Joyce, thanks for the invite. I'll let you get settled in and into some kind of routine and then PM you. I can still take mom places, but I'd rather just go by myself, she does still absorb some of the things I say (the wrong things, of course!!).

Crying is good. The meldown I had included a long period of just what I call "weeping" - where my shoulders were just going up and down because I was crying so hard. I haven't done that in years.

Wel, I'm back home and connected once more to wireless. Boy am I going to enjoy this. No more waiting for a dial up connection and tieing up the phone line.

We got home a little after noon yesterday. I called my daughter when we got on the expressway and told her I was on my way. She said they had finished voteing and had one thing they had to do then would head down here to help me get Bill out of the car and to carry things into the house. Guess what? I got here two and a half hours later and they were NOT here. Luckily my girl friend of 42 years was here and she helped me with Bill. The kids got here about a half hour later. I did have them empty the trunk and stay with Bill while I ran to the store for milk and a few other things.

Hospice brought the wheelchair and bed around three. I ask about the railings for the bed and the delivery guy told me they didn't have railings for the low-boy bed. I had to disagree with him since I had them here before I went North and I had them when I was up north. They will bring them today. the nurse called about 8:30and said she would be coming out to check on Bill. I ask her to come the next day because he was already in bed asleep and I was heading that way myself.
The middle daughter and three grandkids came over when she got off work and visited for awhile. There was one time that I had my daughter sitting on one side of me, oldest granddaughter (14) on the other side and middle granddaughter (10) on my lap. The youngest one was off looking for cookies.

Daughter and friend helped me get Bill ready for bed. I had to lowere his bed as low as possible and move his dresser nest to the bed so he wouldn't roll out, hopefully. He is still sleeping, but it's only 6am, I hope he sleeps a few more hours.

He did good while in respite. They had to give him 1 mg of ativan each morning because he was fighting them. When he would wake up after taking it, they said he was very happy, smiling and scooting around in his chair the rest of the day. I don't think he knew who I was at first, but when they took him to the car, I walked around from the driver's side and he looked up and said "OOOOOH" and smiled at me and reached out to me. It felt nice to see the recognition. He slept all the way home and was very unalert the rest of the day. I'm hoping he is more alert when he wakes up.

Now comes the job of putting things away and getting organized down here again. I go to get something and can't remember where I keep it here. Readjusting to new surroundings is rough when you get as old as me.

Karenlee and Howdy2u, give me a week to get resettled and let's make plans.

Welcome back home, Joyce & Bill!

Welcome home Joyce and Bill, glad you are safe and sound.

~Kelly~

Welcome back, Joyce! I'm glad to hear that Bill did well in respite and that instant of recognition when he saw your face.

Welcome back, Joyce. Looking forward to your regular contributions again.

I'm so glad Bill and you are home. REST (if you can, we know how that is).

It's almost 6 am and Bill woke up fighting. I got him to his wheelchair but there was no way he was going to let me change him. I got an ativan in him thanks to the applesauce; that should calm him down. The aide will be here at 8; I think I will let her deal with changing him. He will probably go to sleep in his chair, at least I hope he does, until she gets here.
Guess my day has started.

Oh Joyce, ((((Gargantuan Hugs)))) being cyber-sent to
you this day.
Carol

Joyce,

So glad that your home safe and sound. Not happy though that your day is starting out bad. But we always have to expect the unexpected I guess.

Yes, let the aid deal with changing him. Hopefully he will calm down a bit after he is changed and cleaned. Have a nice cup of coffee while she's doing that, and go hide for awhile!

talk soon,
Jackie

I'm sorry Joyce ;-( Do you think it is be because of the change in scenery? Even though it is your home, he may not remember? He probably will calm down. I'm glad you got to take your summer sojourn!

Love; N.Mc.

He has been good up until this morning. When the aide got here she had to wake him from the ativan. She put him back into the bed and gave him a good sponge bath. I sat in the room with her and watched how she did everything. I did help when she had to roll him to change the diaper.

Hospice called and ask how often I would need an aide and I told them every morning (5 days). She was able to give me four days for now and said she would work on the fifth day. He is usually pretty good in the mornings, but with the decline it's getting harder and harder for him to stand long enough for me to change him.
The aide told me to ask if they would supply a transfer board, bag balm, miralax and the wheelchair. I'll do that when the nurse comes on Mon.

He's been pretty good since the aide left. Only three more hours and it will be his bedtime. I'm counting the minutes. I guess I should feed him first, though.

Joyce,

I hope the "difficulty" you are experiencing with Bill will smooth out once he becomes accustomed to being back home. I know my mom was always discombobulated by any change in scenery or surroundings.

A thought: When mom became too weak to stand I would dress her while she was still in bed. Most of the time she was able to lift her hips so I could pull everything up, and when she couldn't, I would roll her from side to side to complete the job. Once I had her sitting on the side of her bed, I would finish dressing the top half of her body, then transfer her to her wheelchair to finish her hair and brush her teeth. It helped a lot to have side rails that she could grab onto when she rolled. I'm sure your aide can teach you how this is done.\

I am looking forward to finally meeting you face to face.