Sunday, December 13, 2009

FIRE

On Tuesday December 8th, 2009 I got a call from the Apartment Manager over where Mom lives expressing concern about Mom. It was not an ultimatum that she cannot live there but an incident that needed to be documented. Mom set off the Fire Alarms in her apartment due to catching a roll of paper towels on fire on her stove. This was another mark against Mom in regard to the need to be in assisted living. I told the manager that I would follow up and see how much longer it is before the volunteer "Chores" people will be able to assist Mom. She has been on their waiting list for quite some time. The manager also suggested that I look into an organization called "Cope". On Wednesday, the following day, my wife, ladybug, went grocery shopping for Mom and when she brought the things into the apartment, Mom sat one of the bags on the stove right next to a hot burner that she was boiling tea water on. Ladybug scolded her and said that was the very kind of thing that set off the Fire Alarms and cautioned her to think and be more careful about things like that. Mom just tried to play it off by saying that there was not enough room on her table. So, Ladybug immediatly began to clean off the table for her. Mom seemed to be irritated about it but the table had stuff on it that needed to be tossed long ago, stuff like two old calendars from years before and old junk mail.

3 comments:

  1. I did a follow up and called the "Chore" Volunteer people that put Mom on a waiting list about six months ago for assistance with domestic help. It was discouraging. I felt like I was "Stonewalled" by Kathy. She said Mom was still on the list but not much had changed and there were still about 100 people ahead of her and more people signed up behind her. They keep getting more and more requests for help but no more volunteers to do it. She suggested that we consider a paid service. I've started filling out a bunch of paperwork and forms for "Cope" which requires a medicaid enrollment. Elvis.

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  2. Friday Jan 1, 2010 The phone call. Called mom around noon to wish her a happy new year. It didn't take long to end the conversation because she sounded so pitiful and ill on the phone I felt it would be best to wait and call her later. Mom said she felt great the day before, that she even did her laundry by 9:30 am. Wow I said that's great, but today your not so good. I'll call you later mom. Later came and went on into day.

    Saturday Jan 2, 2010. Called mom around 3ish. The voice on the other end of the phone sounded much better today. She said, "well I got up this morning and was ready to shower. I got done with my shower and put on some clean pajamas." Oh mom, why did you do that. Well, I just wanted to stay in my pajamas today. Then everything began to go down hill. My burial is all paid for you know. Yes mom, that was a good thing to do. I'm just ready to die. I felt upset and came back with, well mom I wish you would be ready to live. Made her angry with that one to the point I said, OK I need to go now. Tune change, can't even remember how the conversation moved on without me hanging up. Oh, no one called me to wish me a happy new year. I did mom...oh yes you did. So the chat went on from how old she is on 3 meds and one is Aspirin. I remind her she has CHF and she reminds me the doc took her off of those meds along time ago. All in all after the initial anger from her and my anger flaring up we ended on a good page. I did mention that now that I'm retired I'd like to have her over more often. I'm thinking say once a month or so. She seemed to like that and perked up a bit.

    Wow, hope this makes sense, but the worst part was the idea that mom has a mind set of I'm just waiting to die. I'm thinking this is a sign of depression and the doc would want to know this. It's like she has no joy anymore, that life is not fun. DEPRESSED.

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  3. Hi Snickers,

    Mom called me this morning in her sick voice and said she couldn't make it to church. She needs to call in for a Dr. appointment but I think she is dragging her feet in hopes that WE will do it for her.

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