21 Sept., 2010

Well It is about time I update all of you. I am truly sorry it has taken me so long. Dad is doing fine he is stable and has even gained 2 pounds. Hospice says not to read much into it though he has a tendency to fluctuate 2-4 pounds either way. it depends on the time of day they weigh him and if he has just eaten or not.

I appreciate more than you know all the prayers and help I received during his bad spell (all of you know who you are).

Since then there has been a few changes. After much thought prayer and consideration and counseling with nursing staff, Hospice and friends and some family ( I would have asked you all but could not reach you.) I have decided to move Dad to my home and care for him here. Hospice will be coming in 4 days a week to Bath him and watch him for a few hours while I have a break. As well as as part of his Veterans benefits he will have a home health aid to help out. I fell this is a good move. I moved him home today. and he seems to be very happy and content.

His room is in our Parlor on the main floor. it is very comfortable. Hospice provided the bed, bed table, his medicines everything I need.down to rubber gloves.

The Hospice nurse helped me set up his medications so they will be easy to dispense. and he get interaction and personal care all day.

for those of you who are wondering if I can handle it. I think I can. and if after I have tried for a while and decide I can no longer handle it then I call the veterans home and he will be placed in the first empty bed. Then at least I can say I gave it a good try and my conscience will be clear.

The hardest part will be rolling him every 2 hours. but I can do it.


I would love to hear from all of you. I hope all is well.
Love you much
Jo Ellen

I went to see Dad again yesterday his BP was 103/51 temp was 95.5
I sat for about an hour watching him sleep and he was coughing so much. I would watch him tap on his chest sort of right where his heart is and heard him moan. this I am sure is due to his coughing all the time.

They came in after that hour and woke him up to change him and get him up from his nap. after that he was sort of awake but not really he had just changed positions from what I could tell. He did not say much the only things I could make out were basically no and yes.

Hospice visited yesterday and called me as they do every week. In fact I had one call from the nurse and one from the social worker.

Hospice has also noticed the coughing and more choking on his foods and liquids. He is only eating about 50% of his food. but still looses weight. the hospice nurse and the nurses at the veterans home feel his body is at the point that it just does not absorb the nutrients effectively. thus the weight keeps going down. yesterday when I was giving him water he was choking on that and I would only give him about and inch or two from a straw. (only enough to fill the straw 1-2 inches.)

Hospice asked about putting a Dramamine type patch behind his ear to dry up his oral secretions so he does not cough while he is asleep. thus his pain will be lessened. any comments on that. This is not a life sustaining thing it is just so he won't be in pain. I know how Jon and Lee feel about it but like your input. please leave your comments . just click on comments on the bottem of this post.


I work the next 2 days so I will not be going to see dad till Sunday

Love you all
Jo Ellen

16 August 2010

Hello everyone I was visiting dad today and the funny est thing happened i thought it would be nice to here something fun today instead of all the doom and gloom. Any way I was talking to dad like I normally do and now and then he would say yes or no. but he never says much else. especially that is understandable. any way... He normaly sits there expressionless most of the time so today I asked him if I talk to much well he got such a grin on his face I could not help it I said I gues that is a yes. and just laughed. unfortunately I did not get a smile when I got the picture but you can tell there is a little one there. how fun is that.


Other than that his temp today was 85.8 bp was 117/72 .

Love you all and will keep you posted as I can.

Sunday August 15, 2010

Wow Sunday already the days are running together for me.
Between going to Quincy to see Dad and work it is all beginning to be a big blur.
Here are some shots from today. They had put him to bed for the night by the time I got down there at 6:00 pm.
I had just washed off his face and cleaned his eyes off from all the sleep build up and gunk. Dad ate about 50 % of his food tonight not as much as he has been eating it seems his appetite is slowing down. here are his vitals from this evening I will have to type them as the nurse wrote them I know some of you will understand. 124/76 - 76 - 20- 98.4 she said his blood pressure is up from yesterday. his weight is 152.6.

Haspice commented on how Dad is still declining. He can no longer straighten his legs when he is laying down. I was going to take a picture of this but in order to show you I would have to remove his covers and he is so skinny it makes me cry. I felt that none of you would really like to see that.

Both hospice and the Nurses say it is a day to day with dad. even meal to meal. We do not know.

Just keep praying for him to have peace and comfort. He wants you all to know he loves you and you are just fine. That is what he told me. it took him a while to get it all out but he did. I think sometimes when he is 1/2 asleep like he was he talks a little better. probably because he is talking more from his sub conscience than when he is awake.

Any way I hope you are all well I love and miss you all Jo Ellen

sorry

Sorry I have not updated in a few days. Yesterday I was sick so I did not go and see dad. I have to work today and tomorrow so I will not be able to see him till Sunday. but will post on Sunday Love you all.

August 9, 2010

Hell everyone!!!

Today has been a hard day on me but yet good in many ways. I did not get down to see Dad till about 3:15 pm he was still in bed for his nap but awake and coughing. He was coughing quite a bit actually. after about 1/2 hour they came in to get him out of bed to get ready for his dinner. even though he does not eat dinner for at least 2 hours after they got him up. he has the 2nd. round of trays. the first round are self feeders and he is not a self feeder.

I spent much of my time with dad today just singing to him and telling him how much we all love him. and talking about how he was such a good dad to all of us. Holding his hand. he spoke a few words I understood mostly the word NO to the nurses and aids. He had a piece of dried food on his chin so I was trying to get it off and he said "ouch damn it". I said you swore and he kind of got a very little smirk on his face. it was so funny.

I found out today that they have been thickening Dads liquids for the last 2 weeks. This is something Dad and I had discussed long ago and he did not want it. he wanted to to have nothing to prolong his life no resuscitation no artificial means of life support no medications or thickeners or I V's. I must uphold his choices. So I told them to stop thickening them. This conversation was witnessed by Lee.


I do not feel it will be long but no one can give me a definite time frame. They said he could choke on his next meal and be done. Alzheimer's is so unpredictable. All they say is it won't be long. I know this does not help you but I can not give you any other answers.

If you would like to call Dad, the nurses will hold the phone up to his ear so you can tell him whatever you would like. the veterans home number is...... 217-222-8648 extension 402. I know I gave this number to you when he first checked in but thought you might want it again.
you can also call me any time my cell phone number is 217-357-4898 I have it next to me 24/7
If any one feel they need to see him my home is always open and I have room. Otherwise when the time comes and he passes away He will be buried in Kalispell Montana near Mom. His wishes were to have his children at a graveside service with children singing I am a Child of God.
Dawn if you could I would like you to write an obituary for when the time comes-it needs to go to the funeral home so they can put it in the paper. this has been prepaid to them. I will need help with the services so any suggestions and help are welcome.

I hate to talk about this now but the time is now to start these plans. sorry everyone.

I Love you all so much and I pray every day that our family can heal and move forward. I also pray that Heavenly Father will comfort each of you during this time.



P.S. the picture on the top is from today the picture of Jon and Dad is from Friday.

Happy 78th Birthday Dad.

Hello everyone this is a hard one to write. Dad turned 78 today as you all know. Me and Diana, Eric , Nichole and her 4 little ones went down to have cupcakes and ice cream with dad.











He is not doing well this week. He has gone down hill fast these last 2 weeks. He has been choking on everything he eats now, getting liquid into his lungs and who knows what else. I honestly thought that Monday and then again today I we were going to loose him in my arms as he was choking and unable to catch a breath.






Dad is very unresponsive now and today he said maybe 3 words none of which made any sense. he never opened his eyes today while I was there and his mouth most of the time just hangs open. He is very stiff and rigid now it is hard to get him to move or bend anything. like he is a board or something. If you were to ask me he does not have much time left I would say a week or two. acording to Hospice they said once he starts choking on his foods as well as his liquids then it usually is not much longer that they eat or drink anything. it goes down into his lungs and he will get pneumonia and aspirate. I know for a fact he is choking on his foods and liquids the nursed have commented on it as well as I have seen and herd it first hand. I Love you all and will keep you posted. Jo Ellen