06.13.09
Posted in Thank You For Sharing at 6:08 pm by Fritz
Fritz has had a bad case of Writer’s Cramp from all this typing lately. It’s why you haven’t heard from me lately. My front paws were worn from exhaustion. I tried writing with my back paws, but could not see what I was doing. I am currently typing with both right paws now and it is working very well. Ahhh….the things humans can’t do.
Things in Fritzland have been calming down. The Seasons registered nurse, Kim, comes Tues and Thurs to check on the Mother Goddess. She can’t find anything wrong. Blood pressure good, heart good. MG did develop a bed sore on the heel of her right foot. My Guardian challenged herself that there would be no bed sores. But, alas, one had developed. The aide, Paschal, comes Mon, Wed, and Fri for 2 hours to give my G. some relief. Paschal attended a funeral in NYC Friday and a replacement was to come. Never showed up. Fortunately, Mike was visiting and relieved my G for a couple hours to run errands. Nothing is certain these days.
The physical therapist came twice this week and is very pleased with how MG is progressing. The music therapist came once. My G. invited Aunt Blur to sit in. It was beautiful. The 4 women singing hymns around the kitchen table. It was music to my delicate ears.
On Thursday, Aunt Linda brought lunch. She’s such a sweetie!! Then she sat with MG while my G. went to the gym. It was FABULOUS (or so I’m told)!!! G. felt so good when she got home. She saw some old friends there. It has been months since she’s been. It was a good day.
My Guardian did almost lose it this morning, however. For the past 3 nights the MG has been waking us because she needs to go to the bathroom. This occurs every 2 hours - almost like an alarm clock. I stay curled up in bed, but my G. needs to help MG out of bed and to the commode. MG doesn’t like the bed rails on her bed. She thinks she’s being treated like a child. She becomes very agitated and pounds the rail with her fist. She doesn’t understand that she is not strong enough to get out of bed by herself. She doesn’t even remember breaking her leg!!! My G. tries so hard to do the right things and MG has gotten nasty at times. Now, without a good night’s sleep, my G. is becoming agitated as well. She was in tears this morning after a lashing from MG. But by afternoon, all is forgotten and we are just as happy as pigs in mud.
Mike’s coming over tonight. My G. said she has a craving for cheesesteaks. So he is bringing food for the hungry. MG only wants a dish of chicken soup, which is probably the best thing for her right now. I hope to get portions of the sandwiches.
NOTE: The other morning, my G. was called to MG’s room around 6am. From indications in the room, MG had gotten out of bed and relieved herself all by herself. G. was confused and angry. MG could have fallen. They would have been starting all over again if she would break another bone. MG is feisty and somehow got out of bed. G. wonders if she was so tired she did not hear her. There have been several times during the night when G. wakes because she thinks her name was called. But MG is sleeping soundly. It’s the nature of this whole thing, I guess. You sleep but try to be alert to a call to the point where you imagine you’re being called. And then MG gets out of bed by herself.
Yes, things have calmed down here. But there are still some bumps in the road.
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06.03.09
Posted in Thank You For Sharing at 9:14 pm by Fritz
This is the first week of Seasons Hospice for the Mother Goddess. Things are beginning to settle down. She is still waking up in the wee hours of the morning - either for something to eat or to groan. When she groans, my Guardian is not sure what to do. She repeats “Oh God” so many times, it appears to be a habit - but you never know. This morning she awoke at 5:30a and said she felt lousy. My Guardian asks what/where it hurts. But MG only groans “Oh God.” So G gave her some liquid Tylenol and slept briefly in her room until MG fell asleep.
Aunt Blur came over this afternoon. She got MG another twin sheet for her hospital bed. Now G has 2 and doesn’t have to try to make the double sheet work (which it didn’t). The aide, Paschal, came today. She was 1-1/2 hours late and at 3 my G. called Seasons. Paschal had been delayed at her earlier client. G told her she should call when she is being that late.
An interesting thing today….Lakawana Digital Imaging came to take an x-ray of MG’s leg. Isn’t that wonderful? She didn’t have to go out of the house to have this done. I hope the x-ray looks good. Pete, the imaging guy, was super. He made MG laugh. Then Paschal gave MG a bath and changed the bed clothes. Dinner and a nap. We will watch Obama and the White House tonight - maybe have ice cream cones!!! Yeah!!!
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06.01.09
Posted in Thank You For Sharing at 12:26 am by Fritz
Another day in Fritzland. The Mother Goddess had had a good weekend. Mike came over and hooked up a DVD player to the t.v. in her room last night. This was in between watching the Phillies beat the Nationals. Now she can watch the Lawrence Welk DVD’s Mike got her at Christmas. She did that today. She walked from her bedroom to kitchen and back this morning with the walker. But it made her so tired. She napped this afternoon and when she woke, my Guardian was not yet ready for dinner. So G. slipped in a LW DVD. Mother Goddess had cookies and the rest of her Ensure shake while watching Christmas Lawrence Welk shows. She was happy.
After dinner, she changed the Aunt Pearl calendar to June. Aunt Pearl made this super calendar that you can change each month. It gives MG something to do but this time my Guardian needed to help her. MG also folded napkins for my G. It was a busy day.
My Guardian colored and set MG’s hair Friday night. She took the bobbie pins out today and combed her hair. She looks very cute! G. put a headband on MG. Aunt Creetch sent home roses when we walked earlier. MG noticed them right away. She’s very alert.
So tomorrow we will wait for the Seasons Hospice folks. It will be another busy day.
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05.30.09
Posted in Thank You For Sharing at 12:39 am by Fritz
Ah, the old blogger is slowing down. Things in Fritzland have not exactly returned to normal. But patterns are developing and my Guardian has been extremely busy with all the folks coming and going. Yesterday our doors swung in and out with people from the Visiting Nurse Assoc and Seasons Hospice. This would be expected until the trasition to Seasons is complete. My Guardian really liked the folks from Seasons. I can tell this is a relief to her and will give her some free time to herself. In addition, Seasons takes care of everything. As the VNA did, also. Plus more. On Wednesday, Sonya and Ashley arrived to talk with my Guardian and meet the Mother Goddess. Ashley gave MG a B-12 injection in her butt. The MG was very tired and just did whatever Ashley asked.
Today, the Mother Goddess was entertained by Ali, a music therapist with Seasons. Ali called in the morning to ask when she could come. My G. had wondered about how MG would take to this and remembered that MG loves hymns. She asked Ali to sing hymns to MG. When Ali arrived, the MG was at the kitchen table just finishing her brunch. When Ali explained to the MG what she was about to do, MG gave G. ‘the look.’ But by the time Ali finished, Ali, MG, and G. were singing hymns around the kitchen table. Ali has a beautiful voice. She is a certified music therapist. Her music can calm disoriented folks, make folks breathe better…it’s quite a science. I hope the next time the weather is better and we can sing on the porch.
Then Ashley arrived. She bathed the MG and changed her bandages. On Monday, Andre the social worker is coming, the chaplin, and Ashley again. The MG did not eat much today but did have an Ensure chocolate shake this evening. My G. colored and set her hair. This was tricky since the MG never left her wheelchair. But G. did it. I have the honor of riding in the wheelchair every time it goes. I wish the trips were longer - bedroom to kitchen is not a real long ride 
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05.27.09
Posted in Thank You For Sharing at 11:25 pm by Fritz
I’m not writing daily blogs any more. And that is good. I have to admit….things have been so abnormal around here, my writing has helped me keep everything in perspective. But things are calming down in Fritzland. Yesterday was a hectic day. At 10am, the nurses aide came and gave the Mother Goddess a bath. At 12:45, the visiting nurse came and checked on her, shortly after Rufus came from LabCorp to take a blood sample, at 3p the physical therapist came and while she was here, the geriatric nurse and Hospice social worker arrived. The speech therapist was supposed to come at 5, but she called my Guardian and was concerned that Hospice was involved. That would mean her duties would cease (though they hadn’t even begun yet). My Guardian assured her that the MG didn’t need speech therapy, had had a very busy day as it was, and it would be just fine if she didn’t come. Actually, it would be a good idea if she didn’t come.
The Mother Goddess is getting back to her old self. At least for today. She needed to go to the bathroom while the physical therapist was here. We decided to leave MG some privacy and as the PT left the room, the MG thumbed her nose at her. Hmmmmm……exactly HOW was that session going? Ah, the PT was making MG work. She was getting her to stand by herself without assistance. Yes, she is still very weak and cannot walk by herself. But the PT was proving her upper body strength is still good and she can at least help my Guardian while moving her around.
Mother Goddess is getting Hospice care. My Guardian is so relieved. We take for granted that we need to run to the store for something. My Guardian cannot do that any more. She needs to have someone here to watch the MG. She needs to plan and get all her errands together at one time. You cannot just leave the MG. My G. has been blessed with such good friends that she can call on. But it requires planning.
The Mother Goddess sat in her LazyBoy last night for a good while and watched what was available on t.v. At 11, my G. made her go to bed - she could not sleep in the LazyBoy (as my G. and I have done many nights) all night. And so went Tuesday.
During the night, the Mother Goddess called out twice. My Guardian heard this on the room monitor. It was the usual ‘Ohhhh!’ and ‘Oh, God.’ But since she did not call my G. by name, G. did not respond. We are learning. (I know my Guardian is an angel, but is she God?)
The MG arose at 10 and had breakfast. Then went back to bed around noon. My G. was able to run to the drugstore for MG’s B-12 injection and then cut the grass. My Guardian does not run around the yard with me any more after grass cutting. We use to play a game where I would run into the shed and grab a garden glove. She would then run after me and try to retrieve said glove. Sometimes she would be sly and hide behind a tree until I would pass by. But she did not do this today. I ran with the glove by myself. She did not follow me. But we did fill the bird feeders!
Aunt Ruth came at 5p with Arby’s. I love Arby’s. Their roast beef sandwiches are to die for and the MG just loves them. Of course, MG gave me some of her sandwich. While Aunt Ruth was here, my G. went to the hairdressers (see post of May 22). The Phillies were on - who knew? When my G. returned, Aunt Ruth, MG, and I were in the kitchen watching the game. By this time, MG was tired and my G. put her to bed. Aunt Ruth can’t believe how well MG is doing. She was talking about the old times in Knollwood, remembered my G. had a Subaru….and many other things. Her mind is good. She just can’t remember that she was in the hospital and what for.
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05.25.09
Posted in Thank You For Sharing at 11:05 pm by Fritz
The Mother Goddess woke early this morning with a stomach ache. My Guardian did not really know what to do. How come the MG always knew what to do when G. had a stomach ache? G. gave her some Pepto-Bismal and hoped for the best. MG slept after that.
But it was an exciting day in Fritzland. G. was in the family room and heard Aunt Creetch calling her pup-pups. They had bolted out the kitchen/garage doors and were making a break for it. G. ran around our circle and then came to retrieve me (as bait) and some leashes. She then called Aunt Blur (who was headed to the pool) to sit with the MG. The Goddesses jumped into action! The little fellows had made it across a major road and some good person got them and called Aunt Creetch. But I got a real good walk/run this morning and all is well.
The MG slept most of the day and had a banana waffle, juice, cantalope, and coffee around 2p. Then dinner around 5:30p. Her spirits are down and she worries that my G. will hurt herself lifting. She is not happy with the way things are going. But G. tells her that each day is better and she’ll be back on her feet soon. I hope so. The hospital bed is not the easiest to jump off of.
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Posted in Thank You For Sharing at 11:54 am by Fritz
Fritz, here. Happy Memorial Day! I’m trying to understand why we honor a special event by pretending it happened on a Monday and then leaving our trash at the curb for an extra long time.
I’ve been busy with the Mother Goddess and have missed a posting or two. Nothing to be alarmed at. It’s just that every day is different and I never know what to expect. Some days run longer than others. MG was restless early Saturday morning. She has discovered the rails on her bed and does not like them. She made have to get up and won’t be able to with the rails. My Guardian explains, again, that they are for her safety so she doesn’t fall out of bed. But MG doesn’t buy it. Aunt Blur was to stay with MG while G. ran errands this afternoon. Fifteen minutes before Aunt Blur was to come over, MG was up and wanted to sit in her wheelchair. Boy, was Aunt Blur surprised. But Aunt Creetch had come also, so the 2 of them sat with the MG. Then Mike came over, so MG was well taken care of. She napped in bed for a couple hours and awoke at 7 - Lawrence Welk time!!! Mike and G. warmed up supper which she ate in bed while watching Larry. I don’t know if Larry whetted her appetite, but she ate a good meal. Then she was ready for bed for the night.
By Sunday morning, it was the first time G. and I slept straight through the night. I think the MG was just tuckered out from Lawrence Welk. Mike stopped over so G. ran out for a few more errands. When she returned, Mike and the MG were in her room watching the Phillies game. Mike offered to make her a grilled open-faced sandwich while G. got her into her wheelchair and out to the kitchen. MG finished watching the game and ate dinner at the kitchen table. Then back to bed for a nap. The Goddesses came over to visit. She was awake and they sang to her. It was beautiful!!!! Jesus Loves Me. You Are My Sunshine. Holy, Holy, Holy. It put her to sleep. At 8, she awoke and watched the entertainment from The Capitol in Washington. Afterwards, there was nothing on t.v. (as usual) and she wanted to sit in her green LazyBoy and catch up on her reading. My G. helped her walk to the chair with her walker. She picked up a magazine and my G. offered her a glass of Manichewicz (they usual routine). MG said yes, she’d like that - and some pretzels. When my G. returned from her shower, the MG was asleep in the chair, barely touching anything. G. read while nudging the MG up from her naps to keep her awake. Finally at midnight, they went to bed. The MG slept until around 4 when my G. could hear her stirring through he room monitor. Then she started to moan “Oh, God. Oh, God.” My G. checks on her and MG tells G to leave her alone. Awhile later, she starts again and says her stomach hurts. G. gives her some Bepto-Bismal and G. sleeps in the green chair. Around 6a, MG is up again but goes back to sleep. That’s where we are today so far.
Until the next posting….Happy Memorial Day!
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05.23.09
Posted in Thank You For Sharing at 2:33 am by Fritz
Today I was crated THREE times!!! Well, it’s better than being left alone all day like I have been. But really, I only yap the first 5 minutes when someone arrives.
This morning at 1am, the Mother Goddess awoke and was not happy having rails on the side of her bed. What if she had to get up? My Guardian reasoned with her that it is for her own protection so she won’t fall out of bed or try to walk without assistance. MG is not happy.
MG awoke again around 3am. She wanted to get out of bed but there were rails keeping her in. G. asked what she wanted to get up for. MG said she wanted to make supper. G. told her it was only 3 am and to go back to sleep. This was the first night my Guardian slept in her bed this week. But now she went back to the LazyBoy to be there for MG. I noticed she had not returned to bed and went to see what was up. G. called to me to jump on the LazyBoy. I just looked at her. Not another night in that chair for me. I went back to the bed.
At 8am, G. received a call from the visiting nurse that she would be here between 10-10:30. My G. said she thought everyone was coming today at 1pm. No, said the visiting nurse…she was coming at 10 if that was o.k. My Guardian thought this over and decided it may work out better that she would be there with Aunt Ruth. Aunt Ruth came at 9:30am to sit with MG while G. went to the hairdressers. G. got to the hairdresser’s parking lot, turned off her car, and there was a phone call from Aunt Ruth that the MG was up and wanted to go to the bathroom. What was she to do. G. said she would be right there and returned home. The visiting nurse (Patty) had arrived in the meantime and all was well. But my Guardian realizes it is a little unfair to ask folks to sit with the MG when they may not be prepared for what the MG may need. She felt very bad having Aunt Ruth come early in the morning to sit and in the end she did not get the haircut that was the reason for the request. The visiting nurse took blood pressure (which was low) and blood/oxygen tests (which was 95-not 100, but good). She changed the bandage on MG’s arm. Her arms are looking much better. The nurse practitioner (Jessica) called that she would be out at 3pm. Again, my Guardian told her she thought everyone was coming at 1. Three is o.k., but 1 was what she was told. Jessica asked my G. to have Patty call her when she was done. Patty left a voice mail for Jessica. Aunt Ruth stayed with my Guardian after the nurse left and talked.
At noon, the nurses aide called and asked if it would be o.k. if she came an hour early. G. said sure, why not. No one else has come at the time they said and she was home. Carla came and gave the MG a good sponge bath. She said the MG’s skin is dry but looks real good. She slathered her in Orchid Dragonfly which Aunt Creetch had gotten for her birthday. The MG slept through it all.
Around 1:30, the MG awoke and wanted coffee. G. wheeled her to the kitchen where she had a bowl of cantalope and a bowl of chicken soup. She could not eat all the chicken soup and didn’t touch her coffee. She was then ready to go back to bed.
At 3, Jessica arrived and my G. recited events in the past couple days. Jessica is a very sweet lady (as they all are) and said Holly would be out on Tuesday with a social worker to discuss Hospice.
Aunt Karen called today to see how the MG was doing. My G. was glad to hear from her as she had not received e-mails from her in a while. Everyone is getting ready for the holiday weekend.
At 5:45, Aunt Creetch and Mike arrived. Aunt Creetch brought be-oooooo-tee-ful flowers from her garden. G. gave her instructions and update on MG and then left with Mike for dinner and a show at the Arden Theatre in Philly. They saw The Intangibles but Mike says G. slept through most of the first half. And it was a good show!!
They got home around 11:30 and the MG had been entertained by Aunt Creetch. She was in good spirits but the couple times she awoke, she asked where my Guardian was. It was good that my Guardian had a chance to get out for an evening. And I love having Aunt Creetch over (since she is the Goddess of All Creatures).
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05.22.09
Posted in Thank You For Sharing at 12:09 am by Fritz
My Guardian and I slept ’til 9:15 this morning. It was a quiet night. Then she remembered the nurses aide was coming at….what time?….10 am!!! ACK!! But the scheduler called that Carla had an emergency and rescheduled to Friday at 1pm. Good. My Guardian had nothing to do today but catch up at her desk. The visiting nurse called, the geriatric nurse called - they were all coming at 1 on Friday. And this is good. They all work together and this is an opportunity to see the MG together.
At 10, G. tried to wake the Mother Goddess. She had quite a bit of sleep by now. But she could not wake her. G. told MG she would be back in an hour and the MG said that would be o.k. At 11, still could not wake her. So G. let her sleep.
Aunt MD called this morning to ask about the MG. While on the phone, the UPS-Boy showed up. Had MG been ordering QVC? It was 1) a small packet from VNA with wonderful, clear bandages like they use in the hospital for MG and 2) 2 huge boxes from Aunt Susan and Aunt Jane - honey-baked ham, garlic mashed potatoes, loaf of bread, wedge of cheese, and honey mustard!!!! A lovely note saying “We’re thinking of you! You’re too busy to cook! Enjoy this! We love you! Susan and Jane” Ohhhhhh……..this was too much! Everyone is so wonderful to my Guardian.
Around 2, the MG arose (trumpets here). She had chicken soup, coffee and some banana bread. At 4, she had had enough and was ready to go back to bed. Slept until 8:30 and the news here - MG walked with her walker from the bedroom to the kitchen!!! Holy cannolli!!!!! G. asked if she would like left-over chicken, soup, or a chocolate shake. She wanted the shake. So G. made a chocolate Ensure shake with strawberries. Plus there were strawberries on the table in a bowl which the MG feasted on. She likes strawberries. At 10, she started to doze in her chair. So my G. said it was time to go back to bed. She walked with her walker, made it to the bedroom, was getting too tired but still made it to her bed - barely. My G. tucked her in and was so proud of her efforts this evening. OK. This is good. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
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05.21.09
Posted in Thank You For Sharing at 1:29 am by Fritz
My Guardian, the Mother Goddess, and I had a restful sleep last night. MG woke around 6am and G. asked her to sleep another hour because it was early. MG said that was a good idea. 45 mins. later, MG is stirring, so G. got up. MG wanted to go to the kitchen for coffee. G. tried to get her to use the walker but she was too weak. G. suggested she try for the LazyBoy in her room but MG wanted to go to the kitchen. G. got her transport (small wheelchair) and pushed her into the kitchen. MG had 3 slices of banana bread and a slice of raisin bread and 1-1/2 cups coffee. OK, the bread might not be the most nutritious, but she ate. Around 9, MG said she was tired and wanted to go back to bed.
A room monitor arrived this morning. Very kewl!!!! G. has to charge batteries for 10 hours, but it still works when plugged in and we were anxious to try it. Works like a charm. We can even hear MG snoring sometimes. The oxygen generator makes a constant noise in the background, but you can hear her cough - squirm around. In the afternoon, Aunt Blur whispered poetry into the box in MG’s room and G. could walk all the way to Aunt Creetch’s house before it started to break up. Pretty good.
A nurse from the Home Visit Program arrived in the afternoon. She spoke with G. for a long time. She reviewed MG’s meds and talked of her dementia. Then they went into MG’s room and tried to wake her. The nurse tried to take her blood pressure and MG pushed her away - really! She told the nurse to leave her alone, quick poking at her. The nurse was persistant and got the reading which was normal. Blood/oxygen was normal. She was not hearing a strong heart beat on one side. G, her usual calm, gentle self, could not get an eyelid flutter. She looked at the nurse, Holly, who said she was too gentle with her. MAKE her get up. So the 2 ladies got MG into a sitting position on the bed. MG yelled, beat her arms on the bed, grimaced, and told them to leave her alone. She was tired and she didn’t want to get up. They attempted the walker but MG was not strong enough. She said her leg hurt - the entire right leg. The transport was used to transport MG to the kitchen - all the time yelling and telling them to leave her alone, she was tired, she wanted to get to bed. This was a good day that all her work was done and she had nothing to do. It was a good day to sleep.
They tried talking to MG, but she just snoozed in her transport. G. tried to give her 2 Tylenol tablets, but every time the MG just spit them back out. She tried a dozen times and each time, MG swallowed the water but spit out the pills. G crushed 2 more and added ice cream. All these times, the MG has her mouth open but now she has it shut. G pushed the spoon into MG’s mouth. Thank goodness G. was wearing her glasses because MG spit out the ice cream all over the place. G. had chocolate ice cream all over her face! As the MG dozed, her mouth opened again. G. asked Holly if she should try it again. Holly said it was up to her since she is the one in the line of fire 
G. made up a new batch of chocolate Tylenol and stuck it in MG’s mouth. MG spit out half of the concoction but at least it didn’t fly all over the place.
Holly suggested Hospice for the MG. G. said she thought that was just for people who were on their deathbeds. Holly says Hospice is taking on more clients and MG would be a good candidate. That MG is 97 years old and will not live forever. If she does not eat and does not get up and move around, the chances are likely that pneumonia will set in and kill her. Hospice would help G. and give her relief and support. All G. had to promise was that MG would never go back to a hospital. G. said there was no problem with that - it’s the way MG wants it.
It was very quiet after Holly left. My Guardian is very sad. I try to comfort her. She tells me thank goodness I am there for her. And I am.
G. fed me and started dinner. She would not cook for herself, but in case the MG woke up and was hungry…it would be there. Aunt Creetch came over for a little bit and sat with us on the porch. After she left, the MG awoke. It was around 9pm. G. transported her to the kitchen. She ate half a chicken breast and potatoes. Some of the chicken she gave to me, but she still ate a good bit of it. She had 2 pieces of banana bread and a cup of coffee. G. was afraid to bring up Holly, the afternoon visitor, that it might set her off. Maybe tomorrow. We watched t.v. and had small talk - most of it done by my Guardian.
Around 11, MG said she was tired and G. put her to bed. All is quiet - as of this writing.
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