Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas on the receiving end.

It is so enjoyable to be on the giving end during the holidays. We enjoyed making the food baskets and delivering them. Giving gifts to the unsuspecting. Just the kind of little things that surprise and warm the heart.

Today we were on the receiving end of blessings. We had to call the paramedics at 1 this morning. Jack fell and because of his size and knowing if he is injured helping him up might be harmful. I called 911. The first responder was a neighbor. The second was the son of a neighbor that I had had difficulties with because of his dogs which love to kill other creatures.
The paramedics and the others helped Jack up and checked him out and he is fine except a little frightened, very sore, and not sure just how it happened. But he has had a fairly good day.

The other blessings were three families brought food to us so we would have a good Christmas dinner. Well we will be eating for a week but the food was prepared with loving hands and good hearts delivered it. We feel very blessed.

The day was not cold and windy. The sun was out all day and it was pleasant and again we felt very blessed since so much of the nation was not so pleasant.

We didn't have family but we had friends and our girls called and made our day blessed in that way,too.

I hope all of you have something to be thankful for today and feel as blessed as we do...Happy Holidays and Joy for the coming new year.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Whether to recommend or not...that is the question.

Have you ever recommended something to find out later that it didn't turn out well for the person you recommended the idea or thing to? Well, I am always reluctant to recommend anything but recently I recommended the facility where Mom was to a friend. I also recommended that she and her family go visit un announced several times at different times of the day.

I am happy to say that they followed my advice and finally decided to place thier mother in the same facility. They are happy to know that she is receiving better care than they could provide and that is is extremely happy. The lady just had her 106 birthday at the facility with a big party of family and friends, a large beautiful picture and write up in the local paper, and the family not only praised the facility but thanked me for the recommendation. Whee...sure am glad things worked out well.

What they liked was.....the facility didn't have lingering odors, the patients were encouraged and assisted in going to the dining room to eat and be with other patients, the rooms were cleaned and beds made as quickly as the patients left for the dining room. Patients were bathed regularily and dressed daily and encouraged to wear perfume and jewelry and always look their best. Mom's hair was done regularily and neatly brushed and cared for daily. They had volunteers and employees who did nails and aroma therapy with lotions and creams. Laundry in facilities is always a problems but there are fewer than most here and I was allowed to go to the laundry and look for items or ask if they were in the cleaning process. The lady in charge was caring and quick to label clothing and see that it was returned quickly to the patients rooms. The food was actually good. And prepared and served per patients needs. I could not have asked for more attention paid to Mom's food intake and nutrition.

I have to say that these all are good qualities of a facility and often cause families to leave the patients and not return very often or at all. Mom had a lovely roommate that passed and the aides said they had never seen a visitor since the lady had been brought in. Some said the families just brought them and left them because they were state cared for....but in Mom's case she was a full paying patient. But the care for each was the same. The aides talked to the patients and joked with them, sang with them, and became the patients family. I liked this because Mom felt loved and part of the people there, and she enjoyed the people around her. These are the things I looked for and hope if you are looking for a facility.. that you can find the same.

Of course you have to do your part of checking often, visiting often, talking to the administration, nurses, aidies, and letting them know how much you appreciate the care they are giving your family member. Actual signs of that appreciation in the form of candy, cookies, and other goodies was always appreciated.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

It is the season for remembering..........

This will be a quiet Christmas for us. We will be alone but that isn't new to us. Our girls are in California and they were here in October.

It will be lonely because Mom isn't with us anymore and I do miss her the way she used to be during the holidays. We always did so many things for others and I want to continue that tradition but not so much this year.

I haven't started cards yet......... I hate to write over and over that we lost Mom this year, and Jack isn't doing as well, we miss our girls, and I don't have enough hours in the day still. But perhaps I can say all of that in a more positive way. It is the season for remembering all the good times and memories that we have made. And hoping to not only make new memories but to dream of good things to come.

May your holiday be joyful, full of fun, and overflowing with friends and family memories. Hug each other...share a memory...and remember the reason for the season.