Me and My Camera

Today I went unannounced to see Al. When I first saw Al he looked like he was getting ready to cry. He perked up a little when he saw me. I took him some more treats and picked up the weapons.

I didn’t order lunch today after it was served to me cold the day before. I have to pay $3.50 for a guest tray and I would rather not eat then to pay and eat cold food. Al had lasagna and other things. The kitchen had not cut up his main dish and he kept trying and trying to do it himself. He did a couple of bites and then just started tremoring like crazy and crying.

He looked at me with those puppy dog eyes and cried saying, “I can’t do it. I really tried.” I understood but didn’t want to butt in until he gave me the signal. A couple of nurses walked by and saw him crying but why should they stop and ask anything, I was there. After they walked back by one did stop and ask and I said, ” He can’t cut this food. His hands are too weak. The kitchen should have cut it up or something.”

The nurse looked around like she was seeking help but no angels appeared. She gave a sigh and cut his food. While he was eating I took his goodies down to his room. I had taken my camera in with me today just in case.

When I walked into his room I was a little surprised at what I saw.

Pee stains

His bedspread and dirty clothing

His pillow

Weapon number one

Weapon number two

I took the weapons and put them in the sack I had taken Al’s goodies out of. I kept them in the sack so no one would try to set off alarms and call the police for attacker being in the building. This way they were safe and I wasn’t frisked.

I went back to where Al sat and stayed with him through his meal. I stopped a Nurse once again. I asked very nicely, “Sometime before I leave I would really appreciate it if someone would please change Al’s bedding.”

She said, “He had a shower yesterday. The beds are changed then.”

“I have the proof here on my camera that they are dirty. Shall I pull the camera out so you can see it for yourself?”

“No.”

She turned around and walked off. Soon one of the department heads flew by me. Was there a fire? What the +++ is going on? Should I get Al and run out the front door?

In about ten minutes she came back with an aide. She came up to me and stopped. Taking a breath and pushing her hair out of her eyes the department head said, “His bed is changed. We don’t usually do this except on bath and shower day.”

“Well at my house we do it different. If it gets dirty, we change it, even if it is seven days a week or more than once a day. If I wouldn’t want to lay in dirt, then I have to assume Al doesn’t either.”

She smiled at me and left. Her aid or helper smiled at me and she left. I helped Al finish his dessert and then took him back to his room. Bed was all nice and neat. I helped Al to the potty and he was soaked. Brief and outer pants. Just then the driver who takes Al to his outings on the two days a week walked in.

I explained that he had soaked through and we had to change his brief and outer pants. I said he should be fine now for a few hours. I added, “Would you like to take an extra brief with you in case he would have an accident?”

She looked at me and said, ” I don’t change briefs.”

Well good luck my dear brother. I did manage to get  a clean bed for you. You are on your own now. Please stay dry until you return.

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I Asked, And He Answered

Today was the day that I went and picked up Al to take him to our favorite restaurant. I got

Close up image of Cradle cap (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

there on time, and he was dressed in his coat and hat and all ready to go, but something seemed different.

I thought that the main reason he wanted to go to the nursing home, was different from my reasons, he wanted to socialize. Every time I go there, he is not socializing. I can’t put my finger on it, but something is not the same.

I know, it takes time as you all tell me, and this is an adjustment period, but I saw things today that made me quite upset, and I did say something when I took him back. When we got to the restaurant he could not take his own jacket off, and when I questioned him about simple things he cried and I could tell he was confused or didn’t understand things.

He told me he was getting prunes for his snack, so I simply asked  what else to go along with them, and he said nothing. I asked him if he asked for anything else and he said no. He didn’t know he was supposed to ask.

His fingernails were awful. They were black and I could tell by some colors under his nails, that he has been doing some digging too. Here we were at the restaurant, and I could barely eat, looking at his nails, or I would have been ill.

I asked him about activities he had been doing, and he said therapy. I asked what else, and he said nothing. I asked him if he told anyone that he wanted to be involved with activities, and he said no, he didn’t know what activities there were.

He explained to me that his vision is blurry again, that he can not see. I told him I didn’t know what to think, as we had just picked up brand new glasses for him two weeks ago. He said he didn’t know.

Everything was I don’t know and tears. There was more confusion today than I had ever seen before. I am going to give it up to PD, that this is the reason. I dropped the questions when our food arrived, and we ate. He ate good but could barely got the glass to his mouth, his tremors were so bad. I could see that he is definitely getting weaker in strength.

In the car on the way to the restaurant, his tremors were so bad, it made me dizzy watching him. I am not sure if this is the progression of PD or what. He ate a breaded cheeseburger, fries, a diet cherry cola, and a piece of sugar cream pie, so he has a good appetite!

After we were finished, I searched through the store for snacks for him to take back. I had taken him snacks that were left over from here at home, when he was placed, and he was sure to let me know he was running low. I can’t figure out if he is eating the snacks during the day, or at bedtime, and this is why he is not being offered snacks or what is going on.

He told me that the nurse told him to take his money and buy himself a shelf for the wall. He started crying because he said that the nurse should know he doesn’t have any money. See where his comprehension is coming in? I explained that the nurse thought if she told him that he needed the shelf then he would tell his sister, and she could go get him a shelf, which I did.

After lunch, and getting the shelf, I asked him where else he would like to go, and he said no where, he was ready to go back. I asked him again, saying anywhere you want to go, let’s go, while it is nice outside, but he still said no, so I took him back.

Once back he was content to sit in his recliner. I  had brought him some goodies so he and I opened them. He could not open anything by himself, his fingers were too weak, so I opened and he watched. I had gotten him something that he had wanted so bad, the merry-go-round that you see at Christmas time. It plays music and lights up. I just knew he was going to be so excited, but all I got was a half-smile.

After we opened everything and I discarded the empty boxes, I placed things within his hand’s reach, and told him I was going to go speak to the nurse. He didn’t say anything, so I went out of his room for a bit. I found his nurse, and for the second time, I explained about the filthy nails, and that they needed to be cleaned every single day, and hopefully this time, I said it plain enough. I explained to her about his cradle cap all over his face and in his hair again. I explained  when I brought him in there, about the terrible cradle cap due from the PD and that his head needed to be oiled each day and lotion needed to be applied to his face each day. I said all the work I had done is now gone, because it is all back.

I explained with a smile, that I was not trying to be a pain in the butt, but, if they didn’t do as I requested, his face was going to be a mess and he was going to start digging and scratching like he did at home and he would be a bloody mess.

She listened and she made notes, so hopefully this will be taken care of. I explained for the second time that Al won’t ask for anything, and then showed her the list of things that he wished for, and she said he needs to speak up. I said that I agreed with her, but he will not speak up. He is mentally challenged, and doesn’t get the picture, ask and receive. Once again, more notes. Hopefully through time, this will all be taken care of. I just don’t want him to suffer for things that a minute can fix.

Al is a complicated person. He has trouble with comprehension, and understanding, but in other ways he is very brilliant. He is crafty in some ways, and very innocent in other ways. He made the mistake of letting me know that he had money in his wallet. I asked him how did he get money?

He explained he goes down to the little lady at the front desk and tells her he wants money so he can buy a soda or snack, but then he doesn’t buy it, he clings to his money. So he had done this each day and now had a nice little pile in his wallet.

I explained to him for the third time that he can not carry money, that something could happen to it, and if it did, the facility will not make it reappear in his wallet. I am sorry, but inside, I was laughing a little, because he just amazes me at how he thought up this idea to have money once again. On the other hand, I feel bad for him, because he has carried money all through his adult life, and now the facility says no, you may not.

I told the nurse what had happened, and they walked him down to the front desk lady and had him put the money back into his account. He got upset with them instead of me this time, which was a nice change, so I don’t know what his next creative idea will be.

It was a good day, and I may seem a little picky, but I keep my ears and eyes open, and I do ask questions, because Al is going to answer me much better than any staff volunteering answers.

Now, I am home and have taken Polly outside, then brought her inside, and she peed again on the carpet. It stresses me out, I am sorry. My mind is not healed from all of the daily issues from Al, and here, I have a pup, who is the cutest thing, but I am too stressed yet to enjoy her. Walking on my feet and on my heels, whimpering if she doesn’t get held every second is driving me up the wall. I love her, but for heaven’s sake, give me some breathing space! Part of me just wants to sleep and drown out everything around me that I think of all the time.

Something has to give, but I am not sure what it is. Thanksgiving is next week, and although it looks like it is going to be a small dinner gathering, I have not even went to the store yet. I just don’t want to. I have to change my train of thought!
 

 

 

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Tough Cookie

Toilet (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The next time someone says to me, what do you do all day and why don’t you get a real job, I am going to be a tough cookie and kick them in the butt!

Because I stay home and care for my brother, I was forced to help someone remove the water out of the toilet bowl, clean the crap water from under it, watch the old wax seal be taken out, and it was yucky and smelly. Watch the new seal be placed, clean the bottom of the toilet itself, and see it put back into its rightful spot, tightened down and then to deal with the mess.

The seal had broken and when we saw how the seal had been squished almost flat on the front end, I knew that my suspicions had been proven true. Al sits on the pot so many times a day, and leans even further forward thinking he should have a BM every time he goes. If this doesn’t happen, he proceeds to try to force it out himself. It has been a disgusting thing and I am working very hard on this goal of stopping.

We did discover that bananas work, but all the time he had been doing this over time in the bathroom, even before I was finally aware of what was going on, he had damaged the seal.

After everything was done, I discovered that a large mirrored picture in frame that he kept in the corner, had soaked up leaking water, so I had to carefully clean that up with a disinfectant, and pray that this doesn’t cause permanent damages to a coca cola item. After cleaning the mirror, then I had to pick up his three bathroom rugs and wash them, and they are now in the dryer, then I had to clean the sink, stool, and bathtub from where old towels had been used to sop up water.

Then after all that was sterilized and clean once again, I had to sit with Al and have a conversation about how this had happened and how we could work on preventing this from happening again. This of course brought tears, so then I had to have the same conversation we always have about how it is not his fault.  With his head hanging low, he seemed to understand somewhat, but from then on, I have had to check upon him when  he uses the restroom, to make sure he is not half  way bent to the floor, and of course, he doesn’t like being messed with when he is in private mode, but I can’t help it.

After cleaning up the table, floor, and chair from his lunch, I  proceeded to steam mop the kitchen and his bathroom floor to make sure all germs had escaped his area. Next he went to his bedroom and proceeded to sit in the dark and with no television on, so I had to go sit on the bed and explain how easy it is to become sad or depressed in total darkness and silence. He started crying and I suggested he take his nap early, but instead, he turned the light and television on low, then I told him he could not hear it and he needed to turn it up. It was a fight to the end, but he was not going to deviate away from his routine nap time, and I was not going to let him sit in silence and darkness, and I did win that one.

I have just finished sweeping the house and putting the steam mop away, and he wanted his back washed because he sweats so bad from  his Parkinson’s side effects, so I went to do that for him.

Sweeper away, steam mop hidden, back washed, new toilet ring placed, mirror cleaned, bathroom cleaned, floors steamed. I am now waiting for buzzer to go off on dryer.

It is mid afternoon and I wonder how long I will be able to sit here at my desk. Cali the kitty noticed I am sitting here so she wants petted, and I hear my bed calling me for a nice nap on this cloudy day.

I am so looking forward to those eight hours total of relaxation time next week.

Now, do you want to stay at your paying job where you go out and work with others and socialize and have time away from the house, or would you prefer my stay at home job where you clean and sanitize and clean up shit, give lessons on living, dry eyes, help feed and what ever comes your way????

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Alone, Outside

English: One of many garbage bags at a sports event. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Before, I say anything, I just want to let you know that I am in a good mood. Although, having to go outside and pick up crap was not fun.

After getting up this morning,and realizing no one was going to be stopping by, I took my time drinking my coffee and enjoying my blogging friends. I even showed off one of my granddaughters earlier this morning.

The sun was hinting to me that it was warming up as the central air kicked on. I fought it very hard, but inside my heart, I knew I needed to get outside to clean the yard before I turned into a roasted marshmallow!

You realize this is the same thing we do with God also. We know what we need to do. It is right there in our mind and our heart, but we fight it and fight it. We either turn our backs on God and turn into a disappointment, or we listen to him and do what is right, and move in his work and word.

So, I get myself dressed in a one piece romper, terry cloth. I know I do not have the figure to wear it, but who is going to see me?, a passer-by, the squirrels, or maybe an old lady peeking out of her window? haha. I walk outside and I feel the heat. I have my flip-flops on. I know I should be wearing my shoes and socks, because I have diabetic Neuropathy, but gosh darn, it is hot, and my feet were begging me to be free. I felt the sun beat down on my delicate little fat toes, and I quickly moved to the shaded areas to start my job.

I believe this is the fourth clean-up job for me,although the other three were done together with other helping hands, so it is just me out here alone. I do what I tell others never to do. I work for a while, and then look at what is ahead of me yet. I do know that doing this makes me more tired than I was a moment ago. Never preach what you will not practice.

As I moved inch by inch, I was picking up nails, staples, little pieces of tar papers, and single pieces of shingles, and some of them were double shingles. I filled up three bags and a garbage can of trash. What made me a little irritated, wasn’t the fact I was cleaning up from the roof left overs, but I was picking up the guys junk also. Water bottles, bottle labels, cigarettes and food wrappers. Are you serious? I have to touch those dirty butts that someone else sucked on and had in their mouth? Cooties for sure! LOL. I know they deserved to smoke, and drink, and even eat, but something about touching those ciggy butts made me ill, and I smoke, so it must be a germ thing.

I had two small piles on the cement where the car sat, and I tried a couple of times to sweep them into the bag with my broom and a dust pan, but I could not keep the flimsy plastic trash bags open, and they are even Hefty ones, strong, powerful, made to do any job! Not!

I go inside where Al is sitting all nice and comfy in his recliner, in the cool air, and ask him if he can help me outside. He didn’t want to go, not so much because of the Parkinson’s, but he didn’t want to help, but he came out. I don’t know what was going on. Maybe it was the mental challenge, or the heat or the Parkinson’s or the idea he didn’t want to help, but it was a useless idea. He could not or would not hold the bag open for me, and when I tried putting the dust pan inside of the bag, it would only catch half and the other half went back to the ground. Now it is 91 degrees out here in the shade. I can’t do this. Diabetics, at least me, do not do well with our sugar management when we are over heated. I sent him back inside, and went to the natural scooper, my hands, and got all of the big stuff, then used the broom and dust pan for the final touches.

I put all the tools away, swept off the porch, ran the broom around the edges where there were millions of tiny pieces of sparkles and little beads from the old shingles. The edges of the house were coated so that the color of the house looked like black mold. After doing the sweep thing, all color came back. I picked up all extension cords, boom boxes, and walked all around the house with my little black bags. If a child would be a passenger in a car going by, he would wonder if I was Santa. My skin was turning red from the sun but I had a black goodie bag, instead of a red one!

After three hours, and a mild sun-burn so far, and a nice cool shower, and clean clothes, I have finished the project. Now I am going to post this and take a nap on my couch with the air running and a light weight blanket covering me with my own soft pillow. See you all later on, after Al wakes up from his nap!