Update from Wmst
First and before anything else, I hope everyone has had a chance to see the Polish plumber on the front page of the New York Times. And you thought the weather was hot and steamy...!
Brought Mom back to Williamstown yesterday (Saturday). New England Baptist was very strict about being ready for check-out in time, but we were more ready that they were. Pages and pages of discharge documents, but all went well and finally we got her packed into the back seat of the minivan, and all her other impedimenta--suitcases and crutches and walker and shower-bench and cane and step-stool and miscellaneous--packed everywhere else and off we went. We took the turnpike instead of Route 2, mostly because we'd avoid the worst of the mountains that way, and so wouldn't have to turn off the air conditioner as much (vital consideration on that day).
Got back to Wmst by 3pm. Her handyfriend and ex-neighbor Jake had already put her air conditioner window unit into her bedroom window, so Item No. 1 was already taken care of. Mom sconsed herself on the already-deployed sofa-bed in the living room, and fell happily and naturally into the role of the weekend: sitting there and telling me what to unpack where, and what to fetch and what to carry, etcetera, etcetera. No, everything was fine: she had done so much prep work before leaving two weeks ago, and she's recovering so well already, and that was exactly what I was there to do, so everything went well.
Bit of a complication in getting her prescriptions filled: first the pharmacist didn't like the scrip for the Coumanin (sp.? a blood-thinner), would only fill it after being shown (and photocopying) the notes in the discharge papers. Then we discovered this morning that he'd shorted us on the Percocet by 35% (gave us only 65 instead of 100). That guy wasn't on duty today when we called, but will explain (and, one hopes, make it good) tomorrow.
At about 5pm yesterday, Mom pleased to discover she had an actual appetite for the first time in two weeks. Of course she still eats in fact like a bird, but a bird who clearly enjoys eating food with actual flavor (Indian take-out on Saturday, Thai on Sunday, leftovers for lunch). And then to bed, after the most activity in a fortnight. She, of course, had the air conditioner in her bedroom; I got the sofa-bed downstairs, under the ceiling fan, which was at least tolerable. (At one point I went up to my old bedroom on the third floor. My God!, how did I survive summers in those days?!?)
Today received numerous waves of visitors and phone calls. Visiting nurse came, signed her up for 2-3 VN visits per week, 2 PT visits ditto, 1 OT visit ditto, 2 home aide visits ditto. LK has lined up a college student to come in about an hour a day, every day. (I won't see her, myself, her first day will be tomorrow after I leave.) I won't worry about leaving her alone: by the end of the day today she's worked out most of her daily routine, and knows where she wants stuff to be (most of the time), and there will obviously be enough people coming in that she won't shrivel away out of neglect.
Tomorrow I run a load of laundry for her, change a lightbulb, pick up some more medication (at her regular pharmacist!) and beat the Percocet out of the guy at Stop & Shop. If it's not much past noon by then, I may drop by the Clark for the David exhibit, check back in, and then head back to Wilm if all continues copacetic. Really, if it weren't for the weather it would all be easy, and even there the trick is not to expend any extra energy, and drink another gin & tonic.
[Mom just called from her bedroom. Wants me to make a note to buy more vermouth. "Not for me, for visitors." I take it as a Good Sign.]
And so to my sofa-bed. Maybe stick my head under a cold shower first.
Brought Mom back to Williamstown yesterday (Saturday). New England Baptist was very strict about being ready for check-out in time, but we were more ready that they were. Pages and pages of discharge documents, but all went well and finally we got her packed into the back seat of the minivan, and all her other impedimenta--suitcases and crutches and walker and shower-bench and cane and step-stool and miscellaneous--packed everywhere else and off we went. We took the turnpike instead of Route 2, mostly because we'd avoid the worst of the mountains that way, and so wouldn't have to turn off the air conditioner as much (vital consideration on that day).
Got back to Wmst by 3pm. Her handyfriend and ex-neighbor Jake had already put her air conditioner window unit into her bedroom window, so Item No. 1 was already taken care of. Mom sconsed herself on the already-deployed sofa-bed in the living room, and fell happily and naturally into the role of the weekend: sitting there and telling me what to unpack where, and what to fetch and what to carry, etcetera, etcetera. No, everything was fine: she had done so much prep work before leaving two weeks ago, and she's recovering so well already, and that was exactly what I was there to do, so everything went well.
Bit of a complication in getting her prescriptions filled: first the pharmacist didn't like the scrip for the Coumanin (sp.? a blood-thinner), would only fill it after being shown (and photocopying) the notes in the discharge papers. Then we discovered this morning that he'd shorted us on the Percocet by 35% (gave us only 65 instead of 100). That guy wasn't on duty today when we called, but will explain (and, one hopes, make it good) tomorrow.
At about 5pm yesterday, Mom pleased to discover she had an actual appetite for the first time in two weeks. Of course she still eats in fact like a bird, but a bird who clearly enjoys eating food with actual flavor (Indian take-out on Saturday, Thai on Sunday, leftovers for lunch). And then to bed, after the most activity in a fortnight. She, of course, had the air conditioner in her bedroom; I got the sofa-bed downstairs, under the ceiling fan, which was at least tolerable. (At one point I went up to my old bedroom on the third floor. My God!, how did I survive summers in those days?!?)
Today received numerous waves of visitors and phone calls. Visiting nurse came, signed her up for 2-3 VN visits per week, 2 PT visits ditto, 1 OT visit ditto, 2 home aide visits ditto. LK has lined up a college student to come in about an hour a day, every day. (I won't see her, myself, her first day will be tomorrow after I leave.) I won't worry about leaving her alone: by the end of the day today she's worked out most of her daily routine, and knows where she wants stuff to be (most of the time), and there will obviously be enough people coming in that she won't shrivel away out of neglect.
Tomorrow I run a load of laundry for her, change a lightbulb, pick up some more medication (at her regular pharmacist!) and beat the Percocet out of the guy at Stop & Shop. If it's not much past noon by then, I may drop by the Clark for the David exhibit, check back in, and then head back to Wilm if all continues copacetic. Really, if it weren't for the weather it would all be easy, and even there the trick is not to expend any extra energy, and drink another gin & tonic.
[Mom just called from her bedroom. Wants me to make a note to buy more vermouth. "Not for me, for visitors." I take it as a Good Sign.]
And so to my sofa-bed. Maybe stick my head under a cold shower first.