Letters and Cards

Maya's Granny asked me to thank you all for the lovely cards, letters, and postcards that you've sent. It makes her happy to know that her friends care and are thinking of her, and she has been enjoying reading them over and over again.

If her back didn't hurt so much when she sits upright, she would write you back. But for now, at least know that she's grateful, and that she is enjoying them. :)

~J

Cautiously Optimistic

That's where we're at at this point. Maya's Granny is feeling more herself, and is starting to want some control over her own life, which is a big step in the right direction. The healthy MG HATES the idea of being out of control like that, and wants to be reasonably able to determine what is going to happen, and when. So, she knows that she isn't going to get any better if she doesn't eat. So she's asking for what she wants, and is able to get some of it down. I'm not sure if she is enjoying it, but at least she's eating. She wants to get up and walk, but the spasm in her back and leg (sciatica, we think) is getting in her way. A few days ago, that was a reason not to try. Now, it's an obstacle which she wants to overcome.

So...I'm not sure if she's physically healthier or not, but mentally she's coming along. She's motivated again, and wanting to get better. She's taking advantage of the resources that they have at the assisted living facility. All of which is good.

I've thought the struggle was over before, thought the worst was behind us before, only to have a relapse. So I'm cautiously optimistic. Hoping things will be better now. Feeling like they have to be.

Where's Granny?

Right now, she's in an extended care facility. Trying to get her meds worked out (she's off the Prozac, and feeling much better in that way), so that hopefully, soon her depression will no longer affect her appetite and keep her from doing physical therapy. She's feeling better, and on the road to being better. I think it's still a long slog, though. Not a quick answer, not a quick recovery.

Anyway, a few folks have asked how they can get in touch with mom. There's no email address for her at this place, but you could send cards to:

Lilith Ward
c/o SunBridge Brittany Care Center
3900 Garfield Ave
Carmichael, CA 95608

I'm not sure how long she'll be there, and I'm unwilling to put her long term mailing address up on the internet. So don't send anything valuable, as it could get stolen, or it could miss her completely, and I don't know how good the folks will be about notifying her of gifts received. But a card, a postcard of somewhere pretty, a picture? I think she would love that.

Thanks everyone for your support, again and always.

Setback

This setback finds Maya's Granny back in another assisted living facility, as of yesterday. She's not strong enough to take care of herself, and needs to be eating and able to do more before she can be out of professional care. Sigh. The doctors seem to think her major problem is depression, a diagnosis that I don't disagree with.

So now they're going to get her evaluated for that, and figure out what medication they might be able to use that will help her, and won't have the problems that both Paxil and Prozac have caused. She'll have more physical therapy, as well as occupational therapy. Sigh. Not sure when she'll be back to her blog, but it may be awhile.

Back in the Hospital

Hi All, J here. Mom asked me to update you, so you don't worry, and so you don't think she's forgotten you and doesn't care.

Well, she's been doing ok, but not great. There was some misunderstanding between the cardiologist in Anchorage, and the doctor at the extended care facility, and she didn't receive some of the heart medications she should have been receiving. Now, she's in CA, and finally has some insurance issues straightened out, and is in the position to see a doctor. But wait, she hasn't been able to stomach food for awhile now. She doesn't eat, and the smell of food turns her stomach. She's lost a lot of weight, and while that in itself might be OK, she's losing it too fast, and she's not getting any nutrition to give her the strength she needs to do physical therapy, etc.

Then, early Wednesday morning, she fell and hurt her back. Not horribly bad, not enough to go to the hospital, but badly enough that she's very uncomfortable, and can't get up, can't go to the bathroom without help, can't have a bath without professional assistance, etc. Poor Kate is, at this point, watching my mom decline, seeing her get weaker and weaker, trying anything she can to get her to eat so she'll feel better SOON. Nothing works.

Then this morning, mom wakes up and is feeling queasy, queasy like she did when she had her heart attack. So Kate called the advice nurse, and they said to get her to the hospital.

So. Mom's back in the hospital. They ran some tests, and she has congestive heart failure again. She may have pneumonia, they're checking on that. They're straightening out her medication issues, getting her started on physical therapy again, and trying to figure out what the problem is with her appetite and not eating. She'll be there for a few days, perhaps longer. Then, since Kate isn't able to give her the care she needs yet, nor am I, she will probably go to another assisted living facility for a short time. Then, hopefully, back to Kate's house.

That's how I spent my day on Thursday. At the hospital. That's how mom and Kate spent Thursday, at the hospital. But Kate and I got to go home. Poor mom, she's stuck.