Thursday, January 3, 2008
1/3/08--Mom out of the hospital
This evening after all the tests were completed my mother was able to leave the hospital around 6:30pm. The test results will be reviewed by the neurologists when they come in. Keep you posted. Mom is still doing surprisingly well. The hospital observed her listing to the right side as she walked down the hallway--so they gave her a walker just to keep her stable. My father said she walked better without it--but took it home anyway. Hopefully she was just stiff from lying down so much. Always something--but at least her spirits are good and her cognitive ability seems better than some days. My mother now has to take anti-seizure medication in addition to her other memory medications. Hopefully she (and my Dad-Nancy too) won't have to experience that again.
1/1/08-- Mom doing well
Today after we plowed out of the driveway--Joanne and I headed to visit Mom at the hospital. Dad and Nancy were already there. My mother was doing great. She knew our names, clapped when we walked in the room, got jokes, was interactive and just doing remarkable compared to the previous day. My sister Nancy who lives with Mom said that in her opinion that was the best she has seen Mom doing in about a month. Maybe the seizure alleviated some pressure brewing in her head? Who knows. I was just so excited that she was socializing and happy. She knew our names, and requested a cookie that I brought to her over the tangerines that my sister Joanne brought (now that is my Mom--she loves her sweets! sorry Joanne!)
More tests will be conducted but not today because it is a holiday and most of the specialists are off. No crying today--it was a good day!
More tests will be conducted but not today because it is a holiday and most of the specialists are off. No crying today--it was a good day!
1/1/08--Happy New Year!
Woke up this morning in a winter wonderland! Snowing outside and so picturesque. My sister said we were expecting an inch if that--but we ended up getting 5! It was perfect snow. Soft and light. Easy to make a snowman with. Ryan, Steph, Amanda and I spent most of the morning outside playing and some shoveling. Abbey was dying to come outside--but couldn't because she is sick--so we threw snowballs to her at the window! She got a kick out of that. We had a blast snow tubing down their hill. Stephanie and I kept beating Ryan! Amanda preferred making the snowman though. It was a lot of fun just playing around and having fun in the snow.
12/31/07-New Year's Eve Excitement-(Mom/MeMe)
Today started like any other day. I was prepping stuff to bring to the Pooley's New Year's Eve party that evening and was just about to run an errand when the phone rang at ruffly 9:30am. Mike answered--it was my sister Joanne. She was upset--my father just called her saying that he believes Mom just had a massive stroke and he called 911 for an ambulance. Joanne said she was on her way to the hospital. My life just went into ciaos. I had to pack up 2 kids, me and Mike and leave ASAP. What to bring? How many days will we be gone? Do I bring funeral clothes? So many horrible thoughts run through your head. It was the worst phone call I have ever received. Needlesstosay I forgot to pack numerous things and I left my house in a shambles. Thank goodness for my neighbor, Connie--she came over to check in on the cats while we were gone and actually cleaned up the place too. Our sincere gratitude.
We rushed up to Poughkeepsie-St. Francis Hospital/Trauma Center. I spoke to my Dad on the phone as I was driving up and come to find out that when the paramedics arrived and evaluated her--they found out that she didn't have a stroke because she was moving her hands and legs--they predicted a seizure. It never happened before and scared my father to death as he witnessed my mother going through it. He really thought he was witnessing her final moments. I won't go into details about what happened but he is having nightmares still about it.
Just a little background--my mother suffers from dementia and Alzheimer's. She has had Alzheimer's for ruffly 7 yrs. It has gotten significantly worse this past year. My father says it best, "My mother is not living--she is existing." Tough concept to grasp considering it is my mother! I am not supposed to go through this at 33. My mother is supposed to help me raise my girls, answer questions on how long to cook things for and at what temp., go shopping with, gossip with, chit chat, etc. etc. The hardest part about it is the fact that my girls will never really know my true mom. She looks like my mom--but isn't really my mom. It is so true that this disease is worse for the people around it rather than for the person affected by it. My father and sister Nancy are true hero's for having the patience to deal with the disease on a daily basis. I honestly don't think I could do it.
Okay back to Monday--The girls spent the day with their cousins playing and having fun at my sister Joanne's house. I just told them MeMe wasn't feeling well. Amanda knows that Meme is sick and we have to tell her over and over again to do things. Amanda actually enjoys helping Meme. She likes to "boss" her around! ie: "Meme you have to put your shoe on now." Amanda is her little helper when we visit and the girls bring such joy to both my parents. Mike and I spent the day at the hospital along with my Dad, and two sisters: Nancy and Joanne. My mother was awake and can speak but really didn't say much. She didn't know our names and was kinda blank for most of the day. Most of the day was spent in the ER and then finally around 7:45pm she was admitted. They did some tests and they were all coming back good. They wanted to run more--that is why they kept her. Also to observe and make sure she didn't have a repeat of this mornings event. She shared a room with another woman and they had a sitter to keep an eye on them and help them if needed. The sitter is actually a nurse just for the two women. It made us feel better leaving her alone there that she had someone to watch and help her if needed. Nancy, Mike and I left the hospital around 9:45pm after they gave her a sleeping pill to ensure she was able to sleep despite the strange environment. We then took Nancy home and went to Joanne's house to be greeted by Amanda and Abbey who were extremely tired. Joanne surprised us by having some goodies and drinks to ring in the new year! Amanda fell asleep at 11:50pm and Abbey fell asleep at 12:05am. I think I fell asleep at 12:10am totally exhausted from STRESS! I think my tear ducts actually hurt if that is possible.
Happy New Years! What is to come in 2008 for my mom? We just need to take it day by day rather than think long term. It is a horrible feeling knowing the disease will only get worse. God-I hope they find a cure. I know it is too late to "cure" my mom--but for my future and for my children. Although--my mother is the first person on my side of the family to have this disease. No one else on my mom or dads side had this. Crazy-huh! Scary too! You just never know.
We rushed up to Poughkeepsie-St. Francis Hospital/Trauma Center. I spoke to my Dad on the phone as I was driving up and come to find out that when the paramedics arrived and evaluated her--they found out that she didn't have a stroke because she was moving her hands and legs--they predicted a seizure. It never happened before and scared my father to death as he witnessed my mother going through it. He really thought he was witnessing her final moments. I won't go into details about what happened but he is having nightmares still about it.
Just a little background--my mother suffers from dementia and Alzheimer's. She has had Alzheimer's for ruffly 7 yrs. It has gotten significantly worse this past year. My father says it best, "My mother is not living--she is existing." Tough concept to grasp considering it is my mother! I am not supposed to go through this at 33. My mother is supposed to help me raise my girls, answer questions on how long to cook things for and at what temp., go shopping with, gossip with, chit chat, etc. etc. The hardest part about it is the fact that my girls will never really know my true mom. She looks like my mom--but isn't really my mom. It is so true that this disease is worse for the people around it rather than for the person affected by it. My father and sister Nancy are true hero's for having the patience to deal with the disease on a daily basis. I honestly don't think I could do it.
Okay back to Monday--The girls spent the day with their cousins playing and having fun at my sister Joanne's house. I just told them MeMe wasn't feeling well. Amanda knows that Meme is sick and we have to tell her over and over again to do things. Amanda actually enjoys helping Meme. She likes to "boss" her around! ie: "Meme you have to put your shoe on now." Amanda is her little helper when we visit and the girls bring such joy to both my parents. Mike and I spent the day at the hospital along with my Dad, and two sisters: Nancy and Joanne. My mother was awake and can speak but really didn't say much. She didn't know our names and was kinda blank for most of the day. Most of the day was spent in the ER and then finally around 7:45pm she was admitted. They did some tests and they were all coming back good. They wanted to run more--that is why they kept her. Also to observe and make sure she didn't have a repeat of this mornings event. She shared a room with another woman and they had a sitter to keep an eye on them and help them if needed. The sitter is actually a nurse just for the two women. It made us feel better leaving her alone there that she had someone to watch and help her if needed. Nancy, Mike and I left the hospital around 9:45pm after they gave her a sleeping pill to ensure she was able to sleep despite the strange environment. We then took Nancy home and went to Joanne's house to be greeted by Amanda and Abbey who were extremely tired. Joanne surprised us by having some goodies and drinks to ring in the new year! Amanda fell asleep at 11:50pm and Abbey fell asleep at 12:05am. I think I fell asleep at 12:10am totally exhausted from STRESS! I think my tear ducts actually hurt if that is possible.
Happy New Years! What is to come in 2008 for my mom? We just need to take it day by day rather than think long term. It is a horrible feeling knowing the disease will only get worse. God-I hope they find a cure. I know it is too late to "cure" my mom--but for my future and for my children. Although--my mother is the first person on my side of the family to have this disease. No one else on my mom or dads side had this. Crazy-huh! Scary too! You just never know.
12/30/07--Sick kids!
When you have two kids if one child gets sick you can bet that the other child will be sick within days of the first child! We took Abbey to the pediatrician today--she has an ear infection and sinus infection. Amanda went to the doctor on Thurs. diagnosed with a sinus infection. Fun Fun! Life is never dull that is for sure. Everyone is on medicine and feeling much better now! Thank you Dr. Rothenberg and Dr. Rosen!
12/28/07--Enchanted
I took the girls and Stephanie to see the movie Enchanted. Amanda and Steph enjoyed it--however Abbey prevented me from seeing the movie! The little one was quiet for a little while with snacks,etc. but was too squirmy for me to contain. We ended up spending most of the time in the lobby playing around. We went into the arcade, played with other kids in the lobby, played on the mat in the lobby that has a movie projected on the floor where you try to follow the object, and best of all I found a twenty dollar bill in the lobby near the arcade! That made my day--considering I just spent 7.50 for a matinee that I wasn't able to see! She eventually fell asleep and I was able to see the end of the movie. Mind you we went to see the movie during her nap time. Oh the joys of having a toddler. I guess I should have just expected it.
12/28/07--Staten Island Cousins
This evening we had dinner with some of Mike's relatives from Staten Island. We all ate at a delicious Spanish restaurant called Carmen's located on the water. Stephanie came also. Amanda and Abbey were under the weather with a sinus infection (they shouldn't have even gone) and not in the best of spirits--but were quite happy when Yvonne and Frank gave them some awesome Christmas gifts of coloring books and stickers. Amanda kept busy busy. The mariachi singer also came over to our table (thank you Frank) which was great entertainment for the little ones.
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