Sunday, October 12, 2008
What's my address?
Went by the courthouse to get my Mom an application to apply for an absentee ballot and brought it to her to complete. Because I know she likes to be able to do things on her own, I just gave her the form and said she needed to complete it so we could get her an absentee ballot. She started completing the form and I realized she looked a little frustrated. She then said, I can't even remember my address or phone number. Don't get me wrong, Mom's mind is really good, she just has had no reason for many years to even know her address and phone number. The both of us just kinda laughed it off but I know if made her feel bad. She completed the form and then said, I guess I could just go and vote on voting day. This woman has not been anywhere but a hospital by ambulance since before December 7, 2003. My brother-in-law fixed a wheelchair for her that holds her ventilator. Just a side note about this. Mom has medicare and GEHA insurance, which is federal government insurance, when we asked the medical supply company to order her a wheelchair that would accommodate her ventilator they sent in the request. They actually sent it in several times and each time it was rejected due to the fact one had already been issued. She has a standard wheelchair that the insurance company approved when she was first released from the hospital. It has no shelf. It would be impossible to take her anywhere in that wheelchair. The ventilator weighs 22lbs. Who could push her and carry the ventilator? Not possible. Anyway, when we realized that they would not approve the expenditure, we obtained an old wheelchair from the local VFW and my brother-in-law modify it to accommodate the ventilator. He had it finished around April of this year. The first week she went outside twice. This was the first time since 2003 that she had been out. She did great and we were all so proud of her. You may need to know that she does not leave her room. She has tried in the past during holidays but every time we get her moved she has a severe anxiety attack. We immediately have to get her back into her room, her place of comfort. We were all so excited when she went outside. We really thought her life would be changing for the better. Unfortunately she had a not so good experience and has only been outside once since April. It was about a month ago. Now she is talking about actually getting into a car and going somewhere. It is possible. We have all the proper equipment, she is just going to have to make up her mind she can do it. Who knows maybe one day. At least it is something for her to look forward to doing. I know this post is a little random but it seems I get my ideas when I come to Mom's and am reminded of the daily battle she faces. Thanks again for all of your comments. My Mom is a remarkable lady.
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3 comments:
Diane,
you are absolutely right,your mom is a remarkable woman.I commend her for not giving up her will power and still wanting to do things, even though she is limited.I hope that she gets to vote.I commend you for being strong and being such a big advocate for your mother.
Diane,
Welcome to a glimpse of what is in store for all of us if we are lucky enough to live long enough! As for memory, there was a time I could not remember my phone number as I never called myself so I had no need to remember the number. My mother just lost her husband two weeks ago and of course we have all been surrounding her. She is in her late 70’s and I now notice she tells me things several times, I would have probably noticed this before if I had only taken the time to call her on a regular basis.
My heart goes out to you and your family but I am so glad your mom is showing signs of wanting to be more mobile. My mother-in-law has convinced herself that she cannot get around without a walker as a result of a poor outcome after a total knee. If she had stuck with the PT, she might have been able to get around; instead, she gets to the kitchen table every morning and spends most of the day sitting in a chair watching the “long” day unfold. I just wonder how I will handle late adulthood as I am looking straight down the barrel. Rex
Family is the most important thing in life. This is something that I know that you belive in and I do as well. But unfortunatly for some of the elderly they do not have the family support to help them achive goals like going outside. Your mother is a very remarkable lady. My father is a remarkale man he has survived a form of stoke that 95% of people do not survive and now he has had a quad-bypass due to heart problems. As with your family we stood behind him 190% and he is now better and working at walmart as a greater. It makes me extreamly happy to hear about another family that stood by their realitives during their times of need. My husbands family does not and I still can not understand their mind set. I hope that your mother contiues to improve.
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