Grandma Grumpy

A Letter to Mom

2009-10-02T21:12:00.000-07:00

Hi Mom!

Your viewing was tonight. It went well. We hope you liked it! Bill put together some Showtune CDs to play in the background. It made for quite the send off!!!
You looked so pretty. Your white dress and your pretty white hair made you look angelic. You truly look like your in a very peaceful sleep. Even though I've now seen you 3 times and I've touched you and held you and watched you and know that you are gone...it still doesn't seem real. I'm sure as the days go on it will slowly sink in. Yes, we both know that you are here in spirit and you will continue to watch over your posterity, but it's just not the same.

I can think of so many things I will miss.
Your laugh. Your stories. Your generosity. Your gratitude. Your selflessness. You have been such a good example to all your posterity. I hope we will all take the things we have learned from you and share them with the world. It will truly make it a better place.

Thank you for blessing our lives with music! I'll never forget the night you and Dad brought home the Magnus Chord Organ and taught me my first lesson in reading music. Although that Organ is also probably why my left hand is a much weaker piano player then my right. Never-the-less, it opened a whole new world of music to me. Being to make my own music. Playing first the Magnus Chord Organ and then onto piano lessons and then, by default, occasionally having the opportunity to play the organ for church. Although I still truly don't know what I'm doing. I'm brave enough to fake it!!! Thanks for the music!

Thanks for teaching me to be responsible. Of course there were sometimes in my life that I wasn't very responsible. I still have learned responsibility from you.

Thanks for teaching us to put God first. Thanks for blessing our home with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for helping us become a forever family!

Thanks for making the 7 Dwarfs our family symbol. Who would've thunk it would last all these years?!!!

Thanks for all the fun! For driving me and my friends everywhere. The adventures in Frightening Falcon are still some of the greatest memories. Thanks for always picking people up to get them where they needed to be! It was a never problem for you to drive from one end of town to the other to pick everyone up.

Thanks for your generosity. Not just towards me but towards all of us! You never saw the reason for money to be sitting in a bank when it could be blessing the lives of others and you have freely given and we all have been blessed by it!

Thanks for trusting me enough to let me go. Just like that goofy saying, you set me free and I came back...so I really am yours!

Thanks for letting me be such a huge part of your last 9 years! As Eddie say, "It's an honor and a privilege" to have been able to serve you. I will admit it wasn't always easy and I wasn't always where I wanted to be, but it has provided more learning and growth. I probably didn't even realize how much and probably still have lots to learn....your always the one to get me started though. Although I do know I don't ever want to work in the medical field.

Thanks for your patience, your endurance and for letting me know you were ready to go. It's the only thing that is making this a little bit easier. I know you and Dad are together and with so many other family members and friends. It makes it less scary to join you someday...but please not anytime soon!

There are so many other things I should thank you for, but my brain is almost numb and I should get to bed. We have a big day tomorrow! I hope you will enjoy your send off.

I'm not speaking at your funeral, so this is part of my farewell. Perhaps I'll keep writing you on your blog! That's the question I should've asked you to answer for me!! Do they have blogs in Heaven? Not, is Elvis really dead?!! You haven't answered yet though!

I will think of you everyday! Your bed is still up in the front room. Eddie asked tonight if I was going to be okay when he took it down. I told him I didn't know. Because you've been out of the house since August 7th....it's hard not to think you're just across the river. I guess I should remember now...you're closer than that!!! That is what I will have to keep remembering!

I remember back a few years ago when we were sharing a room...every night before we went to sleep, you would thank me for everything I had done for you that day! You were so gracious. I hope to be that gracious someday! Thanks for your gratitude!

I will miss you more as time goes on and it really sinks in that you are gone, but we are a forever family and I have that to look forward to. Oh yeah! Thank you for taking Eddie in and for loving him, sometimes in spite of him. We are all works in progress and he's still having a hard time adjusting to this passive family! I hope that someday others will see the good in him and be able to forgive, until that day...my love will see him through and your love and kindness will be an example for him to follow as it already is!

Okay, I'm done for now!

I'll miss you and love you forever!

Bon Voyage!

Sandy

Reunited!

2009-09-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

Mom passed away this morning.

They are back together again!

A viewing will be held

Friday, Oct. 2nd from 4pm -8pm

at Risher's Mortuary

1316 Whittier Blvd

Montebello, CA

Her funeral Services will be held

Saturday, Oct 3rd at 11:30 a.m.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Passons Ward

6203 Passons Blvd. Pico Rivera Ca

Burial will follow the funeral at 2:00 p.m. at

Rose Hills

Garden of Rest

WOW!

2009-09-22T23:02:00.001-07:00

Today she was just nuts! Can't put together the right words to make an intelligent sentence. She refused most of anything they wanted to do to her today. I made her put the oxygen back on. She refused dialysis at first, but Marty talked her into it. Unfortunately, she wasn't any better after dialysis. I had to call the Dr. tonight. HA! They keep drawing blood from her left arm, when she has a perfectly good pik line!!! So, I called the dr. to inform him that the blood had better been drawn from her pik line. If I go tomorrow and find more bruises and gauze and tape. Someone's going to be in big trouble!

So there you have it!

Back in the Hospital

2009-09-21T20:20:00.000-07:00

She was moved back to the hospital last night. Her blood pressure was too low. She spent 19 hours in the ER. Now she's in room 508. She might be sent back to Rio Hondo after dialysis tomorrow if they don't find anything wrong with her. She was much more alert than she has been, but she was still goofy! If you ever saw the SNL skit with Tom Hanks on the game show....short term memory guy! Everytime she found out she was in the hospital she was so surprised! She must have asked 10 times. The last time she asked what hotel she was in!!!!
So...another day...another adventure!!!!

Oops!

2009-09-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

I guess I haven't updated in a few days. Now that she's at Rio Hondo, there's not a lot to report. Dr. Yu called today and the bone marrow biopsy came back negative for everything.
They got her a new mattress...an air mattress for her bed sore. It makes the mattress higher than the bed rails, so hopefully she won't fall out of bed!!! Yesterday, I noticed that she had a cottonball and tape on her wrist. The bozo's had drawn blood out of her wrist instead of her pik line. I made sure Dr. Yu knew about that and I will double check tomorrow with Rio Hondo that he did give that order!!! She was complaining tonight about pureed food, so tomorrow I will try and get the speech therapist to come see her so she can have real food again! She sent me home at 6:30 tonight. She was much more her normal self today! I'll write again if there's a change or something amusing to report!

5 and 6 got back together!!!

2009-09-08T22:11:00.000-07:00

I never knew they were separated!!!!
The mother is doing okay at Rio Hondo. I was happier with her care there, today more than yesterday. She ate all her lunch and dinner. Physical therapy and Occupational therapy came to visit and evaluate. She will start both tomorrow.
She doesn't understand why she has to be moved and hurt! She has to be changed and rolled from side to side to keep off the bed sore on her bottom!!!!
I'm eager to see how she progesses with therapy!!! Stay tuned!

New abode

2009-09-07T21:23:00.000-07:00

She was moved last night around 9pm to Rio Hondo. She's in room 117.
She was mostly sleepy today. She was alert in the morning, but she was achy so she had a vicadin. She was very sweaty all day. Her right hand is starting to swell again. Yee haw! Tomorrow is dialysis. We'll see what they say about the swelling. I did see her bed sore today and it's much better than the last time I saw it!!!! That's it!

It's Moving Day

2009-09-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

Dr. Yu said she'd be moved back to Rio Hondo tonight around 7:30p.m. She's had an okay day. She wouldn't let them bathe or change her she says. So, it will be interesting to see what happens at Rio Hondo! Dr. Lee said the arm biopsy was negative, although we still have to wait for the cultures. Tb is a slow growing culture so we won't know for sure until 8 weeks? maybe? Other than that...her white blood cells are stable and have been for a few days. So...it's time for rehab!!! Hopefully they'll get her to feed herself and let them change & bathe her!

ORNERY!!!!

2009-09-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

Patricia spent most of the day with Gma today. I was at Heather's funeral and then Eddie had arranged to go to dinner with his son, Kevin. So I only saw mom for a few minutes tonight. She was so not nice!!! Whe talked about stuff that wasn't in the room: butterflies, books, etc. She said she wanted 7up and so we gave her some and instead of sucking on the straw she blew 7up all over herself. She wanted to get up and move and we told her she couldn't! She was just very aggitated and ornery!!!! Dr. Lee said that he was okay with her leaving the hospital. All the other drs. came in while she was on dialysis. According to Marty they've taken about 12 lbs of fluid off her in the last week! 2 liters a day! So....should be interesting. She'll probably move back to Rio Hondo Subacute and Nursing Center soon. I plan to be at the hospital for most of the day tomorrow. Depending on how she is! I may leave a little early in the evening after dinner!

Well...

2009-09-04T21:21:00.000-07:00

not much to report today. Still no results on bone marrow biopsy or underarm biopsy. Dr. Chuong requested another round of dialysis today, just to remove the fluid that had built up in her right arm and her left thigh! The fluid is mostly out of her right hand, but they've elevated it, so it's just run down to her upper arm. Yesterday Marty was able to remove...um...2 liters? I don't know if that's right....2 what ever measurement it is. Tonight she will do the same. Or try to get out as much as possible!
Mom was alert this morning but in pain so after breakfast we requested vicadin. After lunch, more like 2ish we requested another one. She was moaning in pain by that time. She was then very goofy and I wrote down some of the goofy stuff she said. All I can remember right now is that she wants two hats to wear next week. And.."they're naughty!" who? "those women who don't do what they're supposed to!"
Tomorrow Patricia will be on breakfast watch. We're going to Heather's funeral. And Patricia will be on dinner watch. We're taking Eddie's son Kevin out to dinner!
If you're wondering why we haven't text lately....it's because we don't have a texting plan and our texting bill alone was $140.00 last month! We don't have time (or energy) to change plans at the moment, so we're just not texting!

She's back....but......

2009-09-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I arrived at the hospital this morning to find a wide awake mudder! I was so happy. I guess it must be the blood transufsions that bring her back to life. She got two more units yesterday! So we chatted. I got some good information from her regarding her choices if we have to make one eventually. I thought we were doing really good until she handed me a piece of paper and asked me to throw it away. It was an invisible piece of paper!!!!!
Eddie came to visit and she told him, "Thanks for bringing so much fun into our house!"
I only talked to two drs. today.
She had the biospy on the lump under her arm today. Yes, the 2nd one! It will probably be a while before we have results so she could be transfered back to Rio Hondo as early as tomorrow. We'll see. Her white blood cell levels are back to normal. Have been for two days. Dr. Lee expected them to go up with the transfusions, but they didn't.
They finally took that goofy cast off her leg. She now has a boot!!! Kinda looks like something Frankenstein would wear! She only had vicadin today.
It will be interesting to see what tomorrow brings. She was supposed to have dialysis at 8:30 p.m. Visiting hours are over at 8:00....so we know Marty's with her now dialyzing her!!!

Busy Day

2009-09-01T18:34:00.000-07:00

So last night after I left, she had x-rays taken of her left knee. This morning she had a fistulagram of her right arm. They put a stent in. She did okay with that. She ate a good lunch and then they took chest x-rays. The white blood cell test showed the white blood cells congregating in her lungs. That's why they took the chest x-ray. She also was given more vancomycin today. She had a vicadin around 2:30 and an hour later some morphine for the pain. I asked Dr. Yu today about her broken leg. Dr. Cho had wanted to see her two weeks after the 10th of August! It's September 1st. So, Dr. Alexander, another Ortho dr. will see her tomorrow. She has to have new x-rays of her right leg taken before tomorrow when she sees Dr. Alexander. Marty got to her room around 4pm for dialysis. I'll be going back in a few minutes to feed her dinner. She wasn't as sleepy today, but she wasn't that alert either. She was very uncomfortable! I have to tell them to give her pain meds, because if they ask her if she wants them, she says no! She's not very with it! Maybe she'll perk up after dialysis!

Today was odd!

2009-08-31T22:59:00.000-07:00

Today she was kinda alert, but not really. She finally got some morphine at 10:45? I think! Her right arm is completely swollen. They'll have to do another fistulagram tomorrow. She'll also have dialysis and they're going to x-ray her left leg because it is swollen too! They don't have results from the biopsy of her bone marrow. Dr. Wang said that the white cell nuclear thingy showed that the white blood cells were gathering in her lungs...possibly pnemonia, or TB. We might know more tomorrow.

Sad news, Heather Ann Luedtke Chapman passed away this afternoon. She's only 32! Leaves a husband and two small children behind. She fought a long 3 year fight with cancer. Funeral will probably be Saturday at 10a.m.

This just in....

2009-08-30T20:59:00.000-07:00

We just returned from the hospital. She's bright eyed and bushy tailed! She's very awake and coherrent and everything. Too bad visiting hours ended!!! She ate most of her dinner. Considering it was 3 hours old and mostly cold she did really well. It was nice to see her lively and talking! I hope she gets some sleep tonight!!! Her right hand is swollen again. Her fingers look like sausages. She might be having problems with her access again! Hopefully we'll get her back down to radiology before they discharge her, so they can see what's going on in that arm!!! That's all folks!

Another day....

2009-08-30T18:23:00.001-07:00

Well, she's pretty much the same today. Sleeping and moaning. No real communication. She had the biopsy of her bone marrow at 12:45ish. She's on dialysis right now. Will be done around 7:30- 8:00 p.m. They were better at managing the pain today. Meaning, I didn't have to ask them to give her the vicadin or morphine! She'll probably be out of it for the rest of the night. I do plan to go back a little before 8pm to make sure she eats dinner. That's it for today!

What next?

2009-08-29T21:30:00.000-07:00

So, I've been gone for two & 1/2 days. When we left she was alert and talking rationally. Today we got home and I went straight to the hospital. She's back to being sleepy all the time and talking nonsense!
We did receive good news while we were gone. There is no cancer!!! Hooray! Dr. Yu told me they were sending her back to Rio Hondo Subaccute & Nursing Center yesterday and then he called a few hours later and told me that the Infectious Disease Dr. said no way! She's staying until we run a few more tests and find out what's going on!!! THANK YOU!!!! I guess in one of her tests she turned up with big TB cells! Yes, tuberculosis. The Infectious Dr. came in and asked her if she had ever been exposed to TB she said yes, her father had it and died when she was 6! Yes, she always tests positive with skin tests and has to have chest x-rays. So...tomorrow they are doing a bone marrow test on the lesion on her femor to see if it's TB! And if they can run bacterial tests on the marrow they won't have to do another biopsy of the lumps under her arm. They wanted to run them with the last biopsy, but when the lab didn't find any cancer, they through her goo out before bacterial tests could be run! So...that's where we are now. She's having more tests!
I had to grow a spine today and make the nurse give her vicadin. She's obviously in pain, but they ask her if she wants pain meds and she says no. So, I had a copy of her advance directive that says I can make decisions for her even if she's capable of making them herself, so I told the nurse to give it to her regardless of whether she said she wanted it or not. She did give it to her. Funny thing, an hour later the nurse came in and said, has she been in pain for this whole hour? (She was moaning!) We said yes and the nurse came in and shot her up with morphine!!! So there you have it. I still have the advance directive in hand and I will share it with her idiot Dr. Yu tomorrow because it also says to keep her pain free even if the medication hastens her death! DUH! I'm exhausted! I thought getting a way for two days would help. It did! Eddie just says I'm depressed when I return home!

She's Back!

2009-08-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

This morning started with Mom being taken off to radiology for a biopsy. She came back a few hours later and was sedated. She slept all day. Didn't eat breakfast or lunch. Hadn't eaten dinner the night before. Dr Yu came in and said that like we discussed yesterday, (I don't remember a discussion!), after Dialysis tomorrow they'll move her back to Rio Hondo. I told him NO! Dr. Wang said that if the biopsy under her arm was negative they wanted to check the lesion on her femer. So, she needed to stay in the hospital until ALL the results are in. He supposedly agreed and we'll see what happens now. Dr. Chuong came in and he doesn't think they'll find cancer. He thinks we need to make a "quality of life" decision. So, Patricia and I went out to lunch. Mom was completely zonked. When we got back I said hello to her and she woke up and was more normal than she has been since last Thursday I want to say! She asked intelligent questions and made normal comments. Remembered it was Eddie's b-day Friday and was concerned about him getting his b-day card! So...I don't see putting her on hospice unless she decides it when she's in a coherrent state! We'll see how the next days go and what her alertness level is. She ate all her dinner and then some. She drank lots of water. Hadn't had a drink in almost a whole day. When we left her she was tired, but still knew what was going on.

We'll see what happens. I'll be out of town til Sat. afternoon, so you will not get an update from me.

The latest

2009-08-25T21:04:00.001-07:00

Almost different day, same story...but.....she did get a pik line today. She did have the nuclear white blood cell thingy. She hadn't had dialysis yet by the time I left at 8pm. She didn't have the biopsy or the 2 units of blood. The 2 units of blood is supposed to happen with dialysis.

The morning started with me feeding her breakfast. She ate everything! That was good. Then she got wheeled downstairs, bed and all for the pik line. I got a two hour break. On the way out of the hospital I ran into Dr. Wang. (oncologist). She said that there is no myleoma. So if the biopsy of the pit lumps is negative we may need to biopsy her bone marrow to see what the lesion on her femer is.
Then Dr. Yu came in at lunch time I think. He's so confusing. Today he told me, that we're still waiting for these tests, but after the biopsy she'll go back to Rio Hondo Subacute and Nursing Center because.....the germs in the air ducts!!!!!!! Does he really think the air ducts at Rio Hondo are magically cleaner than the hospital? He's retarded!!!
Tonight Dr Chuong came in. He's exhausted. He's been covering for Dr. Thornhill who's on vacation. He informed me today that Dr. Lange will be in Thursday to Sunday and he's glad! He's glad! Heck! I'm glad! Dr. Lange is drop-dead gorgeous!!! Unfortunately I'll miss his first two days, but I'm hoping that Saturday or Sunday I'll be able to talk with him and get the real low-down from him. I believe he'll give it to me straight especially if everyone else is talking nonsense still. Dr. Chuong also said that mom looked better last night than she did tonight. I agreed. It's just waiting to see what the tests say. If they're all negative for cancer, then he says our decision is harder because we can continue dialysis, but then it's a matter of quality of life. I'm not gonna worry about that now, just want to hear the test results. See if they can figure out what's infected!
Mom was pretty out of it after the pik line was put in. She did eat lunch. After the nuclear scan stuff, she was toast! She didn't eat dinner. She never was alert at all! It was sad. I'm tired and I'm going to bed!

Update!

2009-08-24T21:02:00.001-07:00

Today should have been an eventful day, but it wasn't.
She was supposed to have her nuclear blood thingy, but they couldn't get any blood out of her. She is a turnip!!!!
They were also supposed to do a biopsy, but her blood was too thin! They've been giving her Vitamin K to thicken it up!
So tomorrow will be a very busy day.
First off, it's a dialysis day.
Second, if her blood is thick enough they'll do the biopsy.
Third, they're going to install(?) a pik line so they won't have to poke and prod her anymore to get blood.
Fourth, they need to draw the blood for the nuclear test.
Fifth, they decided she's a couple pints low....so they're giving her 2 units of blood.

She ate a really good dinner tonight. Ate all her entree and her soup and of course, applesauce. She gets her meds crushed up and then we add applesauce to "help the medicine go down". yum-yum.

She didn't scream as much today or yesterday when they rolled her back and forth. I found out today her pressure sore is at Stage 2! They have it covered now with a big, I guess, bandaid! I need to do some research and figure what a stage 2 is!
She slept for quite a while this afternoon. I'd say way over 4 hours. I woke her up to eat dinner.
One thing she said while she was dozing off is: "I set sail a week ago."

Dr. Yu said we might need to decide on Hospice. I'm trying to stretch it out for as long as I can until that decision has to be made. I might have to make it on Wednesday. Eddie and I are supposed to be going out of town for his birthday Thursday to Saturday. So..we'll see what happens.

The waiting game!

2009-08-23T22:05:00.000-07:00

So, today Gma had an ultrasound of her kidneys. Tomorrow she may have a needle biopsy of the lumps that were discovered under her right arm. She may also have the test where they stick dye in her that accumulates where all the white blood cells are hanging out. They're still trying to discover what is causing the elevation in her white blood cells and now they want to know what the lumps are.

She had an okay day. She ate a good breakfast, a not so good lunch and a so-so dinner.
She talked about all kinds of goofy things, but no Mary Poppins. Talked about lots of family members, but none that were actually there. I'll keep you posted!

It's a Jolly Holiday with Gma!

2009-08-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday when I got to the hospital, Gma talked all things Mary Poppins!

I asked her what she ate for lunch and she said Mary Poppins cookies and a spoon full of sugar!

She said she had a new Mary Poppins sweater that she wanted me to put in a box.

There were lots of animals in her room and 3 little blonde hair, blue eyed girls.

I wonder what she's actually experiencing!

Well, sometime between now and Monday p.m., Gma will have a biopsy of the lump in her right arm pit. Dr. Lee, her new infectious disease dr. found the lump. The nurse told me this morning there was another one too and it was bigger. A different oncologist came in tonight. Didn't do much. They're back to talking about the spots on her bone scan being calcium difficiencies. I wish they'd all make up there minds and be on the same page.

Dr. Lee said yesterday that it's very likely cancer in her bones and now possible elsewhere. She was supposed to have a kidney ultrasound today, but today it didn't happen because of lunch and dialysis. Yesterday it didn't happen because mom threw a fit!

She threw a fit tonight when the nurses turned her over, (like they're supposed to do every hour!) She screamed!!! Kept yelling Betty! Made me chuckle!!!! She doesn't want to cooperate at all. When they rolled her over they also changed her and I got to see her bed sore on the middle of her bottom. Talk about ugly! And they wonder why her white blood cell count is up.

Oh yeah! They're also doing another "nuclear" test on Monday. This is where they shoot her with "nuclear" dye and wait to see where it goes, because it will go to where the white blood cells are and then they'll know what's causing the infection! Hopefully there won't be a shortage of Nuclear whatever like they said about the results from the bone scan!

I think that's about it. I asked Dr. Yu today to please manage her pain better, but they keep asking her if she wants meds and she says no! I'm going to have to point out the line in her advanced directive that I can make decisions for her even if she's capable of making them herself, which in all reality she isn't!

I think that's it. Hopefully we'll know more Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday.

Yeehaw!

Wow!

2009-08-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

I was able to talk with Gma on the phone this morning. She hasn't been able to carry on a conversation for over a week. It was nice to hear her voice. She was preparing for a test of her chest and stomach. She had to drink some kind of goo! I'll be going to the hospital in a bit! Will fill you in later tonight!

Hmm! Drs?

2009-08-20T07:04:00.000-07:00

I suppose there's a reason why it's called "practicing" medicine!

Drs are pretty dumb. Her primary physician, cannot be that dumb. When you have 4 other people telling you things don't look good and he's still trying to paint a rosey picture. Kinda wanna hit him!!!!

We have another dr. on GmaGrumpy's case. They are running more tests today and we will hopefully know more about what we're dealing with tonight or tomorrow, depending on how long the tests and results take!

It's 2:17 a.m.........

2009-08-19T02:17:00.001-07:00

I just returned from the hospital. Yes, she's back at the hospital. They're trying to find out what's infected!!! I hope they do a few other tests too! I'll keep you posted!

A slightly better day!

2009-08-16T20:52:00.000-07:00

Today she stayed awake more. She's not completely awake, but her eyes stay open wider and longer than they were.
She ate a so-so lunch. Dinner she did a little better. They pureed all her food, so it looked and smelled gross and I really don't know what it was, but it was easier for her to eat!!!

They gave her a dialysis friendly protein drink with her dinner pills. At least that will help with some of her nutrients!

She still sleeps alot and talks in her sleep and says some crazy stuff, but I think she's either feeling better, or healing is taking place.

The levaquin will hopefully kick in so her fever will go away. It was 99.2 tonight before dinner. They gave her a tylenol.

That's about it. Hopefully she'll get a good night sleep and she'll be more alert tomorrow!

Interesting Day

2009-08-15T20:41:00.000-07:00

The day didn't start off too good. She was very hot and sweaty. So I made them take her temp again. It was 99.1 for normal people, that's not quite a big deal, but Gma Grumpy's normal temp is 97.6....so it's a little hotter than you would think. They gave her some tylenol. There was another communication error and I almost beat up a CNA. The CNA told tranport to get out of her room, because she had to eat lunch before she went to dialysis. I told the CNA she was going to dialysis! The CNA got the nurse and the nurse said that their paperwork said that dialysis wasn't until 1:30 p.m. It's been at 1:00 with transport picking her up at 12:30 since March of 2008. The nurse called dialysis and they said they weren't expecting her until 1:30. So the CNA stood there and "fed" gma her lunch. She kept yelling at her to "pass her food"...she meant swallow! Gma has been having trouble chewing her food and swallowing it. For the CNA to be standing there trying to make her hurry, just wasn't cutting it! The nurse finally went and got her a sack lunch to take to dialysis and she was able to leave. Monday morning I will be having a chat with Connie the head nurse at dialysis, clarifying her dialysis time and making sure she clarifies that time with Rio Hondo. I will also be finding someone at Rio Hondo to tell me what my expectations of service should be there.

Anyway, she got to dialysis and Telly, (no she's not a muppet!) is very concerned about how awful Gma looks and her blood count was low on Thursday. She was questioning whether we should send her to the hospital. She called the kidney dr. and they said to dialyze her and give her some iron. So they did. I stayed with her for awhile. It was kinda fascinating to watch the dialysis machine start cleaning her blood.

I left for awhile and then Eddie and I went back about 1 1/2 hours later. I fed her some applesauce and she ate it well. She was a little wacky in her comments, but that's the fun part of this experience. She was transported back to Rio Hondo and I fed her dinner. It's the most alert she's been since Monday and the most she's eaten since then too! Her coloring was much better back at Rio Hondo. They are giving her leviquin. They think she has a UTI. So she'll be on the leviquin for 10 days. Hopefully that will help her feel better. After dialysis the swelling in her left hand had gone down. It's been black and blue from all the needle pokes at the hospital trying to find blood. The blood has spread and she was really swollen this morning, but the dialysis got that fluid out of her!

I haven't thrown a fit over their food choices for mom. The last time she was there it was a daily struggle. At this point I'm just happy that she eats. Every meal has something that she shouldn't be eating. Tonight the tuna sandwich was on wheat bread. She can't have whole grains. I scraped the tuna goo off and fed her that! She seemed to enjoy it and the vegie soup and the pears! She didn't eat the salad, but with her chewing problems...lettuce just isn't fun!

Tomorrow is a new day! Hopefully it will be a good one!!!

Dee

Gma Grumpy update!

2009-08-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

Today Gma Grumpy was mostly out of it. She screams when they have to roll her over to change her. She really doesn't like that. Eddie got to feed her lunch today because I had a previous committment. He said they changed her while he was there, but he left the room. He said she was yelling, "I hate you" to the nurses!!! I don't think I've ever heard my mom say that!!

She's was also running a slight fever and they finally gave her something for it. We haven't decided if the being out of it is part of the healing process, or if it's the meds.

She keeps chewing her medicine and so they'll probably start crushing it and feeding it to her with applesauce. She takes forever to chew. She either forgets she's chewing or falls asleep while chewing. She swallows like it hurts and so she's supposed to be seeing a speech therapist to see if she needs some other kind of help.

She was talking to her mom today, telling her they hurt her. She told Eddie she would miss him when he was feeding her lunch. He asked if she was going somewhere and she said no!

We asked them to remove her bandages from dialysis today and they took off one bandaid and the skin came with it....so now she has a skin tare.

She is back in Rio Hondo Subaccute and Nursing Center. She's in the same room as Feb. 2008.

The sticky stuff is still on the ceiling from where her hearts were hung up on Valentine's day 2008!!!

Her nurses are the same and they remember her and me always fighting the dietician. I'm not fighting this time. If she'll eat...she can eat whatever they give her.

She did already get ripped off. I took a brand new can of air freshner last night and it was gone this morning. I complained!

She was wiggling her toes tonight. She was also telling us she couldn't move them, but she sat there wiggling them.

I asked her if she knew where she was and she said, "the little hospital" I thought that was cute.

I will try and update this blog everyday to keep you all posted!

I'm tired and I'm going to bed!

Dee

Latest Update!

2009-01-15T09:50:00.000-08:00

Mom has been very alert and positive these last few days. Even happier on dialysis days than usual. Perhaps she has turned over a new leaf for the new year.

She is currently looking for a new physician. We have another appointment on Monday, the 19th with Dr. Yu. We'll see how it goes. His office is closer. It is over on Rosemead across from Mr. Ed's to the south, same parking lot as Salsa! We had an appointment this past Monday with Dr. Renderia, she referred us to Dr. Yu, because she's no longer accepting patience. Why her office booked an appointment for us...I'll never know!

Mom has put all her Christmas cards in a scrapbook and worked on Birthday cards and Thank you Notes yesterday. Her handwriting isn't what it used to be and she leaves words out and stuff, but it's the first birthday cards she's done all year! That reminds me, she owes Jonathan a b-day card. I'll have to help her with that!

That's the latest. Hopefully after Monday's drs. visit she'll have a new doctor and we'll have better communication with this one and it won't just always be a death sentence or a bad attitude about dialysis.

Update!

2008-12-04T18:15:00.001-08:00

Okay! So we're terrible! The other morning we woke up and she was sleeping like this. I told Eddie she was practicing for her coffin.
It bugs me when people sleep with their hands like this, cuz that's the way they're always laying in coffins! I woke up once and found Eddie like that and made him change positions cuz it gives me the creeps!

Now for the update! Mom had her new graph procedure in her right arm yesterday. She got home for the hospital about 6:30p.m. She did okay. She did want pain pills which isn't normal for her. So we gave her two Tylenol #3. She was okay then until midnite when she woke me up because she was going to toss her cookies! She did and then went back to sleep, but woke me up again at 5:00 a.m. I think it was. Her arm was hurting and she was wide awake! I gave her two more Tylenol # 3 and she went back to sleep!
Around 8a.m. or so I attempted to feed her breakfast. After 4 bites it all came up. I gave her a good bath this morning. Her right arm looks like she's an Oompa-Loompa. The iodine stuff they put on you before they cut you open. Her entire arm from pit to fingernails is orange...except for the spots they actually cut into! After this, I let her be until about 45 minutes before transport got here to take her to dialysis. I gave her a little cup of applesauce. When tranport was wheeling her out the door, she tossed up the applesauce and she tossed at dialysis too. They even brought the yucky sheet home for me to wash! They're so nice. Because she threw up there and she told them she hadn't slept all night they gave her something for her tummy and to put her to sleep! I stopped by dialysis to check on her and she was sound asleep so I didn't wake her up. Transport brought her home. Roger told me she was "lethargic". Yes, she's drugged. She's been asleep since she got home two hours ago. Dialysis is worried about her getting dehydrated. If she ever wakes up...we'll try and feed her. Water her too! I found out today her weight has dropped to 136 lbs. If she wasn't in bad health she'd probably be excited about that! With her asleep, I have gotten a lot done around the house! Her Christmas cards have all been mailed out too! Eddie took them to the post office when he got home from work! That's the latest!

The latest!!!

2008-11-24T17:54:00.000-08:00

This morning GmaGrumpy got to go see Dr. Shin, the vascular surgeon. She wants to put a new graft in GmaGrumpy's right arm. The scheduled date to do this is Wednesday, December 3rd. It will be another teflon tube! She says her veins wind too much and are too small to try to make a fistula out of them. So....that is the new adventure! She is looking forward to Thanksgiving and possibly an earlier dialysis time. We'll find that out tomorrow! That's the latest!

Can it get any better?

2008-11-11T17:16:00.001-08:00

So with all the exciting preparations going on for Gma great adventure this Friday....she came home early from dialysis today.
Her access is clotted again!!! Her last clot was Sept. 13th. This is her first clot since getting the new graft! After she got home today I was reading up on the problem via the internet and found out that her new AVF has greater chances of clotting than her old one. It seems that human blood vessels produce something to help keep you from clotting. The stuff they did the new one out of is the same stuff they make teflon coating out of and because it is "teflon" it does not produce....anything! So, here I thought we'd have weeks, months, years of no problems...and yee haw....she clots! I'm trying to find out if there is something we should be doing to keep it from clotting.....haven't found anything out yet! One of her transporters says we might be leaving the bandage on to long after dialysis. Sounds to simple. Who knows!
Stay tuned....tomorrow I'll tell you how it all went!!!
Dee

A Small Adventure!

2008-11-04T08:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, November 3rd, Gma Grumpy arose from her bed, with Eddie's help!

She sat in her chair for 2 hours.

She finished up her absentee ballot and ate lunch at the table.

We went for a small walk outside, just around the yard.

Under the tree!
By the beautiful roses!

Eddie danced her back into bed!

She was pretty tired and her right foot hurt later, but she did really good!

Abby requested an Update!

2008-10-28T22:22:00.000-07:00

Eddie loves taking pictures of Gma Grumpy asleep.

It's easy to do these days. She sleeps alot.

Today Gma Grumpy said, she definately wanted to live til her next birthday.

She'll be 79 next April!

I asked if she wanted to make it until 90?!

She said, "Maybe! How do you feel about that?"

Now she wants to live forever!

She's had a pretty good time since the new tube was put in her arm.

She's off Home Health Care as of Saturday.

They didn't do a whole lot for her, so it'll be nice to be back in charge!

There's not any great news. She's doing good.

She has a doctor's appointment on the 21st of November.

Unless, something happens at dialysis, we won't have any updates until then.

She's been talking alot about Christmas and what to get people.

For Christmas she would like current family pictures of you! Doesn't matter if they're professional or self-portraits, she just wants pictures of what you all look like now.

She made a comment the other day that she hopes some of her great-grandchildren will come to see her in the next year. Should we have a family reunion before people go on missions?

Let me know what you think!

She survived...but will I?

2008-09-23T20:48:00.001-07:00

Okay! She got home about 6:30 p.m. Dr. Shin had called around 3:30 and said that everything went well, keep it elevated and make an appointment in two weeks so she can check and see how it's healing! She did give her a Rx for Tylenol 3. woo hoo!
So...She just started moaning and I asked what was wrong....I can't remember what she said. I asked if I could do anything for her and she said, "Stop bugging me!" So, I gave her a pain pill and I'm hoping she'll sleep thru the night. I don't know how I'm suppose to change her. She's supposed to not bend her left arm or lay on that side. I guess I'll be calling home health in the morning to see if they can come out and teach me some great trick on how to care for her when she can't do much to help me. I'm very frustrated. I hate insurance companies that turn everything into out patient surgery. She should be in the hospital with some professional taking care of her!!!! Sorry....I'm feeling kinda grumpy myself tonight!

More fun!

2008-09-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

So we saw Dr. Shin today. She's the vascular surgeon that was on vacation last week!
Tomorrow Mom is going to dialysis at 4:45 a.m. I figure she'll get home around 8:30 a.m. and then transport will pick her up again and deliver her to the hospital at 11:30 p.m. for her procedure at 2:30 p.m. They are going to fuse a plastic tube to her artery to be her new fistula. So...we'll find out more tomorrow...we hope!!! So...that's the latest! I'll try and remember to update this tomorrow after the adventure!!!!

Update!

2008-09-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I should have done this sooner.
Dr. Shin is on vacation! Gma has an appointment with her on Monday at 1:30p.m. We will know more then.
The physical therapist came to the house today and had mom stand up today. Right now she's having terrible cramps in her right foot. I don't know if I'm supposed to give her asprin or tylenol or ibprofen? She said she'd ask tomorrow. I hope somebody does! I hope she falls asleep. She's moaning rather loudly because of the pain. I'll write again after Monday's Dr. visit!

The Not-so-fun Adventure!

2008-09-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

So the adventure at the hospital began yesterday with us being there 2 hours early. It worked to our advantage, because it took them 2 hours to have her ready for her "procedure".

Her white blood cell count was high, so they had all kinds of questions for us, which kinda makes you wonder..."if we're supposed to have all the answers about elevated white blood cells, what's the point of having a hospital?"

ANYWAY! They took her off to radiology for the "procedure" at 1:30 p.m. (30 minutes late)!

I eventually left the hospital. I know this stuff takes anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I went back to the hospital at 3:00 p.m. I was told that she had just been moved to recovery.

I went back to outpatient daycare and talked with them. They made a few phone calls and said they were trying to get ahold of Dr. Shin. She the doctor that put in the fistula two years ago and the one that has done all the repairs over the last few years.

Dr. Grossman couldn't get the fistula to work again. They never got an answer from Dr. Shin, so they decided to put a new pick line in Mom's jugular! It's so NOT attractive. She hates it. She said last night she was taking it out today. I told her that wouldn't be happening.

This is just a temporary solution. I have no idea what they will end up doing. Maybe Dr. Shin can go in and roto rooter her fistula. If not, then she'll need a new one. You can't use the same artery, so it will either be in her other arm, or in one of her legs. This only speculation!

I have no idea what kind of time table we're looking at....because no doctor has seen or talked to her. It's ridiculous.

Too make an already retarded story, more retarded...

Radiology sent her back to outpatient daycare with two bandages over where they had attempted to work on her fistula.

She was sent home this way.

Of course when she got home, she started bleeding. If you apply direct pressure to one bandaid the other one spurts!!!!

Eddie and I ran to Walgreen's and got some gauze and a secure flex wrap to try and stop the bleeding. I wasn't about to remove their precious bandaids, so I just put everything on top of them. One of them bled a little through the night, but not through all the bandages!

They also sent us home without any instructions for pain!

The only thing it says on the paper they sent us home with is ...resume all medication.

Any questions call: and they gave a number. When she was uncomfortable last night, I called that number to get some instruction for pain killers. The phone number is for the hospital lab! They idiot who answered the phone didn't have a clue what I was talking about and wanted to send me to social services. I hung up on him. I called Dr. Shin's number and got a recording saying that everyone at the Doctor's answering service was busy and if it was an emergency to call 911 otherwise hangup and try again later.

I dug up a bottle of pain killers Dr. Shin had prescribed several "procedures" ago. Mom decided she didn't want any. She made it through the night. Her neck is really bothering her right now. We've asked if she wants pain meds and she says no. She also doesn't want to eat this time.

That's the update!

Here we go again....

2008-09-12T08:32:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday GmaGrumpy goes to dialysis and so I head to Costco. While at Costco I kept hearing this music and wondered who cell phone was going off. It was mine. I retrieved my message to find that GmaGrumpy's access line was clogged again and unusable. So...I booked it home from Costco and about two hours later she finally arrived from dialysis. It took transport that long to get her home.
So, today at 10:30 a.m. Transport is coming to take her away to the hospital for another Fistulogram/Angioplasty. I should be keeping track of how many times we've done this. The worst part of it is the waiting. For both of us. Hopefully they'll be on schedule today. yesterday they were running about 5 hours behind! Dr. Shin's schedule is booked today, so someone else is doing it. Maybe a fresh pair of eyes, will find something new.
Of course this brought up a few questions for me. Obviously her fistula is a by pass of some sort. Because she's still alive. It hasn't stopped the blood from circulating. I always thought that they way they figured out it was clogged was because they stuck the needles in and nothing happened. Well, usually her fistula vibrates because of the blood rushing through it. You can actually see it and it feels gross. Yesterday...there was nothing going on with it. I mean nothings rushing through it at all.
My other question....how is it that the fistula gets clogged, but the clots don't go anywhere else in her body and kill her. Granted, I'm grateful for it, but it's just very curious. I suppose I'll google it and I'll learn all about it!
Have a lovely day!

Grandma Grumpy Update

2008-09-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, more time has elapsed! I will give a brief update!

She's moaning right now. She's been telling me for awhile now that her teeth keep breaking and falling out. I didn't believe her until last week, when she gave me a few chunks. Before then she would tell me her tooth fell out and it was on the table. There was never anything on the table, so I thought it was corn in her teeth or something. She has lost a few teeth, molars, and tonight she took a drink of cold water and said it hurt her tooth. So...we may get to go to a dentist soon! yeehaw!

I don't remember if I posted July's lab report...but here's a synopsis of August:

It's all the same. Her protein is too low. Her URR is low again. That's how well dialysis is working. It's down from 75% to 69%. Anything over 65% is good. So, it's still effective, but not as effective as it was last month.

Her appetite is horrible. She didn't eat lunch today and she said she was starving when she got home, but only ate a few bites.

Eddie and I went to the last Ward picnic in the park tonight and when we got home she said she wanted some water and that she had got up and filled her cup herself while we were gone.

Now, we all know this isn't true, but she insisted that she had done it.

She's been talking tonight about going to bed in her bedroom and I keep telling her she sleeps out here in her hospital bed. There's no way she could sleep flat in her old bed at this point.

Yesterday the nurse supervisor for Alta View home health came and evaluated her health and will sign her up for Physical Therapy. A therapist is supposed to be coming soon as well as a nurse twice a week for 4 weeks and then once a week for 5 weeks. Chuchi, (yes Tody, that's her name) the supervisor, said that I needed a break and that they would also send someone to bathe her twice a week for 4 weeks and then once a week for 5 weeks. They're also going to send a podiatrist out to do her feet!!!

Chuchi, was very thorough! She told us we would be in their care for the next 60 days and then if more was needed they'd try for an extention! I really liked Chuchi becase she told us stuff none of the other home health people have.

Gma's a little kooky tonight...moaning a lot. I ask her if she's okay and she says yes and then starts moaning again. She's watching strange things on Tv. She's watching Big Brother right now. She's never watched that in her life. I asked if she'd like me to change the channel and she said NO!

Last week I got home from the Memorial Service and she was watching Telemundo! I asked her why she was watching it. She said, "I don't know what it is and I'm trying to find out!"

Last week she asked me where my Father was. I repeated the question..."Where's my Father?" She responded with..."Or your step-father. Whoever the man is who's my age who's around here." I asked, "Is there some man around here I don't know about?" She said, "No." I pointed to dad's picture and asked if she wanted to know where he was. I told he had passed away. When she remembers that it always then goes to....Is mom dead? and then she usually says, "oh ya! The baseball bats!" (The ones we put on Gma Ridge's tombstone!) IT's a good thing we did that, because that's only way she remembers that Gma is dead.

Dialysis seems to have gone okay today.

She still has a blood issue. I didn't get to dialysis today to ask them about it.

She did have an ultrasound a few weeks ago, but the Dr. said, the pictures weren't very good, but what they could see was normal. So she's not concerned. I need to talk to dialysis about it because it seems there's always "fresh" blood in her diaper when she comes home from dialysis. It might have to do with the amount of hepprin (sp?) she gets while on dialysis. Dr. Staples said, that's why they took her off cumadin. I didn't know that was why they took her off cumadin. Sometimes I really wonder about her doctor!

So....that's the low down on Gma Grumpy as of 9:36 p.m. 9/2/08

She's moaning again. I just asked her if she needed something and she said, "Something for my mind." I asked again if she wanted me to turn the channel and she said, "NO!" so...big brother it is! Go figure!

Here's a peak at what's going on right now:

She's scratching her head and telling me her bottom hurts. She just said she needs something to calm her nerves.

"At least the mantle ended up looking okay!"

"Why?" I asked.

She said, "I just didn't know if it would."

Moaning!

I asked, "are you tired?"

"Yes"

"Is there something I can do for you?"

Uh - Uh (negative)

and now I will sign off!

Jibberish!

2008-08-07T21:47:00.001-07:00

She started speaking jibberish at 9:30 tonight. It's accompanied with telling me I'm mean and she's naughty, and I'm naughty and Eddie's mean. I'm putting her to bed. It's 9:48p.m.
I hope she feels better in the morning! She wasn't going to take her night pill. She acted like I was trying to poison her. I did finally get her to take it. It's hard to communicate with her when she's not making sense.

Still kickin'!

2008-08-05T21:37:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry it's be so long since I have updated GmaGrumpy's blog! She's still here. This is a picture Eddie took of her mid-July. He put the flower in her hair too.
She's doing okay. She talked with Dr. Jafari at dialysis today. She thinks she may get physical therapy again. We'll see. I never know what goes on at dialysis and sometimes, okay most the times I don't get the right story from her.
Tonight after dialysis, Eddie and I went to the ward Tuesday night picnics. When we came home she had all kinds of questions and stories for me. These are the actual things she said:
M: "Where did I go when you were gone?"
D: "I don't know where did you go?"
M: "I was in a car."
D: "Who was driving?"
M: "I think I was."
D: "wow! Who were you with?"
M: "I don't know." She went to say something else and she said, "My mom said," and her eyes got big and she said, "I guess I was with my Mom."
D: "You were?"
M: "Yes, she was here she got me ready for dialysis."
D: "No Mom, that was me."
M: "Oh! Well, I went to dialysis and they stuck two big needles in my arm!"
D: "Yep! That's dialysis."
M: "Then I came home?"
D: "Yes, and Eddie got you KFC for dinner." Look of confusion...."Kentucky Fried Chicken!"
M: "Oh yes!"
A few minutes later:
M: Where did Eddie and his wife go?"
D: "Eddie's wife?"
M: "Yes!"
D: "I'm his wife!"
M: "Then where did Eddie and your niece go?"
D: "Which niece?"
M: "The one who slept here last night."
D: "A niece didn't sleep here last night."
M: "Well, where did she sleep?"
D: "Which one?"
M: She thought for a moment...then got all excited...."Shannon!"
D: "She slept in Sacramento last night."
M: "Oh! Then I guess I can stop worrying about her!"
D: "I guess so!"

And there you go. Just a quick snapshot of our days!

She just told me she didn't have any of her pills today. Fortunately, I take care of her pills now so she has had all her pills today.

Last week she had a few days where she seemed very alert and with it and I felt good about things. The last few days she's been moaning all night and day. I'd love to know what she dreams about. This morning she was licking her lips like she was eating something. She says her legs hurt and that's why she moans. She also says she moans, just because she can. Other than the crazy comments posted above, she's been quiet tonight.

It's been very humid the last few days so the AC has been on 24/7. Fortunately tonight it's cooler so we'll open up the house in awhile. I've already turned the AC off. She hasn't complained yet. Usually she'll tell me, if I turn the thermostat up....it's really hot in here.
So, the whole house is warming up while the outside is cooling off. It should be a nice night!
Eddie goes to work at Midnite. She always asks in the morning after he's worked a midnite shift, when did Eddie get home. She told me last week that it wasn't worth both of us being tired for him to be working 2 jobs. Eddie decided after working from midnite to 5a.m. and then 8:00a.m. to 2:30p.m. That he's too old to be doing that, so tonight is his last night for the midnite job.
He doesn't have to work tomorrow, but we have a sealing assignment at 10:00 a.m. He's already told me, I get to drive to the temple while he sleeps so he'll survive!!! It's all good!

Ooops! This is Gma's blog! Sorry for the tangent!

Mom Today!

2008-06-07T16:47:00.000-07:00

Mom was back in the hospital. It was just for overnight. Right now she's at dialysis.

Her access line was clogged, so she had to get the clogs removed.

Radiology couldn't do it, so Dr. Shinn did surgery and removed the clogs.

Dr. Shinn thought they should keep her overnight for observation.

She was very confused when I got there this morning.

She was entertaining though.

Speaking of entertaining....

Eddie thought it would be fun to stuff Mom's bed

to scare Bubba when he got home!

He's a funny boy!

Mom should be coming home from Dialysis anytime now!

They were concerned at dialysis when she got there because she's lost more weight!

When you can't because of medical procedures, that's what happens!

I just did the kg conversion to lbs on the computer.

She's now at 150 lbs.

So that's a little more than 10 lbs!

More fun!

Carlotta!

2008-06-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

Carlotta came to visit Mom this week. It was so good to see her.

Mom enjoyed their visit. She wasn't too goofy. Kinda talked about people I'm not sure that Carlotta knew, but it was an enjoyable time!

I'm so glad she came over and was able to visit!

Mom's Lab Report for May 2008 and Other Ramblings

2008-06-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

URR (how well dialysis treatments are working.) 72%
Last month it was 71%
BUN last month 58 this month 46. They want her drinking her protein stuff at every meal. Doesn't work real well! She's not cooperative!
Albumin: 3.3 Same as last month. Should be 4.0 or higher. Also has to do with her protein intake.
Potassium 4.2 Good level
Phosphorus 3.7 Good level
Fluid: 0 - 2.4
Last month 0 - 2.8
Should be 3kg or less per treatment, so this is good!

We just need to work on her taking her protrein drink at every meal and eating more protein throughout the day.

She's been very interesting and entertaining lately. She said she didn't "go anywhere" last night. The other nights since Saturday she's been at our "other house" or in other rooms, in this house, during the night. Willy Wonka's chocolate factory is across the river in Montebello and she saw the Oompa Loompa's there. She said I could ask Armida and she'd tell me it was true!
She told me on Sunday that she had the most intelligent conversation with Eddie that she'd had in the last two years. She said he was standing at the head of her bed talking to her. He was actually in the bedroom when this was supposedly going on.

She also said she talked with his Mom, Ruby the other night. She's at the house across the river that we "also live at." She talks about being able to see Peggy Parker's house from our house over there. Peggy Parker's parents also live in our house across the river. I asked her, "Aren't they dead?" She gave me this disgusted look and said, "Why should they give up a perfectly lovely house!" I asked her if Dad has been to visit and she says, no, we kids bugged him enough and he doesn't want her cuz she was very naughty when she was little.

I told her the other day that Eddie's going to go away for a few days next week. She asked if he was taking the baby. We chuckled! We asked her if the baby's a boy or a girl and she said she didn't know. She told him he could take the baby with him on the airplane and stuff it on the seat and sit on it! Yesterday, she bolted up and bed and said, "Where's the baby!" I think there might have been one crying on TV for a minute. We don't have a baby!

She hasn't left the house in three weeks. I asked her today if she wanted to do her exercises or practice standing up and she said no! I don't think she'll ever stand again. I think she's in her hospital bed for the long run.

It's sad and the days that she's cranky, remind me of her Mother and it's really hard to deal with. When she's telling us stories about where she's been in the night and asking us crazy questions we are entertained and she's much more pleasant. She laughs with us at those times.

Patience is a virtue, a virtue I'm sometimes lacking!

Memorial Day 2008

2008-05-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of our little family in 1962.

Sandy, Mom, Dad, Betty

Billly, Bobby, & Donny

Here's Mom and Gene Egelhoff, her High School boyfriend.

Auntie Janet sent this picture to mom the other day!

Da Mudder

2008-05-10T19:09:00.001-07:00

Eddie took this picture the other day. He calls it "Taco Rash." We had tacos for dinner and this is what "da mudder" looked like afterwards.

She's doing okay. She's getting a little more forgetful and she is sleeping a lot.

She says she doesn't remember where she is at night so she's asked us to tell her every night where she is.

The other day I closed the computer cabinet and she wanted to know when I put the pictures on the outside of it. I told her March. We have pictures of the brand new great-grandbabies on the front of the computer cabinet. She didn't remember them being there.

We took her to Walmart this week. We had a tough time getting her out of bed and in the wheelchair and out of the wheelchair and into the car and viceversa. I don't know how much longer we'll be able to keep taking her out. She does get cabin fever though.

She sleeps an awful lot too and she drops off quickly!!

Dialysis went okay today and she has two Dr. appointments this week. We'll see how they go.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

2008-04-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I turned 78 years young!This is me and my great-granddaughter Mandorallyn

I got this bear and the pretty sweet peas for my birthday!

(And that's my favorite toy....the remote!!!)

Eddie, the chef!!!
Eddie and Sandy prepared a delicious BBQ! We had Chicken, Corn, Macaroni Salad, Sweet Yummy Sala, Watermelon, Deviled Eggs, Shrimp, Cake and Ice Cream.
This is my birthday cake!
Maddy helped me make a wish and blow out my candle!
Donny looks on!
The girls! Sandy, Abby, Maddy, & Sheila
Bill, Maddy, Sheila, Abby, Me, Sandy

I was very exhausted by the end of the evening!

Me and my new friend at the end of the day!

All is Well!

2008-04-24T09:15:00.001-07:00

Surgery has come and gone and Gma Grumpy is doing fine!!!

Today is a normal dialysis day.

Tomorrow is the real day!!!

2008-04-22T16:02:00.000-07:00

The hospital just called. After being post-poned twice, Gma's surgery will commence tomorrow!

3:00 p.m. at Beverly Hospital as an out-patient.

So...I'll keep you posted!

Dee

Out-Patient Surgery

2008-04-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

Grandma Grumpy is scheduled for out-patient surgery this Friday at 2 p.m.
They are planning to go in and clean up her Aneurysm of AVF. Read the blogs that follow and it has pictures of Gma Grumpy's AVF and a website address that shows some gross slides of someone else's AVF.

It's a busy week this week:
Monday: See Dr. Shin at 2 p.m. to check Aneurysm of AVF
Tuesday: Dialysis 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. (leaves around 12:30 p.m. arrives home by 5 p.m.)
Wednesday: Dr. Staples at 2 p.m. regular checkup
Thursday: Dialysis 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. (leaves around 12:30 p.m. returns around 5 p.m.)
Friday: Out-Patient Surgary Pick-up around 10:45a.m., Admitting at 11:00 a.m.
Surgery at 2 p.m. Return home around...um...we'll guess 6 p.m.
Saturday: Dialysis 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. (leaves around 12:30 p.m. returns around 5 p.m.)
Sunday: TRULY A DAY OF REST!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday: SHE WANTS TO GO TO WALMART!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Home Health Nurses' last visit 8:30 a.m.

Gma Grumpy's AVF

2008-04-14T15:32:00.001-07:00

They're going to do what to me? This is a great mug shot picture!!!

This is her Aneursym of AVF. The AVF stands for Arteriovenous Fistula!

I call it her Epcot Center!!!
She wanted me to tell you it's in her left arm!!!

That's a happy "mudder!"

Aneurysm of AVF

2008-04-14T15:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a website that has a slide show of an Aneurysm of AVF. It's gross, but if you want to look....be my guest!

www-cdu.dc.med.unipi.it/Archives/photogallery/HDbrachial/index.htm

Happy Easter

2008-03-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

I hope you all had a Happy Easter!

Gma Grumpy made it out to church. She said it was the longest hour and 15 minutes of her life. She also made it to Gma Meservy's for Easter dinner.

March's test scores are in!!!!

2008-03-22T15:10:00.001-07:00

Yes! The lab reports are back!!!! She has improved in some areas and other's she's still getting a bad grade in!!!

Here are her new scores:

URR: 70%!!!! That's great!!! She was at 64% last month!

BUN: 30 :( She was at 53 last month and she is way too low!!! Have to increase protein!)

Albumin: 3.0 Proteins and Calories Too low! Should be 4.0 or higher!!!!

Potassium 4.4 this month!! :0) Last month she was at 5.0!!!! She's doing better this month!!

Phosphorus: 4.1!!!! Last month 6.7 Acceptable is between 3.5 - 5.5!!! another great score! :0)

Fluid: 0 - 3.5 !!!!! Last month 0.1 - 7.6. She's doing great!!!

Now if only we can get her protein up!!!! We will try to make her drink her protein powder gunk again!

They usually test her during the 2nd week of the month. So we'll see if she does better!!!!

I asked how her weight has been and she's been coming in at about 71.1 kg!!! That's good. If she's that low when she gets there, they don't take as much fluid out of her. They try to send her home around 7.0 kg. So she's doing good with weight!!! Last November when she was in the hospital for CHF (Congestive Heart Failure) Dr. Lange wanted her at 69.0 kg. So she's doing good.

We had a fun day today!!! I got to experience a first....I got to shave my mother's legs!!! She probably hasn't done it in over 30 years!!! The Easter bunny got her some new clothes and I thought she should have hairless calves!!! She was all for shaving them. We used Eddie's electric razor. After I did her legs, Eddie shaved her chin and her upper lip and whatever else needed some hair removal on her face. She's planning to go to Sacrament Meeting and dinner at Sister Meservy's tomorrow. Of course this was before dialysis...so we'll see how she does when she gets home. But at least she's thinking positive!!! Hopefully we'll have some pictures of tomorrow!!!!

Have a Happy Easter Eve!!!
Dee

G-ma's trip to Heaven!

2008-03-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

In all of G-ma's stories of where she's been and what she's done in the last six weeks....we found the proof that she's talked with God!

There's No Place Like Home!

2008-03-08T08:12:00.000-08:00

G-ma agrees!

I'm thinkin' in the last six weeks she's been over the rainbow or at least sleeping in some poppies!!!!

Friday's "Abenture"

2008-03-07T18:57:00.001-08:00

Today Eddie and I had planned to go to the movies. G-ma decided she wanted to go too!

The last movie G-ma saw at the "theater" was Star Wars - Phantom Menace. I took her on opening day to see it. She really didn't enjoy it. It was WAY TOO LOUD! We even took earplugs!

Well, it was another opening day. There were no lines wrapped around the building. There were only 5 people in the theater!!! We went to see....."College Road Trip." Yes, we really did! Eddie and I liked the pig the best. G-ma likes Donny Osmond! (I liked him best at the end of the movie.) I like the pig pirate flag the very best. It wasn't too loud for G-ma!!!

A New "Abenture"

2008-03-04T09:34:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, "da mudder" went on an "abenture!"

She still has her crazazy moments.

Sunday night when I was turning the lights off she asked if everyone was home. I said, "Yes!" She said, "I haven't seen Tody!" I said, "He lives in Reno." She looked at me and said, "I know that!" It's fun when the light bulb goes on and she realizes she's a little nuts!

Friday night she told us that while she was gone for the last 6 weeks she was learning how to make stain glass windows!

She's told me twice now that she needs to go to the bathroom. I tell her, "So go!" It's very interesting the things she's not capable of doing, that she doesn't remember she's not capable of doing. In her head she thinks she can do lots of things, but she really can't! She did write thank you notes last week to the ladies who brought her flowers or visited her at the RHSNC and I only read one and it repeated itself twice. She's just not quite right sometimes. So, we just do what we need to and remind her of stuff and let her try stuff she thinks she can do and then do what it takes to get it done!

So there you have it!!!!

Dee

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water....

2008-02-28T17:47:00.000-08:00

Well, she just asked.......

"Sandy? Where's my skateboard?"

She went to dialysis today. She came back and ate all her dinner which is better than what she did on Tuesday.

But now the crazy questions are starting!!!!

Has mother ever owned a skateboard? We told her she didn't have one. And she said okay. She told Eddie if he were good maybe he'd get one for Christmas.

Lem, her Physical Therapist that was working with her when she sprained her foot, will be here tomorrow. I just want him to work on her getting out of bed and into a wheelchair and into a car.

I got a new blood pressure machine. It fits on her wrist and works much better than any of the other electric ones she's had. I can only give her digitex if her pulse is greater than 60!

I can't check her pulse manually. I just feel my own. GO figure, so I got the new toy!

Yee haw!!! After laying down for awhile I actually got a good reading on myself. 117/77. When I was running around getting her breakfast after coming home from WalMart it was 165/105! Call 911!!! You might plant me before you plant her!!!!!

Have a lovely day!

Dee

A new day....

2008-02-26T14:24:00.000-08:00

And I'm exhausted!!!!

She's at dialysis right now. She'll probably be back between 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
The home health nurse is coming at 5:00 p.m.

I have to get her bed ready for her return. (3rd time in less than 24 hours!!!)

Overgrown toddlers!!!! What fun!!!!

Have a lovely day!

Dee

She's home!

2008-02-25T17:26:00.001-08:00

She is resting comfortably in the middle of the front room. Yeehaw!

So far, so good!

Dee

Today!

2008-02-23T18:40:00.000-08:00

She's doing good.

She did fine at dialysis and is impatiently waiting to come home on Monday!!!

Not much else to say!

Dee

Update

2008-02-22T15:51:00.000-08:00

Well, she'll be home on Monday. Probably afternoon.

The bed people called today and they'll deliver Monday morning. They probably wouldn't have called if I hadn't actually asked today what was going on with the breaking Mom out.

So, so much for RHSNC wanting to have an exit planning meeting. We'll just spring her on Monday.

She was in a good mood today. She gets time mixed up and she gets stuck on subjects sometimes and asks the same questions a lot, but that's just part of the fun.

Pray for us!!!

Dee

Evening Update

2008-02-21T20:55:00.000-08:00

Hello!

She had a good day at dialysis. Only one strange thing. Her weight when she got there was supposedly 70.4 kg. and when she left....74.9 kg. What's up with that? I think someone doesn't know how much their gurney weighs!!!!

Anyway. Shortly after returning to RHSNC, her dinner arrived. Yes, the lady with CHF gets..... smoked sausage for dinner. At least they gave her steamed cabbage instead of saurkraut!!!! They also served wheat bread and chocolate chip cookies!!! Her charge nurse was there giving her medication, so she took the bread and cookies and exchanged them for white bread and applesauce.

Mom just about licked her plate clean!!!

She constantly asks, "When am I going home?" When talking to a nurse earlier in the day I did see that the orders are there. I was expecting a letter from the social workers to be on her tray when we got back...but there wasn't one!!!! The social workers will meet with us before they release her to make sure things are ready for her at home. At least that's how it's been when Hi's been there. So....we're waiting....Mom's impatient though! Maybe tomorrow!

So, it was a good day.

Dee

Morning Update

2008-02-21T13:49:00.000-08:00

I got to RHSNC and she was sitting in her wheelchair watching Spanish TV.

She said she had already done therapy and walked the entire length of the therapy room to the applause of her therapist! She did it 3 times too!

I helped her get into bed before the transport got there for dialysis. She does not have much strength to stand up. So....transport will be a must for now.

She was in good spirits, but wants to know when she's getting out of there. No one has said anything to me. So, we'll wait and see what happens!

I did see the order in her file for her release once a hospital bed is acquired and that she will have PT/OT at home. So that's a good thing.

Peggy called her while she was eating her lunch and Mom was a little goofy. Couldn't remember who visited her yesterday. She said to old timers from church! She's funny.

Well, that's it for now. I'll write more later tonight!

Dee

Late Health Update

2008-02-20T22:06:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I've waited so long to write tonight. It's been a long day and I'm tired and don't feel very well.

When I got to RHSNC she was just on her way to Occupational Therapy. She was doing her little bar lifts and I noticed one of the therapists was trimming another patients nails. I asked if they could do mom's. They said sure. So after about 15 minutes of lifting her bar this way and that way they trimmed her nails and that was the end of OT for the day. Then it was lunch and then the wait for transport to the Drs. appointment. It was kind of basic. Dr. Staples asked which side of her lungs fill up and I said I didn't know. She had already listened to the right side and so she moved to the left and said, "Ah ha! That's the side." (the left!) She says she probably had pnemonia last week, but she already treated her for that. She did put her back on cough syrup. I asked if she was on any medication to make her cuckoo and she said no. So, that's just mom!!!
As Dr. Staples was leaving the room, Mom asked, "When can I go home?" Dr. Staples said, "That's up to Sandy." So.....the order to send her home has been given and the request for a hosptial bed has been faxed to the insurance company. I guess Medicare won't pay for it. Mom wants me to find out how much one costs so she can buy one! Cuckoo!
We'll see what happens tomorrow.

RHSNC is so dumb. They didn't give me any information to take to the drs. visit. I had to beg for a list of her meds. and Fernando made me copies, but told me that he wasn't supposed to because of the patient privacy act. They're not supposed to give the dr. a copy of her meds???? Is that stupid or what!

My favorite statement from Dr. Staples, "She's too weak for Physical Therapy!" My response, "She's been doing it every day!"

I don't know what planet she's fallen off of, besides the germaphobe one, but I guess she thinks mom is just basketweaving over there.

This all came up because I asked for home health to come and check up on mom and I asked for PT and that's when she made that statement.

Here's my question....not that any of you can answer it, but I'll throw it out there anyway....
How come when Dad had renal failure his Kidney Specialists became his Primary Doctors?
Wouldn't you think a kidney specialist or cardiologist would make more sense for a renal failure patient or CHF patient than an internal medicine dr? Just a thought!

In case you haven't heard. Lori Leanne had a baby boy this morning. I guess they were planning to take it today by c-section and then she hurried it up cuz she wen't into labor last night. She wasn't due until April 1st, but she's been on bed rest for 3 weeks. The baby is 4lbs 7 oz and 16 inches long. Matt and Amy Jo are due on March 4th also a boy.
The stork is busy in our family this month!!! Congratulations Karlo and Lori and Good Luck Matt and Amy Jo, Matt and Shannon, and Danny and Lacey! All boys! Oh yeah! Speaking of that! G-ma told Eddie and I the other night that we needed to have a little girl because the family needed more girls. She also told Dorothy Anderson that we were in Utah for our little boy. So...go figure!!!!

Betty Snelson and Marcella Robinson visited Mom today and brought her some red tulips. She said when her nails were being clipped that we needed to go outside and spruce up their garden. They have beautiful pansies, so I don't know what she wants to spruce up. She also told me the other day that she wants to buy some palm trees for the house. I asked if she was going to make a big W over the driveway and she said NO! She told Eddie last night he needed to sprinkle the grass and she asked if he was working on her flower bed by the garage. I told her tonight he had re-planted her roses in the flower bed and she was happy to hear that.

Some other crazy statements from the day: She wonders where she goes at night and how she gets back in her bed. She did make some humorous statements today about God. She said she told God she wasn't ready to go yet and for him to tell Jesus. She then said that Dad never looks happy when she sees him. I said maybe he's not finished with her mansion yet and she said, she just hopes he finishes her chair. Whatever that means!

Oh yeah! The one pill I keep forgetting they added to her list yesterday was....vitamin C!
Something about her pressure sore on her bum!

Did you see the eclipse tonight? That was pretty cool!!!!

Eddie and I are looking forward to our new adventure with "da mudder."

Anybody out there want to g-ma sit April 16th - 23rd? Yes, we have an invite to go somewhere, but we probably won't go...because of "da mudder" That will also be about 6 weeks into her return home and we'll probably need a break!

Anyway...if any of you have any bright ideas about giving us breaks in the next few months whether it's in April or for that long , please let us know!!!

Well, that was all pretty random!!
Dee

Evening Health Update

2008-02-19T20:14:00.000-08:00

She was very bright eyed and bushy tailed after dialysis, and yet she was very tired as well. She said she didn't sleep at dialysis. She has been lately. She said there was hardly anyone there. She was right.

She had dinner shortly after she arrived back to RHSNC. She ate a good portion of it. Her weight when she got to dialysis was 70.9 kg. That's back to around where Dr. Lange wants her. He wants her at 69 kg. The charge nurse came in to give mom a pill and a glass of protein stuff and she told us of the new meds that have been prescribed. They're concerned about her pressure sore on her bottom and I forgot what else. So I don't even remember what new pill they're giving her, but they are going to be giving her a new drink like boost to beef up her calories. It's one that's okay for renal patients.

I will know more tomorrow. They'll send a list of meds with her to Dr. Staples, so hopefully I'll remember what they have her on.

She was very coherent today. When she starts dozing after dinner she was talking in her sleep. She was talking about her dolls again. She caught herself a few times before she said something cuckoo!

So...until tomorrow!

Dee

Morning Health Update

2008-02-19T12:37:00.001-08:00

I got to RHSNC and Mom was in Occupational Therapy. She was lifting her pole and then she got to go over to the pulley over the door and stretch her arm and back muscles and then she got to peddle with her hands for cardio!!! She's doing very well. Stephen, her PT, said today was her best performance to date with a WALKER!!! So....I will not be surprised if she's home by Friday.

Her Doctor appointment is tomorrow and Dr. Staples wasn't real thrilled with sending her to RHSNC, (she wanted to send her home on Hospice!) I'm sure when Mom says she wants to go home, she'll sign her out. I'm hoping that means she won't be home that night, because we don't have a hospital bed for her yet. I'm pretty sure RHSNC will work that all out...that's why I'm thinking she'll be home by Friday or maybe Thursday.

Her charge nurse, Fernando, came in today to give us her sack lunch for dialysis and chatted for awhile. He asked why she was still there, because she's doing better. So, if PT and OT says she's doing good and her charge nurse doesn't know why she's there....I'm guessing she's coming home!

So....there you have it!!!

Dee

Evening Health Update

2008-02-18T21:13:00.001-08:00

She was doing really well tonight. She asked what she had to do tomorrow and I told her she had to do her physical and occupational therapy and then she got to go to dialysis. She asked, "What if I don't want to?" I asked, "What if you don't want to do dialysis?" She said, "Yes." I told her, "You'll go home on hospice and you'll pass away in one to three weeks." So, she's going to dialysis tomorrow. She asks constantly, "When do I get to go home?" or "Where am I sleeping tonight?" She did well with conversations today. It always makes visits more interesting when she does more than sleep and ask goofy things. Before the night was over she did ask why there was a pig in the family pictures....and then Pinnochio....and then a cow's ear. So...go figure!

I do believe she will be home very soon. The therapists think she's doing well and she wants to get out of there. She's supposed to have a dr's. appointment on Wednesday. Dr. Staples will sign her out in a heartbeat!!! She seriously could be home before the week is over!!!!

She made the comment tonight, that now that she's understanding more about what happened to her, the comments that people are making at dialysis to her are making more sense. Jasmine hasn't called her a trouble-maker lately. Jasmine's the tech that found her unresponsive and brought her back. She actually talked about people at dialysis and usually we mention people by name and she looks at us like she doesn't know who we're talking about. We talked about Fred who usually puts her on and she knew who he was. Maybe the fog is lifting? Some things are starting to stick in her mind. That's a good thing. It's okay if we have to remind her too.

Hope you like the blog!

Dee

Afternoon Health Update

2008-02-18T14:48:00.001-08:00

I got to the RHSNC today and G-ma Grumpy had her shoes and socks on and said she was waiting for "him" to come back and get her ready to go to therapy. "Him" turned out to be Stephen, her PT. He came back and started helping her get her PJ bottoms on and then got paged, so I helped her get dressed and she did really good on her own!!!! They went off to therapy, so I came home for awhile. I went back and she was sitting in her wheelchair eating lunch and watching The People's Court. She actually does watch that sometime, so that was a good thing. She got a phone call from Peggy while she was eating and I told her she needed to answer it. After lunch she signed some birthday cards for upcoming birthdays. She said she still had to do occupational therapy. I told her they were supposed to be having a President's Day party somewhere in the building. She said she wanted to go to it. So I pushed her down to the occupational therapy room. It looked like they were having a meeting in there so we kept going and went to the Activity room. No one was there so we went to the front lobby and it's such a pretty day I took her outside. She liked the pretty pansies in the front flower bed. I took her to the one side of the place and then we went through the parking lot and would go between cars every now and then so she could see the river. There's not much water in it, but there was a guy on horseback!!! She could see the park in the "Gardens." She said that was where she learned to play tetherball. We went back to the front door after cruising the entire parking lot. She said she heard a frog, so we had to look for it. No frog! We went back in and a therapist was looking for her, so I let her go have her occupational therapy. She told me early she gets to put large plastic screws in round holes for therapy!!! When the therapist found us, he said he heard she was doing very well with all her therapy. So...we will see when she gets to come home!!!! She says she's ready today!!!

Mom's Dialysis Lab Report for February 2008

2008-02-18T09:59:00.001-08:00

Test: BUN (Protein) Jan: 40 Feb: 53 Take 2 protein drinks a day

Albumin (Protein & Calories) Acceptable is 4.0 or higher
Jan: 3.2 Feb: 3.1 Take 2 protein drinks a day

Potassium Acceptable: 3.5 - 6.0
Jan: 5.0 Feb: 5.0 Perfect

Phosphorus Acceptable: 3.5 - 5.5
Jan: 6.5 Feb: 6.7 Take 2 Phosphorus binders at meals

Fluid Remove 3 kg or less per treatment
Jan: 2.2 - 5.2 Feb: 0.7-5.6 Limit fluids to 4 cups per day

URR Urea reduction ratio. How well your dialysis treatments are working. Acceptable over 65%
Jan: 73% Feb: 64%

G-ma Grumpy's Adventure to the L.A. Arboretum

2008-02-18T09:50:00.000-08:00

On Sept. 24, 2007, we took G-ma Grumpy to the L.A. Arboretum in Arcadia. I had never been there. It was fall and so it would probably be a more exciting adventure in the spring or summer when things are blooming. I did finally get to see the house from the beginning of Fantasy Island. "The plane! The plane!" It's a cool looking house. It was an "abenture" as Eddie says.

A brief summary of how she got to RHSNC!

2008-02-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

On January 24, 2008, G-ma Grumpy was found "unresponsive" at dialysis. They started CPR and called 911.

She was transported to Beveryl Hospital where she flat lined again and they put her on a ventilator, but was only on it for a day and a half. She was eventually moved to a regular room and on January 31st was sent to Rio Hondo Subacute Nursing Center for rehabilitation.

She has physical and occupational therapy 6 days a week and is transported to Montebello Dialysis Center three days a week for her dialysis treatment.

Our goal is to bring her home when she is stronger and more mobile.

Continuing problems will include short term memory loss and and mental confusion.

Mom's Creation

2008-02-17T22:42:00.000-08:00

Here we are marching off to take G-ma Grumpy to the Rio Hondo Subacute Nursing Center.

You can tell by the look on her face....she's not very thrilled!!!

Update 2/17/08 P.M.

2008-02-17T21:24:00.000-08:00

Well, tonight she was hilarious.

She told me that she had been to Hell House! There were drugs everywhere. After the first drug house, they went to a second drug house. And then when she got back to the rest home, someone had let in a dog and two cats that were running around her room.

I asked if she knew anyone at the "houses" she was at and she said, she didn't know their names, but she knew their faces! And she knew the dog and cats, but couldn't remember their names.

The nurse came and put her to bed after those stories and then she was still hilarious. Seth called and she talked to him and said something about him having a mentally ill grandma.

I should write everything down, cuz it's just funny.

She talked about the dolls again. Said they were coming off the wall. I asked if they were going to sleep with her again, (like she said last night,) she looked at me like I was crazy. She said no. I asked her what dolls they were and she said they were her dolls.

Then she said the dog was on the coffee table eating.

She tells some crazy stories when she's awake, but when her eyes start closing is when it gets really fun. That's when she waves, or points at things that aren't there or starts talking to no one or about strange things.

When we left she said, "I love you. I love both of you....but he's a problem!"

She thought her shoes were still on under the covers, but she was barefoot.

She also said, she didn't know how she went to all these places and that the "Home" was pretty dumb for not knowing she was gone all that time.

She had taken everything out of the drawers in her table and put them on top of the table, so I put them back.

She also said that we tell her crazy things so she thinks she's mentally ill.

All I can say is this is one crazy ride!!! We're holding on with seatbelts fastened!!!!

Have a good one!

Dee

G-ma Grumpy 4-27-2007

2008-02-17T16:16:00.000-08:00

Grandma Grumpy

2008-02-17T15:49:00.000-08:00

Well, I thought it might be easier for us all if I made a blog for Mom's/G-ma's health updates.

We'll see how it goes. Then instead of getting daily e-mails, you can check out her blog at your own leisure.

Let me know what you think.

Dee