Swallowing...

Swallowing still seems to be the biggest change/challenge for Cathy. She seems to be more comfortable with certain people feeding her. On Monday there was a meeting with the NH, Hospice, & Gayle to discuss what would be best for Cathy. The bottom line is that we all need to work together to "Care for Cathy" & I believe that everyone is doing the best with the knowledge they have. It sounds like breakfast & lunch will go back to NH staff & snack time will go to Hospice. Let me say that there is alot of 'Emotion' with this issue for all involved... the NH staff has become attached to Cathy while caring for her the past year & they are now familiar with her disease, Hospice having just came on to help is just beginning to understand the disease & get to know Cathy, & Gayle is just wanting what is best for Cathy. It is frustrating for me being 2 hours away... wanting to help and not being able to... Quite honestly I worry about Gayle & his health. He is under so much stress with worrying about Cathy's care, dealing with Cathy's illness, still keeping up his full time job, running a personal business, & dealing with day to day life. Gayle would say 'not to worry'... but we do!

The kids & I spent last weekend there again. I didn't take the kids over to see Grandma since the stomach flu has been going through the NH (and I couldn't imagine the kids walking down the 2 long hallways without touching anything...). I went over both days and spent some time with her. On Saturday I missed Hospice by just a few minutes, it was noon & Cathy was asleep in bed. She had not been sleeping well at night & had not eaten much for dinner that day. So I headed over to KFC & got her some good ol' mashed potatoes & gravy and some pudding from Barb H. and took it back for Cathy. When I got back she was so tired that she only opened her eyes briefly and didn't even focus on me. Usually she looks at you and smiles & then closes her eyes again. So I pulled up a chair and sat next to her, stroking her hair as she slept. (And watching the movie Fly Away Home) After about 20 minutes she opened her eyes and smiled at me, sat up, & looked over at the KFC sack. :) She ate all of the pudding & about 1/3 of the mashed potatoes. (It is awkward even for me to feed her now, since I am not there on a daily basis I was asking the staff to help me out with what works best for her.)

After her snack she got restless & one of the CNA's told me that sometimes means she needs to use the restroom. So I took her to her room and she laid down. I stood in the bathroom smiling at her & she got up and came in to use the bathroom. Once again she does not have the strength/use of her hands to pull down or up her clothing. I also noticed that she was wearing some type of depends underwear instead of actual underwear like last week. And then trying to get her to wash her hands was a challenge again! I would turn the water on and she would reach over and turn it off... we did that a few times until I just stood behind her and helped her wash them. It made me think about when she was helping me potty train our son Chase... and of course that made me cry. Here I am helping her go to the bathroom and wash her hands now, at the age of 54.

Jean is in town from Florida to spend some time with her family & Cathy... but due to the stomach flu at the NH she is unable to visit. It is heartbreaking knowing that she is here but can't see her! But we don't want to see her get sick either & take it home to her family. I am hoping by the end of the week Jean will be able to spend at least a day with Cathy. For Cathy & Jean's sake!!