Home for a Week

The last week has been challenging for Mom, but on the upswing.

The c.diff. rash is very much better. Suzy tried vitamin E on it the first night home, and Monday morning it was nearly gone. It's still not completely cleared up, but Mom is not in pain with it. We don't care what color her hiney is, as long as she's comfortable.

Suzy began administering Mom's Tarceva early in the morning. Tarceva must be taken on an empty stomach to be effective; food interferes with the body's ability to utilize it. We were giving her the Tarceva at night, but sometimes it turned out to be very late if Mom had a snack in the evening - we would have to wait two hours to give her the pill. So now she gets it around 7:00 a.m., then she can take a nap and have breakfast anytime after 8:00 a.m.

Physical therapy and occupational therapy came to evaluate her last week. Considering all she has been through, she did very well. PT and OT will continue to visit her in the home. If Mom improves to the point that she is eligible for acute rehab, we will get her in for some more intense therapy.

Mom is still quite forgetful, but is more herself than she she was this time last month. She has been a little down, but smiles and laughs easily with the proper prompting. Evan is very good at making Mom laugh.

I can't post pictures today, but I can give you some of Mom's memorable quotes from her stay at the hospital. It's okay to laugh - Mom laughs at these too and can't believe she said them!

"I don't think Tami will go for this sort of thing." (visiting on Easter)
"What sort of thing?"
"Dramatic opera."

"Those people look like ghosts."
"What people?"
"The horticulturalists."

"He says that's awesome."
"Who's he?"
"I don't know," pointing to left at no one, "but he keeps butting in on our conversation."

To Suzy about Pat:
"Are you trying to instill fear in your little sister?"

To Corey:
"You have to have faith in your own drownings."

"I'd like to take a nap. Does anyone want to take a nap with Grandma?"

To Corey:
"Look, Buster Brown, you'll be lucky if you ever make it out of here."

"Evan was such a beautiful baby. He was perfect."

"Do you remember Delores Brinkman?
"No. Was she a friend of yours?"
"I don't think Delores Brinkman was a friend to anybody."

"I've come close to falling three times, and I think I've done pretty well to catch myself even though I haven't received any consideration."

"Yeah, that was pretty good with only one leg."

After a big surprise belch, to Suzy:
"That was a communist explosion!"

Referring to Pattie Darrow, sitting in the corner of the room:
"That's Terry over there. Nobody likes her."
(Pattie said to Suzy, "I'm glad she didn't call me Pattie!")

"Did she say 'pickles?'"

"You have the most confusing family."

To Billy:
"You're going to kiss me on TV? We haven't done that in so long!"

Swinging fist into the air swiftly:
"Strike!"

Pat moves picture on try to the side:
"Mom, I moved the picture so I can see your smiling face."
"Whoop-dee-doo."

Suzy to Mom:
"You know what I haven't heard from you today? Not one request for chocolate."
"You may have missed it."

Right now, Mom is sipping her cup of decaf and watching, "It's Me or the Dog" on Animal Planet. It's a beautiful spring day in Boyne City. The snow is almost gone and the mud is beginning to dry up. We're having a nice morning. Hope you are too.