I took my brother to my son's long time girlfriend's parents' house for Thanksgiving. They have been a couple for almost 10 years. We have been doing Thanksgiving for about 6 years. Last year they came to my house, this year we went to theirs.
My only issue with my brother is fear that he is going to wet their furniture. He doesn't seem to get any cues that he should let someone know when his diaper is full. This time, I figured it out because he really smelled. Fortunately, he was sitting on a folding chair so there was no material to stain or get wet. My husband was nice enough to take him to the bathroom and get him changed. Then he went home. It is one of those gender things, I guess, and if I can, I am going to take advantage of it.
Today, my son, daughter and my husband took him to a International House of Pancakes for breakfast. He seemed to have a good time. I told him I would see him Wednesday night. I guess it's back to the routine.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
james bond
My husband and I took my brother to go see James Bond Friday night. It was a stupid movie, but I think we all enjoyed it. I think what my brother liked the most is was that he was going to be the last person on his floor in bed!
The antibiotics seems to be working and his hoarseness is gone. He will be coming to my house for Thanksgiving, and then we are going to my son's girlfriend's parents' house for dinner. I am hoping that there will be no diaper/urination incidents. I did not take him out for breakfast this weekend, and it was really nice to sleep late on Saturday. However, I am feeling a little guilty. But I keep on telling myself that we will see him over Thanksgiving weekend. I expect that my kids will come with me for breakfast on Saturday (or Sunday) and that would be great.
My only nagging worry is the extra information that Medicaid asked for. My brother is on a special workers with disabilities program that very few State workers seem to know about. I am not going to be surprised if I have to take off work to go talk to the State.
He also needs a lot of dental work, at least 3 teeth pulled, etc. I am already prepared to fork over huge sums of money to take care of his teeth, but I feel there is no choice. I have asked that the nurses start brushing his teeth, we will see if that happens.
The antibiotics seems to be working and his hoarseness is gone. He will be coming to my house for Thanksgiving, and then we are going to my son's girlfriend's parents' house for dinner. I am hoping that there will be no diaper/urination incidents. I did not take him out for breakfast this weekend, and it was really nice to sleep late on Saturday. However, I am feeling a little guilty. But I keep on telling myself that we will see him over Thanksgiving weekend. I expect that my kids will come with me for breakfast on Saturday (or Sunday) and that would be great.
My only nagging worry is the extra information that Medicaid asked for. My brother is on a special workers with disabilities program that very few State workers seem to know about. I am not going to be surprised if I have to take off work to go talk to the State.
He also needs a lot of dental work, at least 3 teeth pulled, etc. I am already prepared to fork over huge sums of money to take care of his teeth, but I feel there is no choice. I have asked that the nurses start brushing his teeth, we will see if that happens.
Monday, November 12, 2012
pneumonia and another birthday party
It turns out I was right. My brother does have pneumonia. But it wasmuch easier to resolve at the new nursing home than at the old one. Now that there is a nurse practitioner, I called her and asked her to listen to my brother's lungs. She was a bit skeptical, because she said hoarseness could be caused by his medications because they dried him up. But she did not that he seemed a bit out of breath just walking around and she ordered an xray and concluded he did have pneumonia. I actually believe she will probably notice these things on her own once she gets to know him better. I also asked her how much he weighed (147 lbs) and mentioned to her that in my opinion, anything over 150 lb. should be an action level, that some kind of intervention of congestive heart failure needed to be considered. I also asked for weekly weighings and she agreed to order that.
Meanwhile, the nursing home sent me an invitation to a party for November birthdays and my brother actually invited me to come. It was at a very inconvenient time, 2 pm, right smack in the middle of the day, and wasn't good because I have out of town guests staying with me. If they had given me sufficient notice, I would have asked them to come in a different weekend. But everything is always done at a nursing home at the convenience of the staff.
I was lucky. My brother and one of my very good friends came with me. As my husband put it, the party was surreal. There were about 10-12 big tables with mainly people in wheelchairs sitting at them. There were also a couple of rows of chairs which my group took. As we sat there for about an hour, the place filled in with people in the kind of wheel chairs that are more like beds.
They had an entertainer, a nice guy who sang 1940s songs and military numbers (because it was also Veterans Day.) It was kind of interesting and uplifting to watch people there kind of sing along (no one really knew the words) and move their feet to the music. My brother seemed to enjoy it, as did I, just as an unusual, interesting experience. They read off everyone's name who had a birthday in November (all women, by the way) and skipped my brother so I yelled out something about forgetting him, and then he interrupted and told the audience that he didn't want to be recognized for this birthday. This is very typical. But it was OK.
Meanwhile, the nursing home sent me an invitation to a party for November birthdays and my brother actually invited me to come. It was at a very inconvenient time, 2 pm, right smack in the middle of the day, and wasn't good because I have out of town guests staying with me. If they had given me sufficient notice, I would have asked them to come in a different weekend. But everything is always done at a nursing home at the convenience of the staff.
I was lucky. My brother and one of my very good friends came with me. As my husband put it, the party was surreal. There were about 10-12 big tables with mainly people in wheelchairs sitting at them. There were also a couple of rows of chairs which my group took. As we sat there for about an hour, the place filled in with people in the kind of wheel chairs that are more like beds.
They had an entertainer, a nice guy who sang 1940s songs and military numbers (because it was also Veterans Day.) It was kind of interesting and uplifting to watch people there kind of sing along (no one really knew the words) and move their feet to the music. My brother seemed to enjoy it, as did I, just as an unusual, interesting experience. They read off everyone's name who had a birthday in November (all women, by the way) and skipped my brother so I yelled out something about forgetting him, and then he interrupted and told the audience that he didn't want to be recognized for this birthday. This is very typical. But it was OK.
Friday, November 2, 2012
The birthday was a big success
My brother's birthday was a big success. Even though my husband blew it and didn't get home in time (I was a little upset about it), we had a really nice time. I picked my brother up after work and we went to a California Pizza Kitchen for dinner. He ordered salmon with some kind of spicy fricatash. He really liked it. Then I ordered a chocolate pie/cake type thing with whipped cream and a candle that we shared. The manager gave it to us for free, which made it even better!
For once, he seemed appreciative of the gifts I got him. I gave him a new shirt, brought in several old shirts that had been sitting in my house (the ones in the nursing home were getting a little raggedy) and also told him about some pants I had ordered him. He was most pleased when I told him I had arranged to have the Chicago Sun-Times delivered to him daily.
Today, I took the day off from work and I took advantage of the fact that I could visit during the weekday and make some arrangements for him at the nursing home concerning the dentist, his cataract surgery, setting up an expense account for him, and most importantly, getting a power of attorney signed so that I can finally cash in the one remaining retirement annuity or something like that that he has. The issue had always been that it was too hard to get the power of attorney notarized, and this nursing home has a notary public available, but of course, only during the times that I work.
I also got him signed up for two expeditions, one to go to Walgreens, and another to see a play.
A very successful day. He was very pleasant, and I actually enjoyed seeing him.
For once, he seemed appreciative of the gifts I got him. I gave him a new shirt, brought in several old shirts that had been sitting in my house (the ones in the nursing home were getting a little raggedy) and also told him about some pants I had ordered him. He was most pleased when I told him I had arranged to have the Chicago Sun-Times delivered to him daily.
Today, I took the day off from work and I took advantage of the fact that I could visit during the weekday and make some arrangements for him at the nursing home concerning the dentist, his cataract surgery, setting up an expense account for him, and most importantly, getting a power of attorney signed so that I can finally cash in the one remaining retirement annuity or something like that that he has. The issue had always been that it was too hard to get the power of attorney notarized, and this nursing home has a notary public available, but of course, only during the times that I work.
I also got him signed up for two expeditions, one to go to Walgreens, and another to see a play.
A very successful day. He was very pleasant, and I actually enjoyed seeing him.
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