Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Faxed the nursing home this morning to remind them that we were picking up Pop at 4:00. Told them that we needed his discharge papers, meds and someone to inventory his belongings and that were going to take him home for the night and then to the VA in the morning.

Barb and I both got there at exactly 4:00, they had Pop's discharge papers ready. Went in to see him and he was laying on the bed and there was a lady sitting in his rocker. She told us that she was his mother-in-law and was visiting him. He said no you are my daughter-in-law's mother. Then he said right Barbara? When she told him we didn't know her then he said, oh I guess we aren't related. M'am what is your name? She said Fern.

We did the inventory, got Pop packed up and Fern even helped us though we told her we were doing fine. She assisted me in taking Pop's clothes off of hangers while Barb did the inventory checklist. We are short a few clothing pieces, so they are supposed to call when they find them.

After we left the nursing home Barb got a call from the VA and they were frantic. Said that the nursing home had called and told them CP was on his way. They said that they didn't do evening admissions. Barb told them that we knew and that we were told that CP was to be there at 9:00 tomorrow. Can't believe this place was recommended to us by people we know. So glad to get Pop out of there.

We ate dinner, got Pop showered and shaved, got all his clothes washed and dried and then Pop was worn out. I noticed tonight how much more frail he is than he was in February when he first moved in with us. I had to stay in the bathroom with him the whole time he was in the shower, he is just too unsteady on his feet.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

I have promised Cam to take him somewhere this evening so Barb went over to see Pop. He had on clean clothing but needs a shave again. Barb informed them that he is moving out tomorrow and will spend the night at our house before going to the VA. Barb told Pop that there was an opening at the VA and he said he looks forward to the canteen and needs lots of quarters for candy.

We are anxious for tomorrow!

Monday, September 28. 2009

The VA called and they have an opening and Pop can move in on Thursday. Normally they only give you 24 hour notice but since the admissions director had a conflict they delayed it until then. That gives us time to get things coordinated.

This will be a huge relief.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Stopped in to see Pop. He was in clean clothes and so hope all is well. We took him out for a milkshake. Had a nice visit. Will continue to be in close contact!

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Due to work schedules and with helping Cameron with school etc. did not get up to see Pop until this afternoon. I'm livid! Pop still has not been bathed or shaved. I asked Barb to find out how we report them since she has a friend who has lodged complaints against another facility.

Okay, we called the state and lodged a complaint, they had an investigator call within 20 minutes of calling them. The investigator will be making a surprise visit to the facility tomorrow.

Went back to the nursing home this evening, Barb cut Pop's hair, I got him cleaned up and clothes changed. Will go back again tomorrow!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

We got an email from the VA today and Pop is now #4 on the list. They sent us a list of the things he can and cannot have at the VA. We will be getting his admission paperwork ready so that when they call we can move quickly.

Monday, September 21, 009

Barb picked Pop up from the nursing home, grabbed some lunch for him and we met at our house. Pop was in clean clothes, but still had not shaved nor bathed. I assisted him in shaving and at least being presentable.

We went to the VA home. Barb describes the difference as being, "Pop lives in the Dollar Tree and is moving to Macy's!" He did very well on his assessment. They are going to allow him to be on the better waiting list. He is now #6 and they anticipate he could be here by the middle to end of October. What a relief!

I took him home and spoke to the director. I told her this wasn't what I expected when I put my Dad in here. I told them he hadn't bathed or been cared for since they took over his care and that it was unaceptable. She apologized and said that it won't happen again.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

After church Barb, Cameron and I went to the nursing home to take Pop out for lunch. We both popped a gasket! It was obvious today that Pop IS still in the same clothes, has not shaved or bathed. We insisted on seeing the bath book and they stated that he is to have a shower on Tuesday's and Friday's. However, they could not find in the book that he has had one. I got Pop changed and cleaned up. I will be speaking to the Alzheimer's unit director tomorrow.

Friday, Septebmer 18, 2009

I asked Barb to call the VA today to find out what we can do to speed up the process. They have it on their notes that Pop needs to be in a locked unit. She told them that he eventually will but that he's not there yet. They agreed to see him on Monday at 1:30 for an assessment. If he does well it will change his placement on the waiting list.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Stopped by this evening after work to just see how CP is doing. They were getting ready to have dinner and he was preoccupied knowing it was getting close to meal time. So after 45 minutes went home. Will go back on Saturday.

Was not sure but think that Pop is in the same clothes that he was in when we brought him in on Saturday. Barb and I will come back to see him on Sunday.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Went to see Pop today. He seems to be adjusting well. We took him out for a slurpee from the local QT. For those of you who live in NC it is like Sheetz. He loves the frozen coke slurpee!

Anyway we had a good visit.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Went over for lunch to see CP. He is adjusting well. He said it's the nicest place he has ever lived, 'cept for your basement. We went out into the garden for a while and visited and then he wanted to lay down and take a Sunday nap. Will go back and see him again tomorrow.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Moving Day...and it went well. CP helped us get it all packed and moved.

He is now living at:
Golden Living Center
CP Squires Room 320
106 Hospital Dr
Smithville, MO 64089
(816) 532-0888

We were there 4 hours at check-in and then went back around 5:30 for a while. Seems to be doing well.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Barbara's Notes:
Last night we unplugged the TV's and radio's before we went to bed. CP figured that out. He plugged in his radio and couldn't find the hidden remotes for the TV's. He turned on the radio very loud and kept us up part of the night again. Even when you point out the time of day CP no longer understands that this is not the right time of day to be watching TV or listening to the radio.

Kellie's Notes:
Went out for lunch today and walked around Liberty square today. Got home and played games

Barbara's Notes:
Reid, Cameron and I are all exhausted tonight. Reid and Cameron are going to bed early, I will stay up until 9:30 with CP in hopes of him sleeping through the night. CP is need of constant care. Tomorrow is the appointment with the doctor.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Barbara's Notes:
CP still got up several times in the night. Kept Cameron up. Cameron is growing frustrated, Reid and I have placed a call to the doctor. Perhaps it is time to change his meds. Hope to hear from the doctor by lunch time.

Kellie's Notes:
CP did fine today, we went out for two walks, and I tried but couldn't keep him awake several times during the day. He ate all of his breakfast and lunch.

Barbara's Notes:
Been a busy day. Dr. said that it is probably time to place CP in a nursing home. That this is going to continue. CP has the ability to "recover" from the events overnight while Reid, Cameron and I have to function during the day. Cameron's school work is beginning to suffer from all that is going on. We have an appointment with Dr. on Friday afternoon. We have called one of the nursing homes that we like in the area that has an Alzheimer's Unit and they have an opening in their Alzheimer's Unit. We will plan to see CP Friday and if it is his recommendation to go ahead and place CP at this time we will do so. Will know more on Friday.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Barbara's Notes:
CP kept us all up most of the night. We only got 3 hours of sleep. He is constantly turning the TV and radio on at the loudest volume possible, getting into things and just doing things that he shouldn't be doing the night. Cameron had to go to school on 3 hours of sleep and came home mid-day with a terrible headache due to lack of sleep. Reid and I had to go to work on 3 hours of sleep and it was difficult to function.

Kellies Notes:
CP ate all of his breakfast today. As you asked I kept him awake all day. He went to Alzheimer's Group today and afterwards we took a walk. We played one game of checkers.

Barbara's Notes:
After dinner it is difficult to keep CP awake. We are trying hard to keep him awake so that he will sleep all night. He is frustrated with us trying to keep him awake.

Monday, September 7, 2009

LABOR DAY!

We all slept late...except CP. LOL On weekdays when we have to get up early he sleeps until 8:00 or 8:30. On the weekends when we want to sleep late he gets up at 6:00 or 6:30. We have had to start hiding the TV remote when we go to bed or else he turns the TV on really loud when he gets up in the night.

He has been resting quite a while today. As I am writing this I am watching him across the room and he is doing something I have never seen him do. He seems intrigued by his hands. He is staring at them and watches as he opens and closes them repeatedly. He closed his eyes in rest and he has been making motions as if he were making something with his hands. This has been going on for about 20 minutes.

The drumming with his fingers on his legs and furniture continues as it has for the past couple of years but sometimes he slaps his legs really loud in time with music. It can be annoying at times if you are trying to have a conversation and he is doing that when you are all in the room together.

Alzheimer's is very challenging. We realize that likely the call will come from the VA in the next 6-8 weeks based on our last conversation with the admissions director. When the call comes it will cause many mixed emotions. It will be a relief to know that he will be where someone can care for him 24 hours a day on a greater level as he continues to deteriorate but it will also be a very sad time as well.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Today was a rather busy day. We went to church in the morning, out to lunch then home where CP took a nap. At 1:00 we headed back to the church to set-up for my parents 59th Wedding Anniversary Party. CP seemed to enjoy himself. My niece Jenni was there, she was the one that cared for him May - Aug., she went up and said hello to him and he told her hello. He then asked her if she'd ever met his son Reid. He didn't remember Jenni's name or that she used to care for him 8 hours a day. That was rather sad. Reid said that CP sat and visited with Mom and Dad and then he told Reid, "Those are nice people, who are they?" Reid told them that they are my parents. That was also a big surprise.

CP did well considering there were about 115 people that came to the party. We cleaned the church from the party then my parents, 3 siblings and several nieces and nephews all went out to eat dinner. (There were 20 of us) While we were at dinner we noted that again CP did not hum during the meal. We both are wondering if the background noise is enough of a distratction. We have read that people with Alzheimer's often hum because they hear voices or conversations from the past inside their head.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Today we worked around the house. We ate dinner on the deck and that is the first time that CP didn't hum while eating. He grows more and more irritated with me daily and everything I say is wrong, everything Reid says is right. So, I have to tell Reid to tell CP things to keep peace in the house.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Elizabeth's Notes:
Didn't eat much breakfast today and he picked at his lunch. Due to the rain we weren't able to get a walk in today. We watched a movie that's about all since Reid came home early today.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Kellie's Notes:
Today we played games, he did a lot of drawing and then wanted to watch tv. We did get a morning and afternoon walk. Since they didn't have the Alzheimer's group today I tried to engage him in more activities but he wasn't interested.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Kellie's Notes:
CP didn't eat much for breakfast today. He couldn't find his handkerchiefs and is wearing two different socks, I don't think that one of them is his. He spent the day watching tv and reading everything on the screen or describing what he saw. I had trouble with him spitting food today.

Barbara's Notes:
CP is still reading everything on tv this evening. We tried to engage him in conversation and it didn't help. He is oblviously in a different time and place today.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Elizabeth's Notes:
CP and I walked twice today, he dozed a lot too.

Barbara's Notes:
Reid picked CP up at 1:30 for the doctor appointment. Doctor enocuraged us to place CP in the nursing home. Said that we have done all that we could have done and that we knew the time was coming but that it was sooner than expected. He told CP the things he'd been doing in the night and CP was surprised. He said he didn't want to be a bother to us. We told him that he wasn't being a bother that his safety had to come first and that we couldn't stay up all night caring for him and then work the following day. He seemed to understand.

After dinner he helped us pack for his move and told us what he did and didn't want to take with him. He said, "I'm going to a place like Ruamie and Evelyn lived in tomorrow."

Reid and I are sad for CP...but we realize that he won't remember all of this soon.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Kellie's Notes:

Today we played "Trouble" and he asked to play checkers but we couldn't find it. So will play it later this week. We went for 2 walks and he doodled a lot.

Barbara's Notes:
Tonight my sister came over so that we could sew things for my nephew's new business. Brenda hadn't seen CP in a couple of months. CP didn't remember her and thought she was one of his caregivers. She was rather surpised at the changes in him since she saw him last. I caught CP spitting on the floor again and told him it wasn't appropriate. He said that he need to get something out of his mouth. So, I took him to the sink and urged him to rinse his mouth out in the sink.