Mom in 2024

There hasn’t been an update on Mom for a while. While her condition gradually gets worse,we’ve hit a spot where the changes are small.  When I look at the last post updating her status, I realize a LOT has changed. I guess I was waiting for a happier ending to her struggles, but the reality has set in and it’s time to admit, she will probably not walk again on her own. 

Last April, she fell as we were walking into the house. I had her hand, so the landing was very, very minor. I thought. As I tried to get her to her feet, she couldn’t put any pressure on one side, which I thought was strange. It was almost a year after her Covid experience, and although it hit her hard, she recovered enough to walk again, with a helping hand. Luckily, I had a wheelchair handy, so I loaded her up and took her inside, hoping to see rapid improvement. It’s difficult to diagnose anyone who can’t speak, and sometimes there are little episodes that resolve themselves overnight, so I took a wait-and-see approach. I’m still waiting…

We have been working on getting her back on her feet, but she needs LOTS of support to even walk across the room. The upside is, she smiles like a little kid after we do this exercise, so it’s easy to keep doing it!  I still holdout a little hope for her to walk on her own, but the Dr’s just think it’s part of the decline. We won’t stop trying. 

She sleeps an average of 20 hours a day now, long enough to eat, which she does VERY well. She seems to be maintaining her weight, which is always a concern. We watch a little TV, and sometimes have a chat. I just wish I knew what she was saying!  She smiles a lot less, but it makes me appreciate it when it happens. Sadly there is no recognition of me in her eyes, but I can still get her to smile, even if I am a stranger to her. She also has stopped enjoying the rides in the car, using that time to nap. 

While this all sounds normal in the course of this disease, we still look for positives. They are there. She can’t walk but she can stand, which makes our bathroom time easier. While she doesn’t smile often, she still does. I just have to try harder. While she sleeps a lot, I enjoy the time we can spend while she’s awake. While she gets closer to the time she is called home to see her family, I will hopefully make every day left a good one for the both of us. That’s been the goal all along. 

I think we have done pretty well, so far….