Update 12/9/14

Good morning, all. I do not have much news to share, but I promised to post an update when I got back from vacation so here you go...

Bill and Alice did a wonderful job checking on Mom while I was gone, and it was a huge relief to know that someone like them could be here on her behalf. The care facility is a good one, but it helps to have someone there daily to make sure she's getting the care she needs. The staff can get a little lax unless you stay of top of what's going on.

I spoke with Mom on the phone on Saturday, and she sounded much brighter. Alice said she was dressed and in her wheelchair when they got there, which I think was a first. I tried to go see her last night, but when I got there, the facility had been quarantined due to a GI outbreak. They wouldn't even let me go peek my head in if I gowned up with mask and gloves, so they were taking it very seriously which I guess is good. The head nurse said Mom and her roommate were two of the only people in the facility that hadn't been hit by the bug, so appreciate their efforts to keep it from spreading any further.

I was able to talk for about an hour with the head nurse, who went over Mom's charts with me and we talked about how things are going. There may be a slight (very slight) improvement in her eating, so we are hopeful that this might signal a turnaround.

The bedsores had gotten infected the last time I was there, but a round of antibiotics seem to have kicked that and the nurse said it appears to have little bit of new tissue growth, which is great news. Hopefully she'll continue to eat more, which will give her body the energy it needs to heal.

That's all I have to share; please let me know if I'm not answering all of your questions. I don't want to cross the line between an update and TMI.

Happy Holiday to you and your loved ones,
T.