Mental Decline & Dependency/Coping With Aging Loved Ones

Tomkitten--

I think that doctors--even young doctors--assume all women have nursing talent. Also, in Western culture, most men are not exposed to imperfect human beings and therefore underestimate the time and patience required.

Mr. Noddy reported--in a very confused fashion--that the bone scan showed a hairline crack in his pelvis. This accounts for his pain and for his inability to use his left leg. The crack is "weight-supporting" which means that walking on crutches won't cause further damage.

I'm trying, but having spent 10 years of my life--in four installments--on crutches I can't treat Mr. Noddy as a Courageous Warrior facing six to eight weeks of assisted walking.

Mr. Noddy does recognize my painful expertise--he just wants to ignore it.

Mental decline
And since each jacket has two pockets outside and two pockets inside, I now have 12 new pockets. I rather enjoy thinking about that.

Noddy - what are the chances that Mr Noddy will keep to his 1800 calorie regime once he gets home? I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Perhaps with the awkwardness of using crutches he may be less able to raid the fridge?

Walter - one reason (of several) that I was glad the judge awarded the lawyers for both sides joint guardianship of my mother, was the detailed financial accounting required. I was perfectly happy to have someone else do that, although a lot of my time was taken up arguing with one of the lawyers about not allowing her to live with her s-i-l (alcoholic, physically abusive - amazing how these things can be kept so private!).

Walter--

Fight the good fight. Sorry to neglect your troubles while focusing on my own.

TomKitten--

I doubt that Don will stay on a diet. He really feels that he deserves ice cream and that ice cream calories don't count.

Furthermore, he's sure and certain that he understands his diabetic metabolism better than his doctors do.

Unfortunately watching me for 10 years, housekeeping on crutches, he knows there are all sorts of ways to carry things. Ice cream is easy. Scoop from the carton into a refrigerator container, snap the lid on, put it in a bag and go-go-go.

Meanwhile, he will continue to be quite scathing about overweight friends and family members. (This is the part that really annoys me. If the pot is calling the kettle black, the pot is on very shaky ethical ground).

I am a wife, not a mother.

I'll cook wholesome food in measured portions, but if/when he cheats, this is his problem. I can't tie my ego up in his diet while I'm struggling with the other facets of dementia.

With luck by noon tomorrow I'll have a timetable and a road map.

Besides that I can only agree that ice cream calories don't count (no calories from sweets, cake, chocolate etc count!!!), besides this tiny restriction: hold your dominion, Noddy!

Mental Decline & Dependency/Coping With Aging Loved Ones
Broken cookies don't count either, Walter. Nor does peanut butter eaten directly from the jar.

Apparently you haven't been to Wisconsin, Noddy.

Walter--

Stay away from Mr. Noddy with your math, please.

Tomkitten--

You, too.

Gus--

You have Admitted Masculine Imperfection in Wisconsin? How exotic.

**********

Mr. Noddy is being transferred to the Rehab Wing which deals with stroke patients as well as accident victims. He's very happy, very chatty and convinced that he's impressing the world.

The nurses asked me to sign the transfer papers.

Official recognition makes the problem a bit easier to carry--or will until Mr. Noddy finds out about the official recognition.

Right ... so ...

Noddy - I hope that as Mr. Noddy is still safe and happy in his world at this moment - that you will try to rest up as best you can.

Continuation of reading hopelessly trashy books, sipping tea and laying down of public Dominion for a tad longer in the evening, by your feet, is on your agenda, if possible.

Trust the dogs intestines are behaving ... as are yours.

Seriously, hoping you are coping and wishing you well.


Walter - ditto fight the good fight - paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork. (ugh - piles of paper - and not enough trees in the world!)
Take care

Tom Kitten: 3 REVERSIBLE JACKETS = 6 JACKETS = 12 POCKETS.
Good for you. That's my kind of shopping.

Mental Decline
Who knows how long Mr Noddy's stay will be in the Rehab Wing, but it's gotta be good for him and even more so for you. He's getting all kinds of attention and you're getting just plain rest and that's just plain great.

Tomkitten--

A woman of Certain Years benefits from having cheerful garments with pockets. I favor dashiki and during grocery shopping the list goes in the left pocket and the coupons in the right.

I throw the list away at checkout and use the left pocket for the ATM slip. I'm infallible with pockets.

Izzie--

Thanks for the kind words. Today I Cease Sloth, resume my exercises and take a self-indulgent grocery run.

Hey Noddy

Just checking in to find out the lastest on your good self and Mr. Noddy. I read he will be "rehabbed" for a couple of weeks? How is he dealing with that - still happy in his world, or.....?

Most importantly, how are you? The respite will serve you well, and give you "strength gathering time" for Mr. Noddy's return - though if you are anything like me, often when all the caring and emotional/mental stuff ceases even for a short while, that's usually when my body/joint aches and pains decide to play nasty for a while. <Relax...then......oh - can't move for a while>.

Would be good to know how you are and whether I need to ship over all my "trashy novel" mountain of books so you have plenty to read for the next 10 days or so (actually - all my books are crime/medical/forensic thrillers - not a Mills & Boon in sight - but hey, I haven't the concentration to read one book these days - but a good thriller is the best.

Hope you will update us - if you are happy to do that. Meanwhile - just thinking about and you wishing you well.

Izzie

(hey Walter and TK)

Bought a couple of skirts, blouses and jumpers for my aunt today (that is, she will try with the help of the nurses if she likes them ...).

Before, we've been with mother to the long due routine check at the ophthalmologist: everything is okay ... but she still thinks that she needs new glasses.

Bought her a blouse and a jumper, too ...

Interestingly, the nurses were a bit 'concerned' about how mother was doing today - I thought, it was better than the last days.

Aunt is getting better every day - asks for food, drinks, tells when she has to go to the toilette (though sometimes a bit too late), talks in more than one, two words ...


Oh, and of course my sister hasn't reacted at all to the protocoll from last Tuesday which I'd sent her the same day.

Walter--

Your sister is consistently exasperating. You have to give her points for staying in character.

Are your feminine fripperies everyday clothes or Sunday Go To Meeting Easter finery?

Izzie--

Thanks for the kind thoughts--particularly those from your addicted reader corner of the brain. If I read a book a day--and some of my stash are doorstopper stories--my supply of therapeutic trash should last until late November.

By the by, have you ever encountered Fanny Cradock's Castle Rising novels?

Mr. Noddy is settling in to resident rehab where he'll stay for at least another week--and quite possibly two or three weeks after that. Aside from his broken bones, he's a long-term diabetic with heart and kidney damage. He's also 70 pounds overweight which complicates everything: dressing and walking and balancing in the bathroom....

He's a sociable cuss and now that he has a wheelchair and some mobility he's trying out for the ward Mr. Congeniality title.

He's in a safe place and I'm having a Good Rest.

Everyday stuff, sale, in a 'boutique' here in the village espeically for the ned of seniors.
(My aunt has to get a comletely renovation of all clothes since she lost weight from seize XL down to S.)

Walter--

I hope your aunt is aware enough of her surroundings to take some delight in her new figure.

No, I don't really think so. However, who really knows???

Just had another frustrating conversation with Mr. Noddy.

Among other things, he was under the impression that he'd broken only one bone, not two (pelvis and tailbone). Then he insisted that no one had ever told him this.

The case manager told me that they would keep track of his healing with x-rays and bone scans. I passed this on to him. He insisted that there was no way to see the progress of healing.

Besides, even though he was under the hospital roof, he was in rehab and rehab didn't have the high tech machines.

I explained that he'd be wheeled to outpatient radiology--just as if he came into the ER.

He was indignant that no one had told him this.

Fortunately, I have at least six more days of respite.

I'm thinking that you are going to need home care help, however little Mr. Noddy would like it... lifting him would be endangering for you. Hah, in my far away from the scene opinion, that is. (None of my business, of course.)
Perhaps instigated by a social worker connected with the hospital, or....

Osso--

Not to worry. If for some reason Medicare wants to cut off Mr. Noddy's residential rehab, they will send a therapist to the house. To some degree Mr. Noddy's length of stay in rehab will depend on Mr. Noddy's progress in rehab.

For example, as of yesterday, he could dress himself above the waist with very little help. Below the waist he was only able to cooperate with the aids and the therapist.

He won't be discharged until he can dress himself--and dress himself safely. I won't be sentenced to getting down on my hands and knees and putting his shoes and socks on for him.

The rehab people took careful note of my age, physical condition and common sense all of which limit my practical nursing possibilities.

When he is discharged there will probably be six weeks of PT at home--and by this time the fractures could well be healed.

Mr. Noddy has a competitive streak and he knows damn well how much I can accomplish on crutches. I've never broken my pelvis, but I have broken both legs at once and lived to tell the tale.

I'm worried about him going stark raving mad--and driving me stark raving mad--with cabin fever, but this is another problem. I'm also worried about the Great American Male love affair with the family car, but those are both down-the-road worries.

Mr. Noddy loves the Visiting Nurses--he had them after heart surgery. Four years ago after I broke my leg, he tried to monopolize my Visiting Nurses. The Visiting Nurses specialize in Rapt Admiration, so good for the male ego.

How are things, Noddy, - and how are you?!