounds great and said she was feeling good. Her appetite is very good. She is eating everything in sight. When she was due for another bingo prize, she dug deep into the prize bowl looking for chocolate. She needed chocolate! Then back in her room, she was digging in her drawer forever. She told Ann Marie she was looking for change to get a Coke. She HAD to have one. Ann Marie got her one immediately. Ann Marie gave Aunt Lou a manicure and painted a little flower on her pinkie finger. Aunt Lou said when she drinks her coffee, etc. she must hold out that finger to show it off. She told Ann Marie she was spoiling her.

She is getting her hair done tomorrow and still going to PT in the mornings.

Aunt Lou said she is eating good! Everything tastes so good. She ate all her supper of salad and meatballs and spaghetti. When she returned to her room, she said she ate three orange slices. She said, "I have got to quit that. They will have to roll me out of here when I leave." Her weight is back up to 125 or 6. That's good. She said she told the Dr. last night whatever he was giving her was sure working and maybe he should cut it back!

Jimmy and Jeremy are coming to pick her up Sunday for Mother's Day. Maria is with her mother in Oregon. Aunt Lou decided they would get take out from the German restaurant near Jimmy and eat at home with less chaos of Mother's Day people eating out, and she could also enjoy her dog.

She goes to the Arlington Dr. next Thursday to get her foot checked again. She said the opening was smaller than a quarter and looked good. She is anxious to put weight on it.

Her roommate likes to read too, so that is what they do allot instead of watching TV constantly. Aunt Lou said she has certain programs she does watch. Ann Marie brought all her books up and she is really reading them. She still has blankets to do too. She said she has got to quit reading so much and work on those blankets.

The federal and state surveyors have been there all week. Aunt Lou said they have really been on their toes this week. I told her it was a very stressful week for the facility and the state surveyors with the feds. there.

Aunt Lou gets a gold star. She sent me a get well card this week. How sweet was that!!!!

Cindy

Crisis Averted...AGAIN

Okay people. Aunt Lou is back at Harbor Lakes tonight. They found two small ulcers and are handling it. Aunt Lou is feeling all sorts of better again. Jimmy even drove her back from the hospital and they stopped at Sonic for early dinner. She had a hamburger and onion rings. I guess she's all better!

Meanwhile, it would be nice if you cousins would get your butts in gear and send her cards or emails. She loves getting mail and when they start to dry up, she gets down like we've all forgotten her. Big gold star to Hilly, whose phone calls, emails and cards have never waned. The rest of you know who you are so get on the stick. Do you think I'm bitching for my health? It's for HER, silly!

Aunt Lou has frightened me how alert and aware she is. You see all these other elderly people who are just floating along or don't know or care where they are. Aunt Lou is just like it would be if you or I were locked up somewhere, rehabbing endlessly. She doesn't know how she got so old because her spirit isn't that way. It scares me because I can easily see myself (or any one of you) some day in her shoes.

As long as she wants to keep on trucking and keep on living, I want to help her do that. When she wants to stop, we'll stop. But SHE DOESN'T WANT TO STOP RIGHT NOW so start sucking up and sending cards and emails again!

Enough of my soapbox ramblings. Hope y'all are doing great. Plan on coming down to the sticks for Memorial Day, ok?

Love,

Ann

Report From Ann Marie

Aunt Lou is eating a small amount, but not cleaning her plate like she used to. She acts and looks worse since last Friday. The facility is on top of things, after Ann Marie stirred them to action. They now have been notifying Dr. Barnes about the changes and he has been giving them new orders for lab, etc. He saw her last night and told her to drink more fluids. He is very proactive. He ordered the nutritional shakes 4 x day. They did more blood work and a chest x-ray (which was clear). He is reviewing all her medications for anything that would make her sleepy and decrease her appetite. He ordered Bactrim for a minor little bug he found. He said she still has a little bronchitis. Jimmy is well informed by the facility and Ann Marie, and is very aware of Aunt Lou's current condition. The facility notifies him of all changes in her condition, medication, etc., and they are keeping Aunt Lou informed as well. If we saw her today we would say she needs to be in the hospital, but Aunt Lou does not want to go to the hospital. The facility is doing lab work around the clock and the lab and x-ray results are getting to the dr. as if she was in ER. If the dr. decides to order an IV, they can give it to her at the facility. She is weak, shaky, and sleepy, but very oriented. When you call Aunt Lou remind her that Dr. Barnes said for her to drink more fluids. Tell her what's going on with your life/family to keep her engaged with the family. She said does not want to die sick. She wants to die like her mother, just go to sleep. Ann Marie and Aunt Lou talk allot about her wishes. As long as she tells Ann Marie to keep it up, she will infuse her with life. But if/when Aunt Lou decides to check out, Ann Marie said she will not be selfish and keep her around, and will honor her wishes. Right now Aunt Lou wants the encouragement/life infusion to get better. She was assisted up this am and assisted to dress. After breakfast, she was tired and went back to bed, but with her clothes on, not back in a gown. She is a little more awake today than yesterday.

Aunt Lou LOVES the visits, calls, and cards. Please continue. When I was down for the 6 weeks after my surgery, I was amazed how I looked forward to a connection with the outside world. I looked forward to the mail everyday like some soldier on foreign soil. Cynthia Waters has repeatedly said how she enjoys the cards. It makes you feel like you are not a forgotten shut-in, and Aunt Lou really needs that right now to get better. Continue the prayers for her and for Ann Marie. It is extremely draining--physically, emotionally, mentally, etc. and challenging to care for someone so close. She has unselfishly shut down many of her own needs/wants right now to spend a lot of time with Aunt Lou to infuse her with life. Ann Marie------we all APPRECIATE YOU for your efforts with Aunt Lou.

Cindy

Going Down the Rollercoaster Again...

Aunt Lou is not feeling well. She has had intermittent nausea since the weekend. She got sick again last night and they gave her medication for nausea, which left her very dopey and with slurred speech today. Her appetite is down and so is her weight. She stayed in bed and slept all weekend. Ann Marie brought her a Braum's shake Monday. She drank all of it. They are giving her a nutritional supplement with an appetite stimulant several times a day. Last night the doc added/changed her stomach medication. (An ulcer was diagnosed in 2/08.) She is still coughing up stuff from her respiratory infection, so she asked for the Mucinex again last night. (They had ordered twice a day for 2 weeks, and then made it as needed. It does help thin the respiratory secretions to bring them up, but it also kills your appetite.) She has finished her antibiotics (Z-Pak), but it continues to work even after you take the pills. It also makes you feel weak.) When Ann Marie arrived at the nursing home before lunch today, she had to work hard to get Aunt Lou awake. She was served one of their best lunches, which she didn't eat. Ann Marie said it looked and smelled wonderful. She only drank her tea, and they brought her some ice cream, which she ate. Aunt Lou said it feels like her food doesn't go down, like it is stuck between her throat and stomach. (Mike said he feels the same way most of the time.) They did blood work this am and her electrolytes are high (which could be dehydration) but they are less high each time they've done the blood work (which shows she is improving). Aunt Lou said the dr. there told her not to drink much fluid because of her congestive heart failure. That was months ago, so Ann Marie has added that concern to her list for the dr. He'll be back today. Aunt Lou won't drink much unless the dr. tells her it's OK. So now, after about 2 hours, Ann Marie got her up and dressed in her wheelchair. She is fixing her hair and watching "Days of our Lives." Aunt Lou is oriented, alert, and her speech is clear. Aunt Lou just got a call from Joyce, a niece on the Ragan side. She is on her way to see Aunt Lou. Ann Marie said now the entire nursing home staff is alerted to watch Aunt Lou and help her, and provide intervention when she is ill. GOLD STAR and many thanks to Ann Marie for the life injection into Aunt Lou!!!!!!

Cindy

What a Difference a Week Makes!

This week has been a little trying for Aunt Lou and, as always, she has taken it all in stride and is improving every day.

Monday evening, the doctor saw her, ordered tests, etc.

Tuesday (in the light blue outfit) she looked like this. I told her I was taking her picture for the blog and to smile pretty. This is the face she came up with. I showed it to her and asked if she wanted another picture. She said, "no, that one looks just like I feel". Okay, so she could have sounded better or felt better on Tuesday. They had loaded her up with drugs, which were starting to work, which made her feel even worse.

Wednesday morning, I brought her hot breakfast: biscuits and sausage gravy from our new Braum's that opened up the day before. She stayed in bed all day on Monday and whined around and wouldn't go to exercise on Tuesday. I told her I brought her a big breakfast so that she would be very happy to go to exercise. She was feeling better than the day before and she went to exercise. See the smile on her face?

Thursday was bingo day so she got herself together and played, although she coughed her head off the whole time.

Friday was beauty shop day and here's a picture of her new do. We've been going through hair chicks like kleenex lately but this one may be a winner. We'll see how it goes.

I spoke to her this morning while I was waiting for Blaine to come down to the dock and clean a catfish. She was in a decent humor and sounding even better still. It sucks to get old. It sucks even worse to be sick when you're already sick because they cut your toe off AND you're 86 years old. She has been through so much and she just keeps on truckin'. Wanna know how she does it? We've discussed it and she said that she didn't want to die "like this" as she waved her arms around, tangling herself in her oxygen mask tubes (relax, she's still only sleeping with it). She says that she gets through all the stuff she has to do because she wants to die when it's "her time", which will be when God snatches her away, hopefully in the fashion of her mother's passing. Amazing! We could all be so lucky!

Keep your emails and cards coming to Aunt Lou!

Ann