A Challenging Season

This season started near the end of October, when Mom fell about an hour after family talked to her on a Monday evening. She was down in front of her chair when family went to check on her the next evening when none of us could reach her on the phone. My sis lives 45 minutes away to the south, and I live 45 minutes to the east, so we’re not really near her, but have kept daily contact by phone.

My sis had her taken to the hospital near them. There were no broken bones, but bruises and massive confusion, in part due to a big vitamin B-12 deficiency which has since been corrected. Mom in general is very healthy for a 91 year old, but she tends to fall backwards without someone always at her side, so they tried to work on that at rehab.

Last Friday they sent her home with 24/7 medical care, and now she’s also in therapy to hopefully regain the ability to balance. However, there was another diagnosis at the hospital. They said her primary diagnosis is “unspecified dementia”. She has some forgetfulness, but enough awareness that she cried when we brought her home, saying, “I wondered if I’d ever be home again.”

Mom wants to age in place and die at home, but we don’t know if that’s possible. We are going one day at a time, and doing a lot of praying, as well as applying for Medicaid and a Medicaid waiver, so she could have help at home if her balance improves.

Please remember us in your prayers or thoughts as we keep going through this season. I am handling things with prayer and exercise and trying to keep up good nutrition. I hadn’t been to the gym in a year because of the two falls I had last fall/winter, but my bones are whole enough now that I am back at the gym a couple days a week. Other days I am doing YouTube workouts at home.

Also, last week I had 4 nights at a state park with a friend. We planned it last August, and it was just after they started their 2 nights for the price of one deal, so 4 nights for the price of 2 was great!

Challenging seasons happen for all of us. I want to meet mine with faith and trust in God, and with grace, wisdom and mercy for others. God bless you all during this Christmas season. I’m glad Jesus came, that He lives today, and that nothing surprises Him, even if it surprises me. I know He will take us through this season, whatever it brings for each of us. Enjoy as much as you can, and keep looking up!