Update on Grace, Monday, Aug 23

Monday. Latest update 10:20 PM.

12:30 PM - I went to see Grace about 10:00 AM this morning, and she was sleeping.

I spoke with the nurse, who confirmed she had recently gotten her pain medication. I said, "That pain medication really does disorient her, doesn't it?" and the nurse nodded. "When she's had her Percoset, she can't put a whole sentence together."

So at least now we know from one of the attending professionals that the disorientation Grace has been experiencing has been mostly if not entirely the fault of her pain medication.

I checked a few things around her room, just to verify all was in order, and to see if she would stir awake. But no sign of her waking, so rather than disturb her, I left.

Later on, at home, I checked the mail, and Grace hit the jackpot. SEVEN cards and two fat large envelopes! She'll really enjoy receiving all those, and her birthday IS tomorrow. So maybe some of those cards are birthday cards.

I'll take them all to her when I visit later today.

However, since she was sleeping the whole time I was there, I don't have more than this to report.

Hopefully, there will be more later today.

Take care, all.

***************************

1:00 PM - Bill got back home a bit ago. He went to visit Grace before I did this morning, then again right after lunch.

Of his morning visit, he reports that Grace said she didn't sleep much last night. Then she asked him to fetch the nurse so she could (tuneless whistling here) and Bill waited outside during that period. When he came back in, she was asleep.

This afternoon, when he came back, she was asleep again.

So, not much to report from three visits now, other than we can understand why she's asleep today - not much sleep last night.

This is not really worrisome now, because Grace (just like all of us) went through phases even here at home where there were a few sleepless nights followed by very nap-prone days.

More posting after the next visit.

****************************

4:50 PM - I got to go visit Grace today about 3:20.

The first thing you need to know is SHE'S BEEN MOVED. She's now in ROOM 143 instead of where she used to be.

I asked the nurse about it, and she said the other wing, the one where she came from, was for more acute care. So she's obviously getting better because they moved her here. I asked later on if this was the room Grace would have for the rest of her stay here, and the nurse said yes.

When I got to Grace's room, she was finally awake! But she wasn't very happy.

She told me "I didn't get any sleep at all today." I told her that in three earlier visits so far today, she'd been asleep for all of them, so I was glad that if she didn't sleep much last night, at least she was catching up on some of it today. She shook her head and said, "It was horrible."

I showed her the stack of mail I'd brought, and said, "It looks like you hit the jackpot in the mail today! You've got, let's see, EIGHT cards and two packages!"

She semi-smiled, then said, "Would you please take that thing off my leg?" gesturing to her leg brace.

I said, "I don't think I'm allowed to do that."

She said, "Oh, yes you are!"

I said, "Let me go get the nurse and see if she can do something for you." I went to the nurses' station and couldn't find anyone, so I came back into the room and said, "Let's read some of these cards until the nurse comes back to her station."

There was no reaction, so I just pressed on. I opened each of the cards and showed them to her and read them to her, but I could see her attention was wandering. She kept bringing her right hand up to her head and putting it back under the covers. She would look at a picture on a card, then she'd cover her eyes with her hand.

When I had finished the cards and was opening the first of the large envelopes, I saw Grace push the nurse call button. I said, "The pain is really bothering you, isn't it." She agreed it was.

I asked, "Is it your knee? Or your leg? Or your foot?"

Grace took a few moments, then said, "It's my knee."

I said, "Everyone we've talked to says that a knee injury is just the worst to recover from. Grace, I'm so sorry, I wish there were something I could do for you. I can't take off that brace, because I think if I did that, it would make the pain even worse. That's the knee they operated on, the knee you fell on, going through that door."

She made a gesture of frustration with her hand.

I told her, "Grace. It was an accident. It was NOT your fault. Their door probably wasn't designed right."

She said, "You got that right. It wasn't."

I said, "It's not like that facility caters to people who are 100% mobile."

She said, "No. Everyone going there has something wrong with them."

I said, "Maybe we can get you a pain pill. I'll go see if the nurse is back now."

When I got to the nurse's station, there was a nurse on the phone, and a nurse's assistant who talked to me. I told her that Grace was in pain, and could they please check to see if it was time she could have another pain pill. The assistant said she'd talk with the nurse soon as she was off the phone.

I went back into Grace's room and opened one of the large envelopes. It contained seven more Get Well cards from a Sunday School class! How delightful. I'm sure Grace will enjoy them much more when she's not quite so distracted by the pain.

I opened the other large envelope, and found it contained birthday party supplies from Grace's friend Pat. We can definitely use those in the celebration tomorrow.

The nurse still hadn't arrived, so I went back to the nurse's station and found the nurse doing paperwork. I thought I could hear the call button still dinging, but it might have been something else. I asked her if it was time that Grace could have more pain medicine, and she checked right away and said yes she could, and went to get it. She was very pleasant, and quite responsive once I asked her in person, but I was a bit concerned about the delay answering Grace's call button.

Then I told Grace that we were going to not only bring her a cake tomorrow - yellow cake with CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM ICING!! (She got a big smile at this) - but we were also going to try to have a batch of people there - Jan and me and Bill and Chad and Sarah and Katie, and we'd all eat cake with her. She was very happy to hear that.

Somewhere in there, the nurse brought the pain pill and gave it to Grace.

Then I told her, don't worry, soon as we can polish off all the birthday cake, we'll smuggle you in some Coca-Cola cake, so you won't be deprived of that, either. She smiled some more at that.

I said then that I'd have to be going soon, because I have band rehearsal on Monday nights, and I had to go do things to get ready, but Jan would come visit while I was at band. Was there anything Jan could bring you?

She thought a moment, then said, "Ice cream!"

I laughed with her about that, then asked what kind, but she didn't have a preference.

I left, again assuring her Jan would be there tonight, and I'd be back tomorrow.

As I left, I texted Jan and Bill Grace's new room number. Bill answered back, asking if she was awake, and I answered YES! They just gave her a pain pill, but I know she'd love to see you. And he answered he would come see her now.

So Bill is visiting with her now, and Jan will see her again tonight, and if they have anything to tell me about their visits, I'll post them here before I go to bed tonight.

This is quite an ordeal for Grace. Your prayers and your caring and your cards and letters and concerns are keeping her going through this phase of her recovery. Thank you all for sending them.

Bless you all.

*********************************

10:20 PM - While I was at band rehearsal, Jan and Bill went to visit Grace.

Jan stopped by the store and got some things to take her - some red flowers for her birthday tomorrow, and the requested ICE CREAM!! Jan also brought some chocolate syrup from home to go with the vanilla ice cream.

For the last few years, we've called vanilla ice cream "Bert Miller ice cream." Here's the story behind that, in a nutshell.

Years ago, in Maine, we were in a restaurant where we were offered "ver-niller" ice cream for desert. We thought that was amusing, and referred to that pronounciation more than once in the years since. Fast forward to 2004 or so. Grace is living with us, and we also had a dog named Bert, a 3/4-size black lab. Bert adopted Grace when she came to live with us, and they became best of friends. (Sadly, we lost Bert earlier this year.) But one time we were going to have ice cream for dessert and Grace asked what kind, and we said "ver-niller" in imitation of the lady in the restaurant in Maine. But Grace thought we had said "Bert Miller ice cream." So ever since then, vanilla ice cream has been referred to in our house frequently as Bert Miller ice cream.

In any case Grace really likes the flowers, and she was totally delighted with the ice cream and chocolate syrup, finishing it down to the last molecule.

She was in much better spirits for the visit tonight, smiling and alert and happy. She seemed quite alert for the entire time.

The CNA who was on duty with Grace tonight was with her for the first time since five days ago, and she said, "Wow, your mom has improved SO MUCH!" And she's right. Grace has made amazing improvements in the last five days.

They chatted about many different things. Jan told her what went on at work, and that I'd gone to band.

When Grace finished her ice cream, she looked over the edge of the bed, at the floor. Jan asked, "What are you looking for?" and Grace responded, "A black dog." They wondered if she was remembering Bert. They talked about dreams and how they could be crazy sometimes, and about hallucinations, and how sometimes they are brought on by medications. They talked about the bird feeders outside Grace's window at home, and about the woodpeckers that come to visit there frequently.

One of the nurses came in, and Jan told her we'd be bringing cake and ice cream tomorrow for Grace's birthday, and the nurse said "Count me in!"

Jan brushed her hair again, which she loved.

Jan and Bill stayed for more than an hour, and it was the best visit all day. When the phone rang, with a call from Grace's friend Pat, then Jan and Bill left, so she could talk.

We are so very pleased that she finally got over the ordeal of alternating pain and sleepiness today, and had a good visit with her children tonight.

We are praying for ever more time for Grace like tonight. Especially tomorrow evening about 7, when we'll have a small crowd there for cake and ice cream!

Wish you could join us!

Oh, by the way, Bill got the phone in Grace's new room hooked up today. However, the phone is very seldom within Grace's reach. We can put it on the rolling table, but every time someone (an attendant of some sort, therapist, nurse, etc.) comes into the room, they push the table away from her, and when they leave, they never put it back in her reach. Yesterday, the person who brought her dinner put it on the tray and left it sitting four feet away from her.

Go figure.

Anyway, until we can be sure the phone will be consistently within her reach, I'm going to hold off sharing the phone number. I can't imagine anything more frustrating for Grace than to have her phone ring and ring and not be able to reach it.

We're continuing to pray for her. Your continuing prayers are also much appreciated and needed.

G'nite, everyone. More tomorrow.

*****************************