Life and Love

In February, my mom and I moved my mom’s cousin, Anna, into a nursing home. She has early signs of dementia, but is very alert, walks with a walker, and mostly knows what is going on. We had some difficult decisions to make as far as what to do with her apartment, her dog and her belongings, but we are her only relatives and they were decisions that simply needed to be made. Anna was not happy to be moving into the nursing home.

Slowly, she began to adjust. She likes the staff and the food and seems to be making some friends.

Recently her best friend (her next door neighbor from her apartment that she lived in right before moving into the nursing home) fell and hurt her leg and was now in the same nursing home receiving physical therapy. Bad for her friend but great that Anna could visit her!

In the last 12 days, her friend that fell became very ill, and Anna’s roommate at the nursing home became very ill. Anna was very stressed about both of them. She was worried for them but also worried that she would get sick too. She did.

The last several days have been a real roller coaster. First she just had bronchitis and needed a breathing tube. Then once off of the breathing tube, she seemed to not be improving.

Mike and I went to visit her in the hospital on Wednesday. I realize that nobody probably likes to visit a sick family member or friend in the ICU, but she did not look as well as I expected her to look at all and I was really glad that Mike had insisted on going with me. 

I had planned to leave Thursday afternoon to go see Tess in Dallas and decided to go ahead with my trip.

On the drive to the airport I got a call from the hospital and they said they didn’t feel that there was much that they could do and asked me if we would like them to bring in hospice. This was all happening so fast. Just the week before I had taken her some of her personal things that she had asked for and we sat in her room and chatted. 

The nurse told me to go to Dallas and when I came home on Sunday they would transport her back to the nursing home and there we could meet with hospice.

I enjoyed seeing Tess and her new apartment, but my mind was really back at home most of the time.

I came home Sunday morning, picked up my mom and we went to the nursing home where we met with hospice and watched them bring Anna back in to the nursing home. She now has Influenza A and Bronchitis MRSA, and we were told that it is a matter of days. so our final days with her are in full gowns, gloves and mask and really, I hate it. I feel like the least we can do for her now is to sit with her and hold her hand, but they are being very adamant at the nursing home that she is very contagious.

It’s so hard to know that there is nothing that can be done.

It’s been a rough few days emotionally and as much as I would love to say I’m holding it all together while taking care of the logistics, the emotions of it all hit me yesterday.

I have several things on the “Weight Watcher work” calendar this week and I am doing all that I can to keep my schedule as it is.

I’m also determined to finish the StepBet. So far I am on track. Walking helps with stress so this is good for me.

I am meeting with some of Anna’s friends this afternoon at the nursing home to discuss what to expect over the next few days. Her friends are really taking this hard since it was so unexpected.

If you pray, prayers for Anna of healing and to be free of pain would be appreciated.

If you don’t pray, we are also accepting positive thoughts and vibes sent our way.

More later.

“love the life you live, live the life you love”