Off to London

My sister and I stopped in to see my mother this afternoon and she was so glad to see us. She called over one of the staff members and said, "See, my brother and mother are here." We immediately checked her oxygen levels, but it was full.

She was having a hard time in London. They would not let her eat and even took away her grilled cheese sandwich. They wouldn't give her any coffee or anything to drink and she was threatening to call the police and turn them in, but even the police were not kind to her. My sister went off to speak with a staff member and I listened to her experience of her trip. She was dissatisfied with the way most people were treating her, and she wanted people to know of her discontent. She decided she would not go back to London for a long time.

We talked about visitors she had and she was pleased to see her sister and niece on Christmas Day. She saw other family members.

Just then, a mute woman who constantly darts back and forth in her wheelchair and annoys most residents approached us, smiled, and said, "Merry Christmas." My mother smiled at her and warmed her hands.

Another woman who always dresses impeccably approached my mother. I noticed they had the same color fingernail polish and I commented on how beautiful they looked. She blushed and my mother grabbed her hands and they just held each other's fingers and smiled at one another.

Then an agitated woman who constantly murmurs wheeled close by, and my mother shouted, "Mister, shut up. Can't you be quiet?" Then she turned to me, "That man. I can never understand him."

My sister came to get me and we talked with the nurse practitioner who oversees my mother's care. We talked the medication regimen, her pain levels, and her daily activities. Most concerning is her weight loss. She weighs 76 pounds, which is a decrease of 5 to 6 pounds within the last month and a half. Her appetite has decreased and her physical stamina is low. We recognize that a body's resistance is precarious at her weight and it is likely that she is surviving on her reserves. They will continue to monitor her closely and keep in close contact.

We then went back to visit my mother and my sister gave her some Hershey drops to eat. She played around with a stuffed dog and sang Christmas tunes by barking. She tried on my hat and we talked about a number of other fun things. Then we could tell she was getting tired. We wheeled her over to other residents and she started napping. She had a good day, but an afternoon nap was in store for her.

Two thousand seventeen is coming to an end. What a year it has been for her.

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