Doctor Update

Last Wednesday mom met with the Stroke Doctor here at Kaiser South. He is a Physiatrist which means- A doctor whose specialty is medicine and rehabilitation. ( I had to look it up)

He spent about an hour with them and did a total re-evaluation. During this time he took her off some of the medicine she has been on( Heparin- which she will slowly go off) and changed the doses of some others. He also turned in a referral for outpatient therapy which she is now strong enough for. He outpatient day will be Tuesdays. She will go to all 3 therapy's together.

Also during the evaluation she was able to confirm that she has sensation  and muscle control form the knee up in her left leg. She can raise her own leg and kick out. Still no sensation or movement in the ankle or toes. So the brace she wears is still critical for keeping her foot in the right position for walking and standing.  They say the muscles come back from the largest to the smallest so this is normal.

In her left arm she still had no sensation or movement. But we are still hopeful that with time and therapy that it will come back to some degree. She also has a special brace she wears on this arm to help keep it in the right position, and to help the hand not tighten up.

She will start her outpatient therapy tomorrow. So we should have more to report soon. If they don’t kill her! (She thinks all the therapist are out to get her).

Funeral

Many of you have heard that my Mom’s mom- Laura Allred passed away on March 19th. Her funeral was on Monday the 28th.

It was a short graveside service at the Veteran Cemetery in Dixon. Dad conducted the service, Jamie gave the eulogy, Sherrie and Jamie sang and Dad then concluded the service and dedicated the grave.

Sunday night mom’s sisters showed up to help write the eulogy. They all ended up laying on mom’s bed laughing and reminiscing. They said it reminded them of when they all shared a bed growing up.

Here they are cleaned up a bit at the funeral.

This is one of  the girls with one of their brothers and their dad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rod, Karon, Mom, Cathy and Cas (not pictured Richard)

 

At the cemetery, Sherrie kids and Great Grandpa (Poppy), Dad and Randy after the service

Figuring it Out

Mom and Dad are still figuring out the whole cooking thing.

Dad has never been one to spend a lot of time on cooking. Mom has some limitations now- like not having the use of one arm, the counters being to high, and having trouble seeing.  They have breakfast and lunch pretty much figured out now, but dinner has been a whole different ballgame. They have been lucky enough to have an incredible ward that has been bringing in dinner a few times a week, and Sherrie and Randy have also been cooking.

But tonight………..

Mom and Dad worked together and made a pot of soup. She talked him through it and he was the muscle!!

More updates

This is mom's at home Physical therapist Anna. This is at the end of one of their sessions last week. They were walking forward and backward along the counter. She is getting stronger everyday.

This week will also be her last week of at home therapy. All of her therapist agree that she is ready to move to outpatient therapy. We aren't exactly sure yet what this will entail, but it will definitely mean more outings! So far she hasn't gone to far from home. She has gone to Doctor and eye appointments, Sherrie's house, church, a soccer game and last week to Costco!!

House Cleaning

Last week my family was down in Sacramento. We came during our Spring Break to help mom and dad clean out closets and get the house ready to go on the market.

Yes, after 25 years they are going to sell and look for a one story home that will be more practical for mom. It should be on the market by the middle of April at the latest, so if you know anyone looking for a house on 5 acres…….. Let us know.

Sherrie and I spent the week with mom and dad going through every closet, cabinet, drawer, and getting rid of a ton, packing up some and just organizing everything else.

We really wore mom out a few of the days, going through stuff and making decisions about what to keep and what to get rid of. She did an amazing job.

Here is our DI pile at the end of the week. It just about takes up most of Dad’s garage.

At the end of a long day of cleaning this is where the boys could always be found- playing Angry Birds or sleeping like Dad.

Or if Mom was resting in the recliner, the kids like to take turns in her wheelchair. Emma was very good at getting around in it.

We did get in a little fun too. Saturday right before I left we got to go to Emma’s championship soccer game. They won by the way.

Make Up

I am starting to realize all of the little things that I take for granted.  Things like—putting on my own make up!!

Last week I was over at Mom and Dad’s and we were talking about Sunday, and how the day was going to work.  Mom has a few friends who have been absolutely WONDERFUL to her.  They have worked out a schedule to make sure she gets to church every Sunday because Dad has meetings before hand.  The first couple of weeks I went over in the morning to help do her hair, get her make up on, and of course put nylons on because we don’t trust Dad to do that!!    Now since I wasn’t going to come over Sunday mornings anymore, we needed to work a few things out.  Like MAKE UP!! 

Mom was determined that she could do her own make up.  So, I got everything out and we did a trial run.  It was very interesting to watch.  Have you ever tried to open your mascara bottle with ONE HAND?  How about those little eye shadow containers?  Try it sometime…………

The first time through wasn’t bad.  I had to remind her to go all the way to the left, especially on her left eye, a few times.  It is amazing still to see the results of how her brain/eyes are working.  And make up application was a great example of that.

So Saturday night I set out all of her make up in reach at the table, a table mirror, and brushes.  And when she got to church she looked great (sorry no pictures for proof)!!  Way to go Mom!!

Wednesdays

We have all started to adjust to life “after Vallejo”.  Mom had a schedule with her in-home therapists pretty much very day of the week.  Some of them come in the afternoon, and some come in the evenings.  On Wednesday she comes to my (Sherrie’s) house.  This way she can get out of the house for awhile, and I can get a few things done at my house too.

Last Wednesday we made a batch of Banana Bars for my mutual activity that night.  Mom read the recipe to me (even though she could have probably done it from memory I made her read it to me—therapy moment!!), and I did the actual hands on stuff.  At one point she said, “I don’t remember there being any vinegar in this recipe.”  I said, “Scan left Mom.”  “Oh yeah, that says VANILLA,” she replied.

We’ll see what tomorrow holds!!