My mom was taken to the hospital with chest pains again this afternoon. Her EKG looks normal and Dr. thinks it is stress-related. That is certainly understandable, since she is very anxious about their upcoming move to assisted living, and she is driving herself and working extremely hard.
I suggested she make lists of things she knew she would want, but I BEGGED her not to look in bags or boxes that she couldn't remember the contents. . . because that is all stuff she doesn't need, but once she had seen it she would want to keep it. And she won't have room for it in the new apartment.
Unfortunately, what I feared is exactly what is happening. And it has put her in the hospital.
Thankfully, she should be able to go home tomorrow, and we will keep trying to convince her to take it easy.
Thank you as always for your prayers. Jack and I are talking about when I'll be able to go to NH . . . It looks like early- to mid-May.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Saturday, March 28
It is late and this will be brief. My parents are planning to move to Ledgeview Living Center in West Paris, Maine on April 11. God did a miracle in my dad's heart as they went there today for a tour--my dad WILLINGLY agreed to the move and seems quite happy about it.
Proverbs 21:1 "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will."
My mom is overwhelmed and anxious about packing...and all the stuff she won't be able to take. Please pray for our family, as the coming months will be difficult for all of us; but when everything is settled, I know Mom and Dad will be much more comfortable and better cared for.
Proverbs 21:1 "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will."
My mom is overwhelmed and anxious about packing...and all the stuff she won't be able to take. Please pray for our family, as the coming months will be difficult for all of us; but when everything is settled, I know Mom and Dad will be much more comfortable and better cared for.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The past month or so has been very difficult for Mom. Although thankfully she has not had any more chest pain, her head has continually felt "strange"--dizzy and lightheaded, but beyond that, in a way she struggles to describe. She says it feels like everything in her brain is bubbling up and out.
Naturally this makes it tough to do much of anything. So she has felt additional stress from the difficulty of trying to wait on Dad, who has been suffering pain in his legs and hips that significantly hinders his mobility.
In an attempt to discover the cause of Mom's symptoms, her oncologist ordered a PET scan and MRI, which are scheduled for tomorrow (March 25). She will also get a follow-up mammogram after a suspicious one. She has an appointment with a neurologist on March 31, and on April 13th will see the oncologist again to get the results of tomorrow's tests.
Regardless of the test results, it is becoming evident that the effort required to live independently and care for Dad is too much for Mom, and is contributing to her current problems. She realizes this.
Yesterday, their family doctor came to the house to see Dad, and broke the news to him that it is time to consider moving to assisted living. Mom and I had prayed fervently about this meeting. Dad's reaction has been tears and sadness . . . which is better than the angry refusal that we feared.
The most likely option is an assisted living apartment in West Paris, Maine, near Mom's sisters. The logical next step is for Mom and Dad to visit there and ask questions. The biggest one is whether they could bring their beloved cat.
Our family pleads for your continued prayers. This will be a tremendously traumatic upheaval. After 40 years in their home, it will involve changing location, doctors, and church; as well as disposing of a tremendous amount of possessions and selling an old house that has not been updated since the 1950's--something that lenders are reluctant to finance in the current market.
The logistical details of Lois and I's involvement need prayer as well, as neither of us lives nearby; but helping Mom and Dad move and cleaning out the house are tasks that we need and want to help with. It will require considerable time, probably two or three months.
Thank you for your love and prayers.
Naturally this makes it tough to do much of anything. So she has felt additional stress from the difficulty of trying to wait on Dad, who has been suffering pain in his legs and hips that significantly hinders his mobility.
In an attempt to discover the cause of Mom's symptoms, her oncologist ordered a PET scan and MRI, which are scheduled for tomorrow (March 25). She will also get a follow-up mammogram after a suspicious one. She has an appointment with a neurologist on March 31, and on April 13th will see the oncologist again to get the results of tomorrow's tests.
Regardless of the test results, it is becoming evident that the effort required to live independently and care for Dad is too much for Mom, and is contributing to her current problems. She realizes this.
Yesterday, their family doctor came to the house to see Dad, and broke the news to him that it is time to consider moving to assisted living. Mom and I had prayed fervently about this meeting. Dad's reaction has been tears and sadness . . . which is better than the angry refusal that we feared.
The most likely option is an assisted living apartment in West Paris, Maine, near Mom's sisters. The logical next step is for Mom and Dad to visit there and ask questions. The biggest one is whether they could bring their beloved cat.
Our family pleads for your continued prayers. This will be a tremendously traumatic upheaval. After 40 years in their home, it will involve changing location, doctors, and church; as well as disposing of a tremendous amount of possessions and selling an old house that has not been updated since the 1950's--something that lenders are reluctant to finance in the current market.
The logistical details of Lois and I's involvement need prayer as well, as neither of us lives nearby; but helping Mom and Dad move and cleaning out the house are tasks that we need and want to help with. It will require considerable time, probably two or three months.
Thank you for your love and prayers.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Mom and Dad have been continuing to "manage" at home, but Mom's energy level has been low, getting her anti-seizure meds to the correct level has been an issue, and she continues to experience frequent headaches. She has had occasional chest pains as well--and yesterday it became so severe that the home health nurse who was there called an ambulance.
She was admitted to the hospital overnight for observation. Thankfully, a number of tests showed no evidence of any problem with either her brain or her heart. So she was released this afternoon and a friend from church took her home.
We continue to be concerned about Mom and Dad trying to live on their own. We keep hoping, and Mom does too, that she will improve and be able to do more than she can now. If not, then a different living situation for them may be necessary sooner than summer 2010, the goal we had originally discussed with Mom. It will be traumatic for them no matter what. Dad hasn't agreed to move at all yet.
She was admitted to the hospital overnight for observation. Thankfully, a number of tests showed no evidence of any problem with either her brain or her heart. So she was released this afternoon and a friend from church took her home.
We continue to be concerned about Mom and Dad trying to live on their own. We keep hoping, and Mom does too, that she will improve and be able to do more than she can now. If not, then a different living situation for them may be necessary sooner than summer 2010, the goal we had originally discussed with Mom. It will be traumatic for them no matter what. Dad hasn't agreed to move at all yet.
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