The last week has not been a particularly happy one for Dad, but today he was in a somewhat improved frame of mind. Not perfect, but better. Still didn't like his breakfast or lunch, but the new menus (with the upgraded-to-mechanical-soft diet) don't kick in until tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed.
On a good note (I hope), Dad had his catheter removed today at the urologist. Hooray! He has a follow-up appt in two weeks. They will do a scan of his bladder then. His prostate is only mildly enlarged, and he is to stay on the Flomax (which relaxes the prostate, I think he said). Hope he will do OK with getting to the bathroom.
And maybe it was just refreshing to get out of the Lima and wheel around over at the doc's office (at Riddle). There is a great view over the buildings and treetops from the breezeway from the parking garage - he always remarks on it. I wheeled him to the hair salon when we returned, arranged for them to cut his hair sometime this week, then right into PT, where Mom joined him and everyone was chatting. Oh, that reminds me...his speech therapist (Maggie) was there too and said that he is to have another swallowing test at Riddle next week, to see if he can get off the thickened liquids. Another good note.
And from Dor:
I think if nothing else the removal of the catheter will be good for his mental health - affirmation that he has "made progress" - and he worries so much that he is "failing." I can add a strong second on the "getting out and about" front too - when I got there Monday night, I took him down to visit Mom. Kind of unplanned - I had knocked on her door & gotten no response so I headed up to see him first. After talking a bit one of the things we did was "test" his phone - by calling Mom! She was indeed awake (though barely - the nurse told me later her regular bedtime is a pretty firm 8:00 ) so we went down to visit together. Sat there and read through some more Christmas cards and of course went over my "to do list" with Mom.
Anyway, point is it is great for him to be in that environment - he commented several times on the things in her room that feel like home. Also several folks in the hall or at their doors greeted us and he just perked up engaging with them a little. We talked on the way back about maybe bringing a few more things down from the apt to make his room feel more like home. I will ask tonight if we can hang anything on the walls. He would love to have the Rose Valley map & Aunt Kathy's painting. I think I could rig something from the ceiling trim - along string or yarn - that wouldn't do any damage to the walls. Keep thinking positive!
And from Dor:
I think if nothing else the removal of the catheter will be good for his mental health - affirmation that he has "made progress" - and he worries so much that he is "failing." I can add a strong second on the "getting out and about" front too - when I got there Monday night, I took him down to visit Mom. Kind of unplanned - I had knocked on her door & gotten no response so I headed up to see him first. After talking a bit one of the things we did was "test" his phone - by calling Mom! She was indeed awake (though barely - the nurse told me later her regular bedtime is a pretty firm 8:00 ) so we went down to visit together. Sat there and read through some more Christmas cards and of course went over my "to do list" with Mom.
Anyway, point is it is great for him to be in that environment - he commented several times on the things in her room that feel like home. Also several folks in the hall or at their doors greeted us and he just perked up engaging with them a little. We talked on the way back about maybe bringing a few more things down from the apt to make his room feel more like home. I will ask tonight if we can hang anything on the walls. He would love to have the Rose Valley map & Aunt Kathy's painting. I think I could rig something from the ceiling trim - along string or yarn - that wouldn't do any damage to the walls. Keep thinking positive!
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