Dust for My Mother

[junebug17]

Hi everyone,

My mother suffered what the doctors feel is a small stroke on Friday night, and I would truly appreciate it if you could send some dust and/or prayers her way. She's in the hospital and fairly helpless in terms of doing things for herself, but thankfully she doesn't have any paralysis. But it's looking like she has a long road ahead of her, and I'm trying to stay positive but it's a little rough right now.

My mother is 85 years old, and up until now we've been so lucky in terms of her general health, which has been really good. It's very disheartening to see someone become so helpless literally overnight. I'm hoping that her previous good health will help in her recovery. Thank you so much for any prayers/dust you have to offer!

 

[kelpie]

I am sorry she is going through this. I'm sending dust your way.

 

[packrat]

Dust and prayers to Mom outgoing!

 

[somethingshiny]

More prayers for your family. My aunt suffered a stroke while she was youngish and healthy and recovered completely. I hope your family is equally blessed!

 

[junebug17]

Thank you so much kelpie, packrat and somethingshiny, I truly appreciate your kinds words and good wishes, they're very comforting to me!

 

[Iowa Lizzy]

Your mom is in my thoughts. Dust for a full recovery.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Junebug - How is your mom? Sending dust and positve thoughts her way!

 

[junebug17]

Thank you so much TravelGoddess, I really appreciate it.

And thank you for asking about my mother, Lovesvintage. Testing shows she definitely had a small stroke caused by vascular disease at the base of her brain. She is doing ok, she's stable and pretty sharp mentally. Her speech is impaired but intelligible and she can comprehend everything said to her, so thankfully her language skills don't seem to be too severely affected. She can move her legs but can't walk and she has double vision that's driving her a little crazy. We're in the process of finding a rehab center for her and she'll be transfered in the next day or two.

I can't believe that at 85 my mother is going to have to go through the grueling experience of rehab. I'm just hoping she can get to the point where she can at least do things for herself and walk.

Thanks again everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

 

[sugarpie honeybun]

Sending lots of dust your way ~

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Sending lots of dust and prayers your way!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

****DUST****

 

[junebug17]

Thank you so much sugarpie, tacori E-ring and LTP, I really appreciate it. My mother is in a rehab center now and improving a little. Nobody really knows how much she'll progress so we're dealing with a lot of unknowns.

Oh, and my brother's car was stolen while he was visiting her in the first hospital she was in! He parked it on the street instead of the parking garage to save a few bucks. Luckily, the police found it a few days later in perfect condition. We have no idea how they were able to start it. (He admits to being very distracted and probably didn't lock it). We could definitely have done without that agg!

 

[Steel]

I'm very sorry to hear that. I wish your Mom calm, patience and a steady recovery. ***dust***

 

[katebar]

Dust and prayers coming your way.
Take care of yourself and mum

 

[yssie]

I'm wishing your mum a fast and full recovery, junebug.
Please don't forget about yourself in your concern.

 

[junebug17]

Thank you so much Steal, katebar, and yessie, your words are very comforting to me.

My mother is being discharged from her current rehab center in a week, so we are scrambling to find a decent place for her to go to next. She is doing fairly well but needs 24 hour supervision and assistance in bathing, dressing, restroom etc. She would love to go home and we are going to try for that at some point, but her home is in no way set up to meet her needs at this time and my brother and I can't supply 24 hour care...visiting nurses are an option down the road I guess...*sigh* this is very difficult, hard to know the right thing to do.

Thanks again for your nice words.

 

[Allison D.]

Continued prayers to you and your family, JuneB

 

[jaysonsmom]

Glad to hear your mom is doing better. Continual prayers going out to her!

 

[mary poppins]

Very difficult decisions to make and execute. Sending dust to you and your family.

 

[junebug17]

Thank you very much Allison, jaysonsmom and mary poppins, you are all so kind.

 

[packrat]

Glad Mom is well enough to leave the current place, and it's too bad that she can't go home, but it sounds like she's putting in the effort so I bet she'll be home before too long! Will she go to a nursing home for a little while then? I don't know how other areas have things set up but here if you've been in the nursing home b/c you need the extra help for a while, when you're well enough to leave but still need some help, we have Public Health and another type of Home Care thru one of the nursing homes that nurses will come give baths and set up meds etc.

Sending more dust and thoughts to you and Mom!

 

[vintagelover229]

Junebug:
I'm so sorry that your mother is having some health problems. I'm very happy to hear that she was discharged from the hospital though! I also can't believe someone would steal a car outside the hospital! That's the last place they should be doing something like that because they have no clue what the person may/may not be dealing with.

Here is dust and prayers for your mother Junebug. I'm sorry that you haven't gotten to much traffic flow over here. My posts frequently get passed over and I've just come to post for myself. There are quite a few good ladies on this board, and I've been lucky enough to have contact with most of the ones I care to outside of PS, and that's helped a bit. Just remember that there are lazy people who just don't post, but still keep you in their hearts. Perhaps all those who viewed it and didn't post were lurkers and they may have sent arrow prayer for your mother but didn't post.

HUGS to you and DUST for your mother.

 

[dragonfly411]

Junebug - Now I see your thread! I am so sorry that this happened to your mother. Strokes are terribly scary things. It sounds like your mother has retained relatively good health , and hopefully she'll make a strong recovery. Please know you are both in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Kaleigh]

Junebug,
I am so sorry I didn't see this earlier. Strokes are so scary, but am glad your Mom is doing better. Hugs to you and sending lots of healing prayers to your Mom!!!!

 

[Steel]

So I imagine your Mom has been discharged from the first centre by now or very shortly? I hope that you managed for find another centre that you are happy can facilitate her current needs. It must be sad for you to *know* that she is unable to cope at home when it is what she wants. You have to make the best choices for her and I am confident that you are doing just that. Whether she fully understand what is going on, she will trust the kindness she sees in you. Strokes are very scary for everybody but hopefully she will make a sustained recovery. hugs for you and dust for you mother.

 

[junebug17]

Thank you SO much Packrat, redrose, kaleigh, Dragonfly and Steal! I really appreciate your support, this is such a tough situation.

Yes, my mother was at an acute care facility for almost 2 weeks, and has just been transfered to another facility for at least three weeks, possibly more if the center feels she can benefit from further rehab. Right now she can't walk and needs constant supervision and help. Her mind is pretty sharp, but her short-term memory isn't so great. My siblings and I are trying to figure out the best place for her after she's released, and we're hoping she will at least be able to walk and do things for herself. I don't know, I'm trying to be positive but I'm really not sure how far she can progress. Thanks again for the well wishes, they mean a lot to me!

ETA: Packrat, from what I understand, medicare will pay for a home health care worker twice a week for 2 hours. I'm afraid we're going to need more help than that, so we'll probably have to pay out of pocket. My brother lives with my mother and is willing to care for her, but I don't think he realizes how much help and supervision she's going to need. My mother has supplemental insurance through my father, so we have to explore what that will cover as well. This all gets so complicated! It's so strange how life changed literally overnight for us.

 

[packrat]

JB, do you guys have an Elder Care program there? We don't right in town, but about an hour away there is a program and it's called Aging Services or something. They'll come in and evaluate people, make recommendations and they know all the assistance programs available-food, rent, heating etc-they can help fill out forms and get it taken care of. Also, if you have a Human Services or Home Health program, they'll evaluate people and get them set up for other services too..My one Gramma gets a lot of assistance like utilities and free food delivered to her through a program called Mom's Meals..this Gramma doesn't have much money and is on Medicare and Medicaid. My other Gramma has more money-she doesn't get free food or other assistance (she only eats chili and All Bran anyway) but they bathe her, and it's based on your Social Security and I suppose your assets-she pays $17/week for the bathing. It's thru some sort of Home Care and is from a grant to give caretakers of the elderly a break from the care. I'm sure those places would be able to evaluate for levels of nursing care required and maybe your mom would be able to be in an assisted living type place after leaving the nursing home if she's not quite up to par taking care of herself.

Doesn't hurt to look into what kind of programs/assistance are available in your area, just to make sure. Never know what might be taken care of.

 

[yssie]

No advice june, but I'll be praying for continued healing.

::HUGS!!::

 

[Steel]

How was your Mom's first week in the new facility? I hope she is doing ok.

 

[junebug17]

Packrat, thank so much for all the info, it's very helpful and we will definitely be looking into whatever services are available.

Yssie, thank you for the thoughts and prayers, it means a lot.

And Steal, thank you for asking about my mother! She's actually doing fairly well, and has made some progress, but she's made the least progress in the areas of walking and keeping her balance. She can walk a little (in a straight line!) with a walker with the wheels on it. Her spirits are ok, but I think the reality of the situation is hitting her a little and I detect a little depression and discouragement at times.