vacation

I was able to take a week's vacation with my family and just came back.  Frankly it was wonderful to finally be able to leave town without worrying that I was going to get a call that someone in my family was back in the hospital.  This is the first time in around 5 years that I have felt that way.  Our caseworker visited with my brother when I was gone and I hear that went well, although she said he wasn't shaved well and that she noticed a wet spot on the chair when he stood up and she had to get his diaper changed.  The fact that he can't get it together to ask for these simple tasks of daily living disturbs me, but it also reminds me why he can't live in assisted living anymore.

I visited with him today, as soon as I got back in town.  (I had called twice while I was gone.)  He looked a little tired and his voice was hoarse.  I asked him if he was drinking (he got irritated with me for asking) and later I asked him if he was sleeping well.  It turns out they woke him up last night to change his diaper.

We stopped at a Wendy's to get him a grilled chicken sandwich and then I took him to a local forest preserve to have lunch.  It was in the eighties and a lovely day, with a very nice warm, not hot, breeze.  When we got back, he seemed to take a lot of pleasure in smugly telling the other patients what a beautiful day it was.

Earlier in my visit, we walked around and tried to figure out where he can go to sit outside now that the weather is getting better.  It turn out the only sitting place we can find is for Alzheimer's patients, and they have rules about not going outside without an attendant. I will have to call this week and find out what the story is  But it makes me feel bad that he and the other patients don't have easy access to go outside.

I also opened up a bill where they are charging me twice as much as they are supposed to for the additional physical therapy that I have arranged for him to receive.  I will have to call about that, too, on Monday.  It's always something.  At least I got a week off without having to worry about it, though, that was very nice!