Guessing what my brother likes

On Sunday, July 3, we took my brother out for dinner and the movies because it was a holiday weekend.  The nursing home was having a bar b que on July 4, so I figured rather than showing up for that, which would boring, that it would be better to show up a different day and then he would have two events to look forward to.

We took him out to Potbellys for sandwiches.  My father used to take him there a lot and he always used to order a meatball sandwich.  This time he wanted a turkey sandwich.  I asked him why not meatballs, and he told me he never really liked them, he did it to please my father.  Who would have known?

The movie was kind of stupid.  We saw "Bridesmaids".  I made some kind of comment that the movie wasn't very good but it was still kind of fun to go out.  He said something about "actually, it wasn't that much fun".  So then I told him that he needed to tell me what he would like to do to get out of the nursing home for excursions, and I would try to arrange it.  Of course, he never can articulate anything.  It's pretty frustrating, but I think I am in a place where I don't feel bad about it, it's just something I can't control and I have to accept.  He's just not a guy who can tell you what he likes.

Meanwhile, he looks like he is beginning to put on fluid again (although the nursing home staff doesn't think so (but I think they look at his ankles and because of his cerebral palsy, it's really difficult to tell.  I look at his face and his torso) , and he has developed a cough with fluid, but doesn't appear to have a cold.  I am guessing he is about to have a congestive heart failure episode.  I called his cardiologist today to see if someone could visit him at the home (the practice actually does this), but the nurse hasn't called back yet.  I am worried that if they try to start taking off the lasix, that his blood pressure will drop too low and we are going to have another crisis.  The timing is not good, because my husband and I are supposed to go on vacation to Yellowstone the last week of July.  It would not surprise me if my brother's health spoils yet another vacation, but it is what it is.  I can't blame him, because I have started not telling him when I am going out of time until the day before so he doesn't get too stressed out and make himself sick.