Getting ready for Tuesday

We've had a busy week. Last Tuesday brought the every-other-week visit to the wound clinic. Mom's wound is looking  better, but as it was explained before, because of the severity of the radiation damage it will never completely heal. Call it medical semantics or what have you, we were told a stage IV wound remains a stage IV wound; it may resolve somewhat, but it will not become a stage III.

With that knowledge and weighing the options for bringing Mom home, the social worker at Heartland suggested we consider hospice. Mom and Dave met with hospice representatives, and Mom has decided that at this point, having hospice would be the best course of action to take. Hospice will help with coordinating the medical piece of in-home care and pain management. This also defines what path we will be taking with future medical decisions. Right now we are planning on having a caregiver with her 24/7, at least until we get a handle on how things are progressing and what she's capable and comfortable with.

In anticipation of Mom's return on Tuesday, there was a flurry of activity at Meadowlark this past weekend. Cable TV (yes, she did not have cable) and wireless internet were installed, the many layers of wax were stripped from the kitchen floor so the carpet adhesive would stick, a new twin bed for the little bedroom (aka Val's room) arrived, the carpeting was laid, a new stove was delivered, Mom's room thoroughly cleaned (which didn't take much, as everyone knows Mom is the queen of clean), the refrigerator stocked with basics, and a bunch of other things.

The rationale for the cable was so Mom and her caregivers would have some more viewing options, and the internet for us and the caregivers. Mom's kitchen floor was in bad shape and we decided carpeting would be a good option, providing a smooth surface for a walker or wheel chair and also lend some warmth. Her 30+ year old range was ailing and unreliable, so we replaced it. Same was true for the twin bed in the little bedroom, and since that's where her caregivers will sleep, we felt it best they be able to get a good night's sleep while they're there. Mom's bed got moved upstairs (the "boys' room") and a hospital bed will arrive for her on Monday.

Dave interviewed some home care agencies recommended by the geriactric case manager and has another to interview Monday. Mom is a favorite of many of the Heartland CNAs, and several offered their services for home care on a cash basis. While we're appreciative of their offers, we felt it best to go through an agency to insure there is backup and also to have bonded and screened people. We are also considering one agency we hired last spring before she broke her hip.

If all continues to fall in place, Mom should be sleeping under her own roof Tuesday night and be able to enjoy her magnolia tree, which is ready to blossom any day now.