Parental Update...

My Mum had a fall today. She seemed a bit muddled the many times she phoned today (I don't think she was getting enough oxygen to the brain, with her extreme shortness of breath today), and this aft she apparently got fed up with being in isolation (Public Health has decreed that they have to be in isolation, and no visitors allowed in the nursing home, until the respiratory infection that's going around the building is under control). So she went out of the room, and when they tried to explain yet again that it was Public Health's ruling, and they weren't just trying to be mean, she got angry, and stormed back to the room (I assume with her walker), and fell. She had to go to hospital by ambulance, and be xrayed -- the hospital phoned me a little while ago, and there's a slight fracture, not enough to warrant surgery (thank heavens) but she has a "collar and cuff" to support and immobilize it., and there'll be follow-up with an orthopedist. They're sending her back to the nursing home in a wheelchair taxi. They had wondered if someone in the family could pick her up and take her back by car, but I'm the only "someone in the family" and I'm not able to manage getting her in and out of the car, etc. At least she'll be in her own bed tonight, and she realizes she shouldn't have stormed off. Old age is not an easy thing.

I haven't been up to see Dad for a little while -- I've had a bit of a cough and cold, and therefore I'm not supposed to go to nursing homes. When I *have* gone to see him, he's been asleep each time. (He has his days and nights mixed up a bit -- he has "Sundowner's Dementia" which means he gets quite agitated as the evening progresses, and sometimes won't go to bed until nearly morning.) Today the nurse said he was up, and had been able to feed himself breakfast -- he often has to have assistance with feeding -- and since he was near the main desk, she wondered if I'd like to talk with him on the phone. I tried. I really did, but he didn't respond hardly at all, so when she came back on the phone, I thanked her for trying at least. She was going to wheel him into the craft room and see if he'd participate a bit in the crafts. The craft lady used to be able to get him to do all sorts of stuff, but he's gone downhill quite a bit in the last couple of months. And I repeat, old age is not an easy thing.

Because visitors aren't allowed right now at Mum's nursing home, I can't go and spend time with her this evening, so I'm going to spend the evening immersed in Julie-stuff and other positive things. I have to keep my positivity up, so that I can help them deal with things (and so that I can deal with things, as well).

Just thought I'd let you know what's happening in the Household of SCB.

"That's Life"...