It has been a crazy ride here the last like 2 months now. So like in about a month and a half we saw my mother-in-law go from being very alert and 'with it' mind/body lets say into a down hill spiral. So bad of a spiral that in the end she ended up passing out due to lack of liquids, food and taking her medications too much/too soon after each other. So to not repeat most of this, take a look at 'pre-made/processed gluten free foods' post.
Now fast forward from that post on July 17th, 2011 until today August 28th. Mother-in-law took the first week of being in the hospital to start to come to her senses. She slept most of it, didn't eat, wouldn't drink or the like. After a bit of time, hospital/doctor help and what not she started to come around... taking meds, eating a bit and with time she has re-gained at least a sparkle of something in her eyes as well as looking 'with it' so much more then I've seen her in months.
This however is not all roses as it seems. My husband and I believe she may have had a 2nd stroke that started this again and where only a few months ago we could have most likely scaled her from 1-30 on a dementia scaling of like 20 or more, when we could finally do something to help her, her top score in this test is now 5. She can remember my name for what ever reason but can't remember her own son even this last Friday.
ATM she still sits in hospital and through out the time that I had posted the link above we have been searching, calling, visiting, hounding and what ever we could do including basically someone every day visiting her (even though she can't remember it most of the time) to get her into a nursing home. She is not mentally able to take care of herself any more and I can not and forgive me world, will not be a 24/7 nurse to someone who is not even my own blood family. This last month has been horrible stress wise and I can only imagine what would happen if she was allowed to return home.
With that all said and done... I, for 99% of the work, have found her a nursing home! Hours of phone calls, 10x's more hours spent arranging meetings, visiting a number of homes, getting on waiting lists and miles of walking/riding buses, *I* found her a home that is so new, that it still is almost wet. When I found it, it was open *1 week*. By the time she will arrive there it will be a month but instead of waiting perhaps 5months or more to get into a place, I was able to find and arrange a place for her in about 3weeks. Due to all of this though I am just completely and utter worn out. Mentally and physically. The week after I got the news that this place had an opening and would start the ball rolling, I spent pretty much most of the weekend in bed actually sleeping. No tv, no music, no noise. I'd get up at a semi normal time but then a couple hours later feel I needed more sleep and spend another 4 or 5 hours sleeping and STILL go to bed for the night.
But I'm a fighter, a weekend of extra sleep and I'm back on my game and rest assured, that the month has not gone by without food being made, recipes being tried, new recipes being found and photos to post here being taken. Just haven't had the time to actually come and post any thing. I now have just a day over a week until the big day that we move my mother-in-law from the hospital to the new nursing home as she is allowed to come in at 2pm Wednesday September 5th, 2011. I am preparing to make her room there cozy for her, getting new sheets and a new blanket for her bed, a small table to place a small fridge on that they will supply for her and some other minor things like having my own mother knit a small baby blanket sized blanket to place over the large chair there for her just to make the room feel a little less cold and even buying a couple table clothes for the eating table... I might buy some more comfy pillows as well.
This coming Wednesday (the 31st of August, 2011) my husband, my brother-in-law and I go to finally let THEM see the home and to fill out/sign the paper work that is needed for MIL to move in. I can't wait for this to happen. I am going to see if I'd be allowed to come in the day before moving her so I can have 20mins or so to decorate her room. I hope life goes back to normal or at least back into a routine.
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