Home Therapy

Mom was visited by Michelle ("Mikki"), a Physical Therapist from P.Co.Home.Health today, to assess Mom's level of energy and physical condition as part of her post-surgical care. After hearing of Mom's recent surgery and host of other medical conditions, she prescribed a routine of daily "standing" exercises which include walking short distances each day. She stressed how important it was for Mom to get excercise to boost her energy level, as well as fresh air and sunshine to assist in lifting Mom's spirits and energy.

These were things that I have already mentioned to Mom and Dad, but were dismissed as quickly as I mentioned them. ~cough~  When the licensed Physical Therapist mentioned them, however, Mom and Dad offered no arguments as they did with me. Mom did as many of the exercises as she could do while the Physical Therapist was there but became tired and had to stop before finishing them. The therapist also stressed to Mom the importance of proper nutrition and that she eat three balanced meals each day.

Soon after the therapist left, I prepared a half-sandwich and a few pretzels for my Mom's lunch, the first food she'd had all day (not counting the very few sips of BOOST® she counted as her "breakfast"). Soon after I handed her the plate, my brother called and I spent a long time catching him up-to-speed on all that had transpired since he left last week. When we hung up the phone, I discovered that my mother had not touched the food, not even one little nibble. It was almost as if the therapist's talk about the importance of nutrition went in one ear and out the other. 

Mom went back to the bed to lie down. I made a phone call to Wal-Mart with my cell phone to see if any TV-converter boxes were in stock — they've consistently been out-of-stock every time we've gone there recently, and said that their weekly shipment of 100 boxes always sells out in 2-3 hours. This time, they had them! Whoo hooo! I grabbed my purse and made a bee-line to Wal-Mart and managed to snag two of them for Mom & Dad before they disappeared!

I rushed back home to fix supper. Mom managed to eat three or four bites of fish and a couple of bites of her mashed potatoes, but that was all. I have reminded her that she needs to eat in order to have energy and in order to heal, but she won't comply. I feel so helpless and don't know what else to do. How does one get their elderly, sick mother to eat when she refuses to even try? 

When Mom & Dad went to bed after supper, I hooked up the new TV converter box in the den and it works beautifully! Several channels in the area have already begun their digital broadcasts, and two of the channels have 24-hour weather, too! The picture is much clearer than any TV picture that I've ever seen at my parents' house.

While I was setting up the converter box, the telephone rang three or four times but I didn't answer it, of course (those who "need to know" will understand why). The answering machine's greeting had somehow been erased, so there were only three short "beeps" to indicate that the caller should leave a message. The beeps must have confused them, for they hung up without leaving a message. So, I quickly recorded as generic a greeting as I could and tested it. The caller called back again a couple more times and the greeting played peerfectly, instructing them to leave a message. However, they continued hanging up without leaving a message. 

Next thing I knew, there was a deputy sheriff pulling in the driveway.  He said he had gotten a call from one of my uncles (R.F.) who was concerned because no one was answering the phone. I played the part of the "dumb blonde" beautifully, explaining how my parents both went to bed at 7pm each night, so I was outside on my cell phone so I would not disturb them. He insisted that I dial my uncle's number on the phone so he could talk to him, then instructed me to take the phone to my parents' bedroom and wake them up so my uncle could talk to them.  I complied, so the deputy seemed happy and left. I just can't believe that my uncle would call repeatedly after the time he knows my parents are in bed, refuses to leave a message on their answering machine, and then calls the sheriff's department to come out to the house! In my humble opinion, that takes a lot of freaking nerve. 



As irksome as the arrival of the sheriff's deputy was, my uncle and aunt sent Mom the most stunning arrangement of flowers today! It is so huge, that today's photo is just a small piece of it.



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