The start of the new year, I decided it’s going to be different this year… Dad is doing good at 90, with a good mind and is physically fit for his age. Mom struggles with Alzheimer’s but is relatively healthy, gained some weight, but we’re managing. Everything will stay calm, I know it! Enjoy the opportunity the new year brings. Riiiiiight…!
It can’t be easy with aging parents…
My Account – Last 4 Months
Jan. 4
I think mom and I are passing this bronchitis back-and-forth. I’m on my 2nd round of antibiotics and mom is coughing and hacking. Will try to make it in the morning. … also mom might be having mini strokes – her speech has been slurred a few times this past week – getting her checked Monday. Jan. 5 – I need to keep mom home – she’s got a bad cough and think she has a UTI – Monday doc appointment was the first opening. I’m having to do breathing treatments with a nebulizer. Sorry to dump on you – please keep us in prayer. Jan. 11 – Mom had a test run and she has a UTI bacteria infection, and a yeast infection, and upper respiratory infection! She’s on Bactrim and another pill for all of it. She’s doing better but not going to drive nor get her out in this ice. David was taking his Jeep to the store and lost control and spun 3 times and landed in the ditch. He’s ok and the jeep is ok too – but scary!
Jan. 20
If anyone is awake at this hour, I had to make an emergency trip to Dallas Airport. My dad (who is 90 and ill with this bronchitis stuff going around) has been stuck in Los Angeles airport since noon Sunday. He is travelling home from Portland Oregon. He went there to go to his brother’s funeral.
I’m so worried because he is due to depart LAX at 1:00 a.m. western time and he was at the wrong gate to Chicago! He is very disoriented, hallucinating, talking very jumbled right now and couldn’t tell me where he was. A nice woman sitting next to him told me where he was and got a LAX worker to help him.
I’m an hour outside Dallas at a hotel trying to straighten out this mess. I will go to DFW airport at 4:00 a.m. to intercept him and drive him home to Tulsa – no sleep tonight! I have been at the point of distress trying to help him. Please pray that he will be on that flight from LAX!
(Short version) …Thanks for your prayers – worked! I just learned dad made the flight and I’m at the airport at his gate. He’ll be here at 6 a.m.The woman at the ticket counter wasn’t supposed to tell me, but when I asked her if he made the flight she shook her head yes and faked it. I’ve been very scared that I would be making a trip to Los Angeles!
…Update: got a gate pass and met dad at the gate coming off the plane. He’s definitely got issues. I think it’s a combo of dehydration, possible UTI and upper respiratory infection, oh and probably pink eye.
He hadn’t eaten much in 3 or 4 days -definitely nothing in the last 24 hours. We got a good breakfast at the hotel. Dad usually won’t eat breakfast but gobbled up fruit bowl, cereal, 2 pastries, sausage and apple juice.
We tried to sleep some but that didn’t work so left to go home. He hallucinated most of the way home and tried to get out of the car while it was moving! Long story short we’re home and headed to the doc now.
Feb. 5
I can’t drive in this weather and can’t get mom out in it! We have a steady snowfall here and a layer of ice under the snow. [message to my boss]. Feb. 15 I won’t be there tonight – mom is too upside down.
Feb. 17
I fell in the creek and hurt my non-surgery knee yesterday. It’s big and swollen and can barely put weight on it. I go to the ortho doc tomorrow. David was in the back mending fences and I went to tell him something on my way back to the house, I crossed over a different place and the rock was wet and slid like I was on ice. I hit rocks – not bleeding but I can’t put weight on my knee. I sat there and cried …in my puddle… and feeling sorry for myself (haha), because David couldn’t hear me. Feb. 18 – I’m getting better – just tired from hobbling across the courthouse.
Mar. 1
I took Dad to the emergency room. I think he has vertigo, or high blood pressure, or heart related. I took him to the City since he would have been transferred anyway. If it’s not Mom it’s Dad!! Most likely won’t be at church this morning. I’m so tired please pray for me! I called a lady from church to help me with mom – need coffee! – lol. I’ll just subject myself to ER coffee… If you do happen to get a coffee, get QT Carmel Macchiato but put about 1/4th dark roast coffee in it to dilute it some.
… Still at the ER – the doctor said dad’s having mini strokes and his blood pressure is up and down at 204/76 right now. …He’s being admitted to watch overnight for stroking. Chest xray good, CT scan good, MRI tomorrow but waiting for OHI to clear, with pacemaker. March 2 … Update: Dad is still in ER Rm 20 and will be for another night. No rooms available so far. There are patients in beds in the hallways and ER waiting area was packed! His bp keeps spiking
March 20
I spoke with my sister Debi in Arkansas who has mom in her care. The Day Center closed down til March 30 due to the c-virus. She reported that mom begin to have labored breathing, shaking, was very clammy, and having difficulty walking in the store (She’s trying to keep a distance from people to avoid c-virus). She gave mom orange juice which appeared to ease the symptoms. Thinking maybe she had low blood sugar since her blood pressure was 150/80 today.
Debi says mom is having symptoms again and she doesn’t want to get out of bed. She is going to take her to urgent care because the ER is 60 miles away. If she can’t get her up and around she is to call an ambulance. I spoke with mom’s doctor and said to take her in. Debi will keep me posted.
… Debi got her into a walk-in clinic now.
… I woke up praying this morning.
… Mom tested negative to the flu and has a UTI with a white blood cell count of 20,000 – normal is 50 to 10 thousand. Her kidney function could also be affected. UTI’s are typical for Alzheimer’s patients.
… Mom is at the hospital in Texarkana and being admitted because of her white count being so high.
March 21 – They admitted her and she ripped out the IV port, and blood all over! They re-did it. I told Debi to have her sedated, but they wouldn’t so she ripped it out again, in the middle of the night. They finally wrapped the stretchy wrap around it. I hope she doesn’t get the c-virus!
… The doctor asked mom if she knew where she was – she first answered “in bed!” Then doc asked again and mom said, “well I’m right here in front of you!” Hilarious! Lol.
March 23 – Mom got to go home to my sister’s this morning!
March 25 – I’m essential…
March 26
Sorry, I’ve been cleaning up messes all evening. David was removing concrete from the floor and the dust was so bad I had to change filters, sweep, mop dust, cook, laundry – now I’m pooped! We’re remodeling mom’s bedroom while she’s in Arkansas.
March 29 –
FYI – David was sent to a job at the hospital to change out glass Friday and Saturday to create negative airflow ventilation on the floors that hold coronavirus patients. Although I took his clothes at the door, sprayed his shoes with Board-certified (cosmetology) disinfectant, and sent him straight way to the shower, washed his clothes, and sprayed down surfaces and door knobs, and in/outside of his Jeep, I could potentially be exposed. If I get it I would think I would by Wednesday. You decide if you want me to come to the office or not. I think I should stay away from you, my dad and David’s parents. My mom is in Arkansas. [message to my 92 y.o. attorney boss]
April 1 – She is somewhat better. She was discharged after 5 days in hospital and is still at my sister’s house, in Arkansas. I think she ripped out her IV about 7 or 8 times! … I’ve been sick with a sore throat and ear ache. The doc prescribed a z-pak. She didn’t think I had the c-virus. I’m working from home but our office is still open since we are considered essential.
April 2 – “LIFE Senior Services regrets to inform you that ADH Central will be closed the week of April 6-11. LIFE continues to follow the COVID-19 pandemic closely and is in constant contact with government officials to ensure we do everything to keep everyone safe. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. If you need anything, do not hesitate to reach out to me – I will do whatever I can.”
April 16 – Nothing’s broken from my fall, [bruises down my arm and xray], the swelling is from arthritis in my hand. I thought maybe I dislocated it. Doc said it could have – I saw it pop out and back in!
I must be in auto-pilot
WOW! As I re-read this timeline – I just can’t believe all of this happened at the start of the new year! I’m taken aback. I must be in autopilot!
