HAPPY NEW YEAR !!
As you know, Mother has been in the hospital since Thursday. She's showing some slight improvement. For instance her voice on the phone seems stronger compared to the very weak voice we were hearing before.
She still doesn't feel like herself, and she's not eating much, but she is showing an interest in what to order for breakfast, supper, etc. However, when the food arrives she's really not very hungry. She's sitting in a chair for much of the day now, and she's cold most of the time. The nurses wrap her in blankets, including those wonderful warm blankets that are heated.
Mother is continuing to miscall words - they just don't come out right. She is also beginning to be very repetitive in her thoughts and comments.
She is mentioning more and more how sore her shoulder is, and she's taking Tylenol for that.
Most of the time Mother is examined by a team of Hospitalist doctors. There are two who take turns checking her every day, although any member of the team can substitute. Yesterday while I was there, Dr. Auer, her personal physician, stopped by to check things out. He's ordering an X-ray of her shoulder - he feels it may be dislocated. The shoulder needs to be stronger for her to be able to use a walker.
Dr. Auer noticed her repetitive comments and he said something about a "memory pill" - I'm not sure if he's intending to prescribe something or not.
He recommends that when Mother is discharged that she go to the nursing home side of Bortz Health Care. He feels that she is so weakened by her "near death experience" that she will need more skilled nursing attention in the future. We still don't know when that transfer will happen - we're playing it by ear and complying with all medical advice.
Mom is not at all happy. She feels unlike herself, sick, and bored. "The days are so long here." She refuses all suggestions for relief of boredom, such as TV, magazines, newspapers, etc. She needs some diversion, but I can't figure out anything that appeals to her.
She also feels slightly neglected because she has it in her head that the woman in the next bed is getting more attention than she is. Along those lines, she was really thrilled by Dr. Auer's visit!
We're naturally hoping for the best, and we're wishing that Mom will soon be more comfortable and contented.
Happy New Year!
