Meg and I went to visit Grams on Monday night (August 8). We show up between 4:30PM and 5:00PM on our nights with her. When she first moved in to her new place she wanted to leave every chance she got. She would be waiting for us and we would usually go out to eat at McDonald's or even walk around the mall and get some See's candies before we left. There was even one occasion when there was a HORRIBLE blizzard and she still insisted that we go out. That has changed over the last couple of months. In a way I am glad that she feels like she is at home and she doesn't want to leave, but in some ways I wish she still felt like going out for a bit and breaking up the monotony.
This night was no different than the last few we've had with her. By the time we got there at 4:45PM she was already in the dining room eating dinner. Meg and I sat with her and chatted with her while she ate. After she finished we asked if she needed to go to the store or if she wanted to go walk around the mall. She declined our offer and said she just wanted to go back to her room.
I went to visit Grams on Monday night (the 7th). Chels didn't accompany me because of the bad snow storm, we decided it was best that she head home before the weather or traffic got too bad. Anyway, I left work a little early in hopes that I would catch her before she went to the cafeteria. I got to her place at about 4:50 and the nice guy at the front desk said she hadn't gone into the cafeteria yet. I headed down the hall to her apartment and knocked.
We asked her what kind of a dress she wanted and she said she didn't want a skirt and a top, she wanted a one-piece dress. We went to Dillard's and headed up the escalators. Grams was in a fabulous mood and we were all laughing so hard that we had to stop on several occasions so Grams could catch her breath.
I've never been shopping with Grams, so I didn't know exactly what to point out to her. I soon discovered that when she didn't like what I was holding up she wouldn't say anything, she would just look the dress up and down and then look me straight in the eyes with this look on her face that seemed to say "You honestly think I would wear that?"
After a few minutes she found a two-piece dress suit that she liked (even though she said she didn't want a dress that was separates....funny Grams...) and she decided she would try it on. While she was in the dressing room Meg and I each grabbed a dress that we wanted her to try on and pretty much forced her to try them on. Meg had to help her figure out how to put on one of the dresses and I could hear them in the dressing room laughing their heads off as Meg tried to get the dress untwisted and over Grams' head. They finally figured it out and Grams came out to model for me...she was shocked that she liked the dress as much as she did....here she is:
She then tried on the other dress we picked out for her. Here she is modeling again (she was pretty bashful because Meg and I kept saying how pretty she looked):
I figured I would post a little note about our outing with Grams last Thursday, October 7. It was my Dad's birthday, and as such he wanted us all to go out to dinner with him. I asked him if he would like Grams to come along and he said "YES!" of couse. So Cambria went and picked her up and brought her to dinner.
Sadlly, I think Grams only had one bite and called it quits. She did, however, have her regular root beer. Only she didn't finish off the meal with a chocolate shake. That is, as long as she didn't convince Ryan to stop by and pick one up for her as he so kindly drove her home. I haven't asked. :)
As we passed the lobby one of her friends was playing the piano so we decided to sit and listen for a bit. The woman playing the piano is one of the residents that lives across the hall from Grams. Her name is Clarissa and her husband had passed away one week before our visit. Clarissa finished playing and came to sit by us. She told us that her next project was Hilda since her husband passed away. She said, "I want to get Hilda back to her happy self again" and Meg and I said that was our goal too. When Grams heard the 3 of us suggest that she wasn't her happy and talkative self anymore she insisted to all of us that we were completely wrong. I told Grams that I know she is happy in some ways, but I want to help her get back to her happy and inviting self. She said she isn't sad at all and that she has no problems. I was glad she feels like she is still her old self and that I got to see her be passionate for at least a few minutes.
We had a nice chat for 30 minutes and then Grams told Meg and I she wanted to go back to her room and that she would like us to leave after that. So we walked her back to her room, got her settled, and left for the night.
I know this post isn't the happiest thing in the world, I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that she really likes to stay at her condo and even though she complains more than she used to she really feels like she is happy...so that's good news.
Also, she is very excited for her birthday and brought it up several times. She wants a party and wants everyone to come that can. She also said she would like us to sing for all of the residents again, maybe even on her birthday as a present to her, so if anyone is game for that maybe we can get something together.
Thanks everyone! Grams loves talking about EVERYONE (especially Kristen :) when we are with her. She gets a lot of joy from her family and I am grateful for that!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
A Very Big Adventrue
I had to share this amusing story with everyone, even though it happened to Jeff. So, I heard it from him and am filling in as his ghost blogger.
Jeff and Amy visited Grandma on Monday. When they got there she was in the dining room but hadn't eaten yet. They asked her if she wanted to stay and eat there or if she wanted to go somewhere with them. She said that she wanted to go to McDonald's and they all headed outside to the parking lot.
As they started down the sidewalk, Jeff noticed one of the residents was parking their car on the south side of the parking lot (by that driveway that slopes down towards the covered parking.) The car caught his eye because it was coming in very fast. Suddenly, the car accelerated forward over the curb, over the guard rail, and fell four feet down the sloped driveway. The guard rail broke off and crashed into an SUV that was parked along the driveway.
Jeff sent Amy and Grams back into Conventry and told them to go ahead back into the dining room and he ran to assist the lady in the car. Her airbags had deployed and she was in shock. He asked if she was all right and had the front desk call an ambulence. The lady did not appear hurt and as she realized that she had crashed the first thing she said to Jeff was, "I've been to the grocery store and have some frozen food in my trunk. Will you make sure someone takes it in and gets it in the freezer?" I'm sorry, I laughed at that; she was concerned about her ice cream and frozen peas :)
Anyway, Jeff was the only witness and stayed behind to give his statement and make sure everything was OK. He also said that many of the residents came out to watch the spectacle and give their opinions. They probably don't get that much excitement around there too often!
On an unrelated note, I don't know if you have noticed that Grams is a little un-talkative these days. I know that Dr. Nelson is trying some new medication to try and help. But I had a request; if anyone stumbles onto a topic or activity that she seems more interested in, please let the rest of us know. I know that every once in a while we can get her out of her shell with certain triggers and if you happen to find something she likes or responds to, I would sure love to know what it is. Also, Gram is getting a little forgetful about meals so if you visit, maybe check with her (or the front desk) to make sure she has eaten. I think we may be signing her up for meal reminders soon, but in the meantime we can all help her out.
Well, that was all, I found it amusing and thought I would share. If you have amusing experiences as well, please drop us a quick blog (nothing long or elaborate) so that we can hear how our old gal is doing.
Jeff and Amy visited Grandma on Monday. When they got there she was in the dining room but hadn't eaten yet. They asked her if she wanted to stay and eat there or if she wanted to go somewhere with them. She said that she wanted to go to McDonald's and they all headed outside to the parking lot.
As they started down the sidewalk, Jeff noticed one of the residents was parking their car on the south side of the parking lot (by that driveway that slopes down towards the covered parking.) The car caught his eye because it was coming in very fast. Suddenly, the car accelerated forward over the curb, over the guard rail, and fell four feet down the sloped driveway. The guard rail broke off and crashed into an SUV that was parked along the driveway.
Jeff sent Amy and Grams back into Conventry and told them to go ahead back into the dining room and he ran to assist the lady in the car. Her airbags had deployed and she was in shock. He asked if she was all right and had the front desk call an ambulence. The lady did not appear hurt and as she realized that she had crashed the first thing she said to Jeff was, "I've been to the grocery store and have some frozen food in my trunk. Will you make sure someone takes it in and gets it in the freezer?" I'm sorry, I laughed at that; she was concerned about her ice cream and frozen peas :)
Anyway, Jeff was the only witness and stayed behind to give his statement and make sure everything was OK. He also said that many of the residents came out to watch the spectacle and give their opinions. They probably don't get that much excitement around there too often!
On an unrelated note, I don't know if you have noticed that Grams is a little un-talkative these days. I know that Dr. Nelson is trying some new medication to try and help. But I had a request; if anyone stumbles onto a topic or activity that she seems more interested in, please let the rest of us know. I know that every once in a while we can get her out of her shell with certain triggers and if you happen to find something she likes or responds to, I would sure love to know what it is. Also, Gram is getting a little forgetful about meals so if you visit, maybe check with her (or the front desk) to make sure she has eaten. I think we may be signing her up for meal reminders soon, but in the meantime we can all help her out.
Well, that was all, I found it amusing and thought I would share. If you have amusing experiences as well, please drop us a quick blog (nothing long or elaborate) so that we can hear how our old gal is doing.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
A Quiet Night
I thought I'd give a quick update on my time Grams last night. Chels and I got to her room right around 4:45. She said she didn't feel like anything but a shake, and that she needed to go to the store to get Unisom. Since the Unisom part is a request Chels and I get every time we go see her, Chels stepped out into the hall and called our mom to see if this was truly the case. My mom said that she receives a sleeping pill each night from a nurse at 8:30pm, so she shouldn't need to go get any additional pills.
We explained that to Grams, and she said she still needed to take Unisom as well. We found one pill left in a box in a cabinet near her sink, and told her she could take it an hour after she got her pill at 8:30 if she really needed it. We also told her that she would be going to see Dr. Nelson on Wednesday with our mom, and she could talk to him about the sleeping problems she is having at that time. She seemed to be content with these answers, so we then had to address the shake issue.
She said she didn't want to go to the cafeteria, and she really only wanted a shake. Chels told her that she would go get her a shake, but only if she would eat half of a cheeseburger first. She agreed, and Chels ran to pick up dinner for us while I stayed and watched the news with her.
I could tell when we first got there that she wasn't feeling well, she just seemed a little tired and out of it, in a different way than I've seen her as of late. She said she had a stomach ache earlier in the day, but that she really was feeling fine. It was sad to see her in such an aloof state. She is usually so chatty, and I had to work pretty hard to get her to say more than a word or two. In the end, I settled on the fact that we were just going to sit in silence and watch tv.
Chels got back with our food, and grams ate over 3/4 of her cheeseburger. We didn't even have to press her to do so. She said she didn't even feel like her shake yet, so we put it in the freezer and just sat and watched tv with her for about another hour. We reminded her of her shake in the freezer before we left, and she asked us to set the Unisom pill somewhere where she wouldn't forget. We put it next to the remote on the coffee table, and she was happy.
So, this isn't the happiest post in the world, but at least she was happy. She had a little smile on her face the whole time, even though she was very quiet. Hope you all are able to see a spunkier Grams this month. Please write on here and let me know if you do. I would love to see how she is on the other days of the month when I don't see her.
Love you all!
We explained that to Grams, and she said she still needed to take Unisom as well. We found one pill left in a box in a cabinet near her sink, and told her she could take it an hour after she got her pill at 8:30 if she really needed it. We also told her that she would be going to see Dr. Nelson on Wednesday with our mom, and she could talk to him about the sleeping problems she is having at that time. She seemed to be content with these answers, so we then had to address the shake issue.
She said she didn't want to go to the cafeteria, and she really only wanted a shake. Chels told her that she would go get her a shake, but only if she would eat half of a cheeseburger first. She agreed, and Chels ran to pick up dinner for us while I stayed and watched the news with her.
I could tell when we first got there that she wasn't feeling well, she just seemed a little tired and out of it, in a different way than I've seen her as of late. She said she had a stomach ache earlier in the day, but that she really was feeling fine. It was sad to see her in such an aloof state. She is usually so chatty, and I had to work pretty hard to get her to say more than a word or two. In the end, I settled on the fact that we were just going to sit in silence and watch tv.
Chels got back with our food, and grams ate over 3/4 of her cheeseburger. We didn't even have to press her to do so. She said she didn't even feel like her shake yet, so we put it in the freezer and just sat and watched tv with her for about another hour. We reminded her of her shake in the freezer before we left, and she asked us to set the Unisom pill somewhere where she wouldn't forget. We put it next to the remote on the coffee table, and she was happy.
So, this isn't the happiest post in the world, but at least she was happy. She had a little smile on her face the whole time, even though she was very quiet. Hope you all are able to see a spunkier Grams this month. Please write on here and let me know if you do. I would love to see how she is on the other days of the month when I don't see her.
Love you all!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
A Snowy Adventure....
Last night was Chels and my monthly date with Grams. It started to snow while we were both driving over to her place, and by the time we got in the building it was a full blown blizzard. We walked into the cafeteria since it was about 5:10 at this point, but she wasn't there. We walked towards her room where she was waiting at the end of the hall. As we got closer she started smiling from ear to ear and put her hands on her hips and yelled "WELL..." We got to her and she put her arms around both of us and send, we are GOING to dinner, I need to get out.
We showed her the blizzard that was occurring behind her, but she still wanted to go. So we said we would go to the Mexican restaurant across the street, she didn't respond which means "No" in Grams language. Chels said "What about a cheeseburger?" And she quickly responded "YES!" We decided that McDonald's, although disgusting, was the closest cheeseburger we could get and probably the best option due to the storm.
As we walked out she said "Why didn't you tell me it was snowing?" Which I laughed at and told her I showed her and told her about on 3 separate occasions. We got to McDonald's safely, and sat down to our food. She ate almost all of her cheeseburger, and had about half of an 8 oz chocolate shake. She was in a fabulous mood the entire time we were with her. She never brought up the fact that Grandpa Harold wasn't there, she was just happy and content. She was definitely herself last night.
She had us run to the Ream's to get more hemorrhoid ointment, which it seems like I go and get with her every time I visit. She also got a notepad because she SWORE she was out. I am sure she has a cabinet full of ointment and notepads, but I figured that it wasn't sleeping pills, so it wasn't the worst thing she could have a stock of.
The night ended with me escorting her back to her room from the car. She was content and happy as I left her. It was good to see her in such a chipper mood.
I have one last little side note, I must say I am a little sad to see that I was the last person to post. I truly enjoy hearing from all of you. Not only to hear about Grams' status, but also to read something you wrote. I don't get to see any of you very often, and I love to keep in touch at least this way. So here's to hoping I get to read a few posts before my April visit with Grams.
Love you all!
We showed her the blizzard that was occurring behind her, but she still wanted to go. So we said we would go to the Mexican restaurant across the street, she didn't respond which means "No" in Grams language. Chels said "What about a cheeseburger?" And she quickly responded "YES!" We decided that McDonald's, although disgusting, was the closest cheeseburger we could get and probably the best option due to the storm.
As we walked out she said "Why didn't you tell me it was snowing?" Which I laughed at and told her I showed her and told her about on 3 separate occasions. We got to McDonald's safely, and sat down to our food. She ate almost all of her cheeseburger, and had about half of an 8 oz chocolate shake. She was in a fabulous mood the entire time we were with her. She never brought up the fact that Grandpa Harold wasn't there, she was just happy and content. She was definitely herself last night.
She had us run to the Ream's to get more hemorrhoid ointment, which it seems like I go and get with her every time I visit. She also got a notepad because she SWORE she was out. I am sure she has a cabinet full of ointment and notepads, but I figured that it wasn't sleeping pills, so it wasn't the worst thing she could have a stock of.
The night ended with me escorting her back to her room from the car. She was content and happy as I left her. It was good to see her in such a chipper mood.
I have one last little side note, I must say I am a little sad to see that I was the last person to post. I truly enjoy hearing from all of you. Not only to hear about Grams' status, but also to read something you wrote. I don't get to see any of you very often, and I love to keep in touch at least this way. So here's to hoping I get to read a few posts before my April visit with Grams.
Love you all!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Grumpy Goose...
I went to visit Grams on Monday night (the 7th). Chels didn't accompany me because of the bad snow storm, we decided it was best that she head home before the weather or traffic got too bad. Anyway, I left work a little early in hopes that I would catch her before she went to the cafeteria. I got to her place at about 4:50 and the nice guy at the front desk said she hadn't gone into the cafeteria yet. I headed down the hall to her apartment and knocked.She opened the door with a big grin and said "Well hello!" I stepped in and gave her a hug and told her I was excited to be there. She then stepped back, and with a frown on her face said "Harold isn't here and he hasn't called me all day." I said that it was snowing really bad and that the storm had just hit, so he probably wasn't going to come tonight.
She told me she was hungry and wanted to go to dinner. We stayed in this time because of the storm. I wasn't hungry, so I sat with her while she ate her chicken, asparagus, and rice. Of course a root beer and chocolate ice cream were part of the meal as well. She ate quite a bit of her food, and she smelled like she had taken a bath that day, so all was good on that front.
All she did during dinner was complain about Harold. I finally stopped her and said that if he is there she complains to me that she wants him to leave, if he isn't there then she complains that he never comes, so what did she really want? That took her back, and she said she just wanted to know when he was coming and going. I suggested that she setup a schedule with him (as I do every time) and she said "You go back to the room and call him," while handing me her keys. I laughed and told her "No." We went back and forth on that for a while. I won in the end, and we both went back to her room to call him. I dialed the phone for her and then handed it over.
Harold didn't seem too happy on the phone, and Grams wasn't too happy to be talking to him either, but at least she found out that he wasn't planning to come spend the night. She hung up and kept complaining so I finally said "What can I do to help you feel better?" She replied "Nothing." I said that if that was the case then I would leave her be for the night. She said that sounded fine to her so I left.
All in all I was with her for about an hour. Sadly it seems that she is 50/50 these days. I will have one month where she is good old Grams just joking and playing around. Then it seems the next month I am met by a grumpy goose. Hopefully we can figure out a solution to Harold's schedule that will help her calm down. Any suggestions?....
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A Night filled with Drama...
Ashley and I visited Grandma last night. She was waiting out in the lobby for us with her coat when I got there. Ashley was on her way so I told Gram that I wanted to see the new dress she got with Megan and Chelsea. We walked back to her apartment and she took me to her closet.
First let me preface my story of the night's events by saying that I don't mean any disrespect to Grandma. I love that woman like crazy and I realize that she is struggling with things now that she might not have before. When I'm 82 I hope I'm doing as well, ya know?
Well anyway, the minute she opened her closet door I knew something was wrong. I won't go into too much detail but the sights and smells were not good. There were clothes on the floor that needed to be in her dirty clothes hamper and there were clothes that were hung back up that needed to be in there as well. So I told her that before we went to dinner I was going to throw a load of laundry in for her. She didn't like that idea and told me not to worry about it.
Ashley got there and we got Grandma's coat on and headed out the door and went to dinner. We had a fun time with her and she seemed in a good mood. She told us that she is writing her life story and she told us some of the things she was putting in there about the day she was baptized. When we were heading home Gram said that there were a few things she needed from the store and we stopped at Smiths. She was going to give me money for them but I reminded her that she hadn't brought her wallet and told her I would get them and she could pay me back.
We got back to Coventry and there was a really fun performance going on (some fiddlers and guitarists and mandalin players all playing old time country and blue grass... we walked in on their rendition of Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors".) I asked Ashley to grab Grandma a chair and sit and watch the rest of the concert with her while I went down to her apartment and got a load of laundry in the washer. As soon as the soiled clothes were out of there her apartment smelled SO much better. I noticed that she has quite a few really strong smelling air fresheners in her apartment but they really weren't needed once we got the laundry and some of the garbage out.
Once the concert was over I was worried that Gram would be mad that I had done her laundry but all of that was forgotten in the frantic hunt for her wallet. We looked all over her apartment and it wasn't there. She kept saying that she had it at dinner and Ashley and I (who didn't ever see her wallet in her hand) kept telling her no, she hadn't brought it and it must be around somewhere. We searched and searched, even in the lobby, thinking she might have left it there while she was waiting for us. We checked the dining room and everywhere else we could think of. She was really upset and we didn't know what to do. I called my mom and she said that she would call Harold and he could help her in the morning. So we went ahead and said good-bye. Ashley stopped by the laundry room to move it through to the dryer while I helped Gram get her pillbox refilled. Ashley got to her car and decided to look around just in case she really had brought her wallet with her and what do you know... there it was wedged between the seats. So she wasn't crazy after all, she really did have it! She was SO happy that we found it and I learned that 1) I need to pay better attention to what she has and what she's doing when I visit and 2) just because Gram's confused some of the time doesn't mean she's confused all of the time.
The other thing I found is that Grandma needs our help a little more in some of her cleanliness areas. I know that Aunt Kathy is mainly the one that gathers up her clothes and makes sure her clothes and apartment are clean and tidy. But in between when cleaners come, we might need to help out as well (Jen is really good at this in her visits as well and I'm sure the rest of you that visit help out where you see help is needed.) I am thinking when we visit that if we could take a quick look around to see if something is not good, we can help things stay nice. If there is a messy situation going on in one of the rooms, we need to get it taken care of as soon as possible so that it doesn't turn into Grandpa Anderson's apartment (for those of you that were there when we cleaned his place, you know what I'm talking about.) If you do see something and you can't get to it, we should just make Dave, Kathy, or Colleen aware so that help can be provided. For instance last night while looking in the couch cushions for Gram's wallet, I noticed that her couch has a lot of stains on it (chocolate mostly) and has not a great smell. So I called mom and she is having Coit clean it on Saturday. Just things like that...
All right family, our darling Grandma is doing really well and as her needs change, we will be there for her. I hope those of you that visit will stick a quick comment out here so that we will all know how best to help her. Love you!
First let me preface my story of the night's events by saying that I don't mean any disrespect to Grandma. I love that woman like crazy and I realize that she is struggling with things now that she might not have before. When I'm 82 I hope I'm doing as well, ya know?
Well anyway, the minute she opened her closet door I knew something was wrong. I won't go into too much detail but the sights and smells were not good. There were clothes on the floor that needed to be in her dirty clothes hamper and there were clothes that were hung back up that needed to be in there as well. So I told her that before we went to dinner I was going to throw a load of laundry in for her. She didn't like that idea and told me not to worry about it.
Ashley got there and we got Grandma's coat on and headed out the door and went to dinner. We had a fun time with her and she seemed in a good mood. She told us that she is writing her life story and she told us some of the things she was putting in there about the day she was baptized. When we were heading home Gram said that there were a few things she needed from the store and we stopped at Smiths. She was going to give me money for them but I reminded her that she hadn't brought her wallet and told her I would get them and she could pay me back.
We got back to Coventry and there was a really fun performance going on (some fiddlers and guitarists and mandalin players all playing old time country and blue grass... we walked in on their rendition of Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors".) I asked Ashley to grab Grandma a chair and sit and watch the rest of the concert with her while I went down to her apartment and got a load of laundry in the washer. As soon as the soiled clothes were out of there her apartment smelled SO much better. I noticed that she has quite a few really strong smelling air fresheners in her apartment but they really weren't needed once we got the laundry and some of the garbage out.
Once the concert was over I was worried that Gram would be mad that I had done her laundry but all of that was forgotten in the frantic hunt for her wallet. We looked all over her apartment and it wasn't there. She kept saying that she had it at dinner and Ashley and I (who didn't ever see her wallet in her hand) kept telling her no, she hadn't brought it and it must be around somewhere. We searched and searched, even in the lobby, thinking she might have left it there while she was waiting for us. We checked the dining room and everywhere else we could think of. She was really upset and we didn't know what to do. I called my mom and she said that she would call Harold and he could help her in the morning. So we went ahead and said good-bye. Ashley stopped by the laundry room to move it through to the dryer while I helped Gram get her pillbox refilled. Ashley got to her car and decided to look around just in case she really had brought her wallet with her and what do you know... there it was wedged between the seats. So she wasn't crazy after all, she really did have it! She was SO happy that we found it and I learned that 1) I need to pay better attention to what she has and what she's doing when I visit and 2) just because Gram's confused some of the time doesn't mean she's confused all of the time.
The other thing I found is that Grandma needs our help a little more in some of her cleanliness areas. I know that Aunt Kathy is mainly the one that gathers up her clothes and makes sure her clothes and apartment are clean and tidy. But in between when cleaners come, we might need to help out as well (Jen is really good at this in her visits as well and I'm sure the rest of you that visit help out where you see help is needed.) I am thinking when we visit that if we could take a quick look around to see if something is not good, we can help things stay nice. If there is a messy situation going on in one of the rooms, we need to get it taken care of as soon as possible so that it doesn't turn into Grandpa Anderson's apartment (for those of you that were there when we cleaned his place, you know what I'm talking about.) If you do see something and you can't get to it, we should just make Dave, Kathy, or Colleen aware so that help can be provided. For instance last night while looking in the couch cushions for Gram's wallet, I noticed that her couch has a lot of stains on it (chocolate mostly) and has not a great smell. So I called mom and she is having Coit clean it on Saturday. Just things like that...
All right family, our darling Grandma is doing really well and as her needs change, we will be there for her. I hope those of you that visit will stick a quick comment out here so that we will all know how best to help her. Love you!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Hey Good Lookin'...Whattcha Got Cookin'...
Meg and I spent tonight with Grams. When we arrived at Coventry she and Harold were eating dinner with one of their friends. Grams (much to my surprise) was not eating a grilled cheese sandwich, but instead was eating ham-fried-rice and orange chicken. She ate almost every bite and then we took her chocolate ice cream back to her room and decided that we would hit the mall to look for a new dress.
We asked her what kind of a dress she wanted and she said she didn't want a skirt and a top, she wanted a one-piece dress. We went to Dillard's and headed up the escalators. Grams was in a fabulous mood and we were all laughing so hard that we had to stop on several occasions so Grams could catch her breath.
I've never been shopping with Grams, so I didn't know exactly what to point out to her. I soon discovered that when she didn't like what I was holding up she wouldn't say anything, she would just look the dress up and down and then look me straight in the eyes with this look on her face that seemed to say "You honestly think I would wear that?"
After a few minutes she found a two-piece dress suit that she liked (even though she said she didn't want a dress that was separates....funny Grams...) and she decided she would try it on. While she was in the dressing room Meg and I each grabbed a dress that we wanted her to try on and pretty much forced her to try them on. Meg had to help her figure out how to put on one of the dresses and I could hear them in the dressing room laughing their heads off as Meg tried to get the dress untwisted and over Grams' head. They finally figured it out and Grams came out to model for me...she was shocked that she liked the dress as much as she did....here she is:
She then tried on the other dress we picked out for her. Here she is modeling again (she was pretty bashful because Meg and I kept saying how pretty she looked): She ended up buying the grey dress and was very happy that we talked her in to trying it on. I loved her in the black dress as well...so she just might be getting it from me and Meg on her next birthday.
After we purchased the dress we stopped by See's candies to get some chocolates:
(And if you are wondering, yes, Grams is missing one of her top teeth. She isn't sure when it happened and she has no idea where the tooth is. I asked her if she swallowed it and she said she very well could have...who knows? Also, I know my Mom is going to look at that picture and wonder what happened to her hair...well, we made her try on a lot of dresses and each time we took another dress on and off it got a little worse. I promise her hair was done when we picked her up :)
So all in all it was a very fun night. We had a blast hanging out with Grams and Harold was in a very good mood as well. Hopefully the good cheer continues!
(Oh, and on another side note...Grams told Meg and I several times how much she loves Sunday dinners at Dave's house. She also enjoys feeding Mr. Mud some of her food scraps under the table :)
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
The Miracle on 23rd East
I just want to thank everyone for doing this little project with Gram. I don't know if anyone else has noticed but she is almost back to her old self.
When I went to pick her up for our dinner date, she was dressed (and not in the red suit) and her hair was done. She had on new earrings and her jacket. I invited Harold to come with us but she wanted to do a girl's night.
I took her to Hires because I know that she is big into rootbeer lately and also that they had grilled cheese sandwiches. Our conversation in the car was so fun and pleasantly surprising; we didn't talk about the same things over and over like usual. She was cohereant and happy and joking around. When we got to Hires she decided that she wanted fish and chips and not grilled cheese. Then we joked and laughed and reminisced. I drove her home and was just so happy that we'd had such a great night.
I called my mom on my way home and told her what a great changed I had noticed and that I hoped it would continue. She told me about Gram's visit with Dr. Nelson the previous Thursday. The last time she'd seen Dr. Nelson he had asked her questions (What year is it? Who is the president? What's your address?) and to all of them she had answered that she didn't know. This time when Dr. Nelson asked her these questions she had a smart answer for each one (When he asked who was president she said Barrack Obama and that she was a democrat... good old Gram!)
Mom was surprised at the change too and asked Dr. Nelson if it was her new medication that was making such a positive difference. He said no, that medicine would help but it wouldn't cause such a dramatic change in such a short period of time. And then with tears in his eyes he said that he felt the change was due to having her family around her. He said how our visits and calls and time had made a change for the better in her health.
I just wanted to thank all of you (the ones that read the blog and the ones that don't) for all you are doing. I know that we are all busy with work, kids, church, and everything else but taking a day here and there to get with Gram is making her better. I know that people are doing lots for her, more than we know or hear about and I really appreciate it and I know she does too.
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and I will see you for the Magna house clean-up!
When I went to pick her up for our dinner date, she was dressed (and not in the red suit) and her hair was done. She had on new earrings and her jacket. I invited Harold to come with us but she wanted to do a girl's night.
I took her to Hires because I know that she is big into rootbeer lately and also that they had grilled cheese sandwiches. Our conversation in the car was so fun and pleasantly surprising; we didn't talk about the same things over and over like usual. She was cohereant and happy and joking around. When we got to Hires she decided that she wanted fish and chips and not grilled cheese. Then we joked and laughed and reminisced. I drove her home and was just so happy that we'd had such a great night.
I called my mom on my way home and told her what a great changed I had noticed and that I hoped it would continue. She told me about Gram's visit with Dr. Nelson the previous Thursday. The last time she'd seen Dr. Nelson he had asked her questions (What year is it? Who is the president? What's your address?) and to all of them she had answered that she didn't know. This time when Dr. Nelson asked her these questions she had a smart answer for each one (When he asked who was president she said Barrack Obama and that she was a democrat... good old Gram!)
Mom was surprised at the change too and asked Dr. Nelson if it was her new medication that was making such a positive difference. He said no, that medicine would help but it wouldn't cause such a dramatic change in such a short period of time. And then with tears in his eyes he said that he felt the change was due to having her family around her. He said how our visits and calls and time had made a change for the better in her health.
I just wanted to thank all of you (the ones that read the blog and the ones that don't) for all you are doing. I know that we are all busy with work, kids, church, and everything else but taking a day here and there to get with Gram is making her better. I know that people are doing lots for her, more than we know or hear about and I really appreciate it and I know she does too.
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and I will see you for the Magna house clean-up!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
An Outing to the Local Reams....
When I walked into Coventry last night I went up to the desk. The nice guy there told me that Grams was in the dining room. I walked in to see that she and Grandpa were both there having dinner together. They were sitting in silence and were quite far apart. I didn't eat while I was there, but chatted with them as they finished up. Grams had ordered what looked like some sort of stuffed pork and mashed potatoes. I was glad to see it wasn't grilled cheese. She told me her mouth still bothers her, but she is noticing a huge difference since she got her new teeth.
She turned and whispered (as only Grams can whisper) that she needed to get out and away from Harold for a bit. It's a good thing Grandpa has a hard time hearing, anyone with normal hearing that was within a 10 mile radius could have heard her. :) And people wonder why we're all so dang loud...
Grandpa said he was going to stay in the dining room for a while, so we girls should go shopping and have a good time. As we walked to her room to get her jacket, Grams told me that she hasn't been happy with Harold lately. And that most nights she would rather be alone then have him there. I was surprised to hear that since the last time I visited she had no intention of ever sleeping there alone.
Anyway, we went down the street to the Reams and got the few things that were on her list. Everything she had on there was new, she wanted: stockings, stationary, chocolate, and some unmentionables. :) I limited the number of things she was putting in the cart, like her beloved chocolate bars. I only let her get three, even though she was worried she wouldn't get back to the store soon enough to get more. I assured her she would. We looked at some baking magazines, and laughed about some of the things we saw around the store. The outing was definitely the highlight of the night.
We got back to her room and she asked me to come sit by her on the couch. She held my hand and we watched the news on mute as Harold sat next to her zoned into the tv as well. I finally asked why on earth we were watching the news on mute, and especially since there were no subtitles running along the bottom. How did they know what was going on! Grandpa didn't respond, Grams seemed to let on that Harold liked it that way. I could barely hold in my laughter, I don't know how they know what is going on, maybe they are studying the art of lip-reading, I'm sure that's it.
Sorry I'm so long winded, I promise this is the closing paragraph. I just wanted to note that Grandpa never tried to talk about the family around me, I was glad of that. And that I think Grams could use some reminders that she needs to bathe daily. I guess she hates them now, but she wasn't her normal cleanly self. I'm not sure how to go about it, my mom says she gets very offended if you bring it up. Any ideas?
There you go... I'm finally done!
She turned and whispered (as only Grams can whisper) that she needed to get out and away from Harold for a bit. It's a good thing Grandpa has a hard time hearing, anyone with normal hearing that was within a 10 mile radius could have heard her. :) And people wonder why we're all so dang loud...
Grandpa said he was going to stay in the dining room for a while, so we girls should go shopping and have a good time. As we walked to her room to get her jacket, Grams told me that she hasn't been happy with Harold lately. And that most nights she would rather be alone then have him there. I was surprised to hear that since the last time I visited she had no intention of ever sleeping there alone.
Anyway, we went down the street to the Reams and got the few things that were on her list. Everything she had on there was new, she wanted: stockings, stationary, chocolate, and some unmentionables. :) I limited the number of things she was putting in the cart, like her beloved chocolate bars. I only let her get three, even though she was worried she wouldn't get back to the store soon enough to get more. I assured her she would. We looked at some baking magazines, and laughed about some of the things we saw around the store. The outing was definitely the highlight of the night.
We got back to her room and she asked me to come sit by her on the couch. She held my hand and we watched the news on mute as Harold sat next to her zoned into the tv as well. I finally asked why on earth we were watching the news on mute, and especially since there were no subtitles running along the bottom. How did they know what was going on! Grandpa didn't respond, Grams seemed to let on that Harold liked it that way. I could barely hold in my laughter, I don't know how they know what is going on, maybe they are studying the art of lip-reading, I'm sure that's it.
Sorry I'm so long winded, I promise this is the closing paragraph. I just wanted to note that Grandpa never tried to talk about the family around me, I was glad of that. And that I think Grams could use some reminders that she needs to bathe daily. I guess she hates them now, but she wasn't her normal cleanly self. I'm not sure how to go about it, my mom says she gets very offended if you bring it up. Any ideas?
There you go... I'm finally done!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Accentuate the Positive
Jeff and Amy visited Gram last night. They went to McDonalds with her and Harold and they had a nice dinner.
They went back to Gram's after dinner and sat and chatted a while. As they were talking Harold would bring up topics that were extremely negative. He talked about when he banned my mom from his house in Magna (yes he did do that if you didn't know) and then he talked about other members of our family and his personal issues with them. But the clincher was when he talked about how far gone he thought Gram was and how she is crazy. Jeff said that Gram hung her head and looked so ashamed when he talked about her like that. Amy had the good sense to get Jeff out of there before an argument ensued.
But I wanted to blog on this topic (even though it's not he happiest one) because I had a similar experience on one of my visits; Harold sat and bad-mouthed people in the family including Gram and I was extremely uncomfortable. I know that he is in constant pain with his stomach and that he is not happy that we moved Gram despite his protests. And if the truth be told he is not quite all there either. So the combination of all that makes him more sour than he used to be.
Jeff and I were talking and decided that the next time that situation comes up (and it will, unfortunately) we are going to ask him to change the subject and tell him not talk about those things. I think it can be said in a nice way and not disrespectfully; but firmly. And I think if we do it enough times, he might stop doing it.
So, I just wanted to put that out there in case anyone else noticed the same thing. His personal issues are not the kind of thing we want to be taking back into our lives and families for sure. So, to steal the suggestion from Bing Crosby, we'll want to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative, and don't mess with Mr. Harold Thomas.
They went back to Gram's after dinner and sat and chatted a while. As they were talking Harold would bring up topics that were extremely negative. He talked about when he banned my mom from his house in Magna (yes he did do that if you didn't know) and then he talked about other members of our family and his personal issues with them. But the clincher was when he talked about how far gone he thought Gram was and how she is crazy. Jeff said that Gram hung her head and looked so ashamed when he talked about her like that. Amy had the good sense to get Jeff out of there before an argument ensued.
But I wanted to blog on this topic (even though it's not he happiest one) because I had a similar experience on one of my visits; Harold sat and bad-mouthed people in the family including Gram and I was extremely uncomfortable. I know that he is in constant pain with his stomach and that he is not happy that we moved Gram despite his protests. And if the truth be told he is not quite all there either. So the combination of all that makes him more sour than he used to be.
Jeff and I were talking and decided that the next time that situation comes up (and it will, unfortunately) we are going to ask him to change the subject and tell him not talk about those things. I think it can be said in a nice way and not disrespectfully; but firmly. And I think if we do it enough times, he might stop doing it.
So, I just wanted to put that out there in case anyone else noticed the same thing. His personal issues are not the kind of thing we want to be taking back into our lives and families for sure. So, to steal the suggestion from Bing Crosby, we'll want to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative, and don't mess with Mr. Harold Thomas.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Halloween Carnival
I walked into Coventry on Wednesday afternoon to a smell that was not 'Halloweenish' at all. You know, pumpkin, caramel, apples....nope, none of those frangrances. There was No Doubt that somewhere, someone was getting a Permanent. Dave, Colleen and I grew up in a home where that spell could be frequent during the time there was a Beauty Shop in our house. I walked up the stairs to the in-house hair salon. Yep, it was Hilda Thomas at the hair dressers.
However, her 1:00 pm appointment lasted much longer than she thought. She was not done until 4:00, so we missed Relief Society/Priesthood. I told her that she would need to schedule it on a different day next time, but she seemed a bit pleased with herself that she had missed it. She is getting a little more upbeat about it though, since "that lady from the Relief Society is here. I think she lives here", Grandma told me.
A woman who makes wonderful handmade chocolates was in the lobby. By the time I got there Grandma had already given the lady $20 and said "Fill up a bag with $20 worth." She would have gone back to purchase again many more times if I would not have been there. I reminded her that she had two bags and that was enough. The Chocolate Lady returns in November and December. Better lock Grandma in her room that day.
The Halloween Carnival was not what was expected.....at least for the kids. It wasn't a Carnival. Just a Halloween meal with a musical program. Greta (a cat) and Lily (a fairy) came with me and Chantelle brought Kallie (a ladybug) and Nathan (a bear, I think.) He didn't have the hood on but was so adorable as were the girls. The kids were disappointed. I will do my homework next time to find out if the event will be worth coming for the little ones.
We went back to Grandma's room where she and I gave the kids some Treats. Just before I left with a large bag of laundry to do Dave and Kelsey came to watch some of the Jazz game with her. It was a day that kept her busy.
However, her 1:00 pm appointment lasted much longer than she thought. She was not done until 4:00, so we missed Relief Society/Priesthood. I told her that she would need to schedule it on a different day next time, but she seemed a bit pleased with herself that she had missed it. She is getting a little more upbeat about it though, since "that lady from the Relief Society is here. I think she lives here", Grandma told me.
A woman who makes wonderful handmade chocolates was in the lobby. By the time I got there Grandma had already given the lady $20 and said "Fill up a bag with $20 worth." She would have gone back to purchase again many more times if I would not have been there. I reminded her that she had two bags and that was enough. The Chocolate Lady returns in November and December. Better lock Grandma in her room that day.
The Halloween Carnival was not what was expected.....at least for the kids. It wasn't a Carnival. Just a Halloween meal with a musical program. Greta (a cat) and Lily (a fairy) came with me and Chantelle brought Kallie (a ladybug) and Nathan (a bear, I think.) He didn't have the hood on but was so adorable as were the girls. The kids were disappointed. I will do my homework next time to find out if the event will be worth coming for the little ones.
We went back to Grandma's room where she and I gave the kids some Treats. Just before I left with a large bag of laundry to do Dave and Kelsey came to watch some of the Jazz game with her. It was a day that kept her busy.
Shopping Excursion
Mallory and I took Grandma shopping yesterday. When we got to her place she was in a good mood and showed us her knitting that she had started with her new "good" yarn. She was also excited to show us the Halloween decorations in the lobby. She told us about the Halloween carnival the night before and how fun it was to see all the little kids in their costumes. She could only remember that Lily was a fairy. She didn't know what Callie or Greta were, but they both had something on their head.
At our first store Grandma quickly found the chocolates. She also looked at the calendars for a while, but said they were too expensive. Then she went back and picked one up because she said they might be gone next time she looked for one. She also found a new sweater at the second store. She wanted a sweater with short sleeves, but we found one with 3/4 sleeves that she liked.
When I asked her what kind of food she wanted for lunch she said she would just look at the menu when we got there. When we actually got to the restaurant she glanced at the menu for a quick second and then said she wanted a grilled cheese sandwich, root beer, and ice cream. Thankfully they had a grilled cheese sandwich on the kids menu that she was able to get.
We also picked up some preparation H supplies for her at Walmart on the way home. It was a good day with Grandma.
At our first store Grandma quickly found the chocolates. She also looked at the calendars for a while, but said they were too expensive. Then she went back and picked one up because she said they might be gone next time she looked for one. She also found a new sweater at the second store. She wanted a sweater with short sleeves, but we found one with 3/4 sleeves that she liked.
When I asked her what kind of food she wanted for lunch she said she would just look at the menu when we got there. When we actually got to the restaurant she glanced at the menu for a quick second and then said she wanted a grilled cheese sandwich, root beer, and ice cream. Thankfully they had a grilled cheese sandwich on the kids menu that she was able to get.
We also picked up some preparation H supplies for her at Walmart on the way home. It was a good day with Grandma.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
2 Little Grumps...
I went to visit Grams last night. Cambria joined us for the first 30 minutes but then she had to leave for a previously scheduled engagement.
We ate dinner at the cafeteria and since I had never eaten there before I decided to get the same thing as Grams (a cup of fruit, a grilled cheese sandwich or "toasted bread and cheese" as Grams calls it; root beer; and chocolate ice cream). We chatted about her childhood and the snow and how windy it was on Sunday night. We also talked about the upcoming holidays and she mentioned that she is going to have Thanksgiving with my Mom and Kristen. I am not sure if Mom and Kristen are having Thanksgiving together, and since Grams didn't mention anyone else I had the odd picture in my mind of Grams, Colleen and Kristen sitting there eating a big Thanksgiving dinner, just the three of them. When I giggled a bit and tried to get clarification on where they were going to eat exactly, Grams did not think it was funny. She was not in a joking mood. She also brought up the fact that we will be getting the rest of her things out of the Magna house after Thanksgiving. She said "After that I am done." I said, "Done going back out to Magna?" and she said, "No, I am done with it all".
We finished up dinner and headed to her room. I asked if she wanted to watch a movie and she said, "Only if you'll watch it with me." I told her I could only watch the first hour of the movie and then I'd have to go. She told me to pick what I wanted to watch. I decided on Singing in the Rain since I love that show and the DVD hadn't been opened yet. I am not sure if it was just because she was in a bad mood, but she did NOT want to watch that movie. Every 2 or 3 , minutes she'd say something about how crazy that movie was. I was too grump at that point in time to try and talk her into enjoying the movie.
After being there for 2 1/2 hours I told her I had to leave for the night. She got very upset and asked me to stay a bit longer. I stayed for 5 more minutes and when I announced that I was going to leave again she asked me to stay again. We went back and forth for another 30 minutes. I finally told her that I really needed to leave and that I would come back soon. I looked at her calendar and told her that she would be seeing Jen the next day and that seemed to cheer her up a bit.
Sorry this was such a sad post. I love Grams so much and my entire life we have always had such a fun time together. It was sad to see her in a bad mood and I was sad that I couldn't pull her out of it.
On a final note, she did tell Cambria and I that she'd like more phone calls. She said that Harold's kids call him all the time, and Cambria asked if he got as many visitors as she does, and she said, "No, but I want more phone calls too." I think she's turning this into a little competition. So call her people :)
We ate dinner at the cafeteria and since I had never eaten there before I decided to get the same thing as Grams (a cup of fruit, a grilled cheese sandwich or "toasted bread and cheese" as Grams calls it; root beer; and chocolate ice cream). We chatted about her childhood and the snow and how windy it was on Sunday night. We also talked about the upcoming holidays and she mentioned that she is going to have Thanksgiving with my Mom and Kristen. I am not sure if Mom and Kristen are having Thanksgiving together, and since Grams didn't mention anyone else I had the odd picture in my mind of Grams, Colleen and Kristen sitting there eating a big Thanksgiving dinner, just the three of them. When I giggled a bit and tried to get clarification on where they were going to eat exactly, Grams did not think it was funny. She was not in a joking mood. She also brought up the fact that we will be getting the rest of her things out of the Magna house after Thanksgiving. She said "After that I am done." I said, "Done going back out to Magna?" and she said, "No, I am done with it all".
We finished up dinner and headed to her room. I asked if she wanted to watch a movie and she said, "Only if you'll watch it with me." I told her I could only watch the first hour of the movie and then I'd have to go. She told me to pick what I wanted to watch. I decided on Singing in the Rain since I love that show and the DVD hadn't been opened yet. I am not sure if it was just because she was in a bad mood, but she did NOT want to watch that movie. Every 2 or 3 , minutes she'd say something about how crazy that movie was. I was too grump at that point in time to try and talk her into enjoying the movie.
After being there for 2 1/2 hours I told her I had to leave for the night. She got very upset and asked me to stay a bit longer. I stayed for 5 more minutes and when I announced that I was going to leave again she asked me to stay again. We went back and forth for another 30 minutes. I finally told her that I really needed to leave and that I would come back soon. I looked at her calendar and told her that she would be seeing Jen the next day and that seemed to cheer her up a bit.
Sorry this was such a sad post. I love Grams so much and my entire life we have always had such a fun time together. It was sad to see her in a bad mood and I was sad that I couldn't pull her out of it.
On a final note, she did tell Cambria and I that she'd like more phone calls. She said that Harold's kids call him all the time, and Cambria asked if he got as many visitors as she does, and she said, "No, but I want more phone calls too." I think she's turning this into a little competition. So call her people :)
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Three Days with Grandma
I am loving reading these blogs! They're not only a help to us now, but will be very dear to read in the future as we remember the sweet experiences we are having with Hilda.(-:
Visit #1: Friday, October 8th. When I arrived she had her hair newly styled, all dressed up and earrings on, too. (It is her newest fashion statement because all the other women wear earrings.) We were going shopping for a coat for the second time. Kristin had suggested Nordstroms Rack so I decided to try there first. It was the charm! Within 20 minutes we had found and paid for a darling gray wool coat, priced $250, and Grandma paid $79. Since we had gone to so many stores looking for coats the first time, we were both happy at the short shopping trip.
After shopping we had lunch in the dining room which turned out to be the least positive experience I have had there since I started my weekly visits. No, the food was good. But the little lady who joined Grandma and I at the dining table was a most negative person. She's lived there three years and had very little good to say about Coventry. Needless to say, I was anxious to get Grandma out of the dining room, so we took our dessert "to go" and went back to Grandma's apartment.
She wasn't in the mood to do anything, even a drive to see the Autumn leaves. She just wanted me to watch a movie with her, so we settled on the sofa together and watched "Dan in Real Life". I had hoped that watching a movie other than the ones she watches over and over would be a good change for her.
Visit #2: Wednesday, Oct. 13th was a beautiful day and when I arrived she was looking forward to go for a visit. To where? Colleen's office! She said she had not seen where Colleen worked. We wanted to surprise Colleen, so I curled and styled Grandma's hair and we were off. It was a great visit and Grandma seemed to really enjoy herself.
On our drive back to Coventry she said she did not want to go to Relief Society....she had insisted two weeks earlier she didn't want to go even though I was there to go with her. She said she just wanted to go get some chocolate. I told her we would get some chocolate after Relief Society, but she said, no, she didn't want to go. Finally I said, "I'll tell Dave," and she said, "Okay, I'll go to Relief Society." (I found the magic bullet.) I kept my promise and took her to get Hershey bars after Relief Society.
Visit #3: Friday, October 22: When I arrived yesterday it was Friday, so her hair was all styled and cute. She was excited to talk about her grandchildren. First, she loved the visit from Cambria, Marissa and little Peach. She said how adorable that little one was! Then she had a great visit with Chantelle and her little Nathan earlier that morning. They went around Coventry to see all the Halloween decorations and she said Nathan was so cute as he saw them "come to life". She wanted me to see the Halloween card and pictures that she had received from Jenny's family and was so happy about Kristin's news of Grandma's 20th Great-Grandchild due in June.
Eating lunch in the dining room with Grandma is so fun when Jose is a server. He calls out "Hilda!", and she laughs. Then he brings her out her order before she even orders it. She just adores the sweet kindness that he shows her and I have thanked him so much for that.
Getting her to branch out more within the Coventry community was my plan for the afternoon. I had brought my set of dominos and told her we were going to play 'Chicken'. After lunch we went up to the third floor in the Library area where there is a very nice sitting area and a table and chairs by the french doors for natural light. When Grandma heard that we were going to play Chicken, she invited Pamela, the PR Lady, to join us. Her schedule was so busy but she made time for one game with us. While we were playing, a resident named Reva saw us and came to watch. Grandma was in her element, and won all three games! I told Pamela they should add another game day called "Chicken" with Hilda.
Grandma shared something with me last week that I wanted to pass on. She commented on how Harold gets phone calls from his family all the time. I think she loves it when the phone rings. It brings joy to her. I've increased my phone calls since then.
Also, Grandma loves to receive a card. She displays them for all to see. She loves to check her mailbox to see if there is anything there for her. I know that sending her cards during the different seasons, like Halloween right now, would be so appreciated.
And for anyone living in Utah, there is a Halloween Carnival for the Coventry Residents and their families this coming Wednesday, October 27th at 6:30 pm. If you want to eat the chili dinner it is $7 per person. Or you can just come for the carnival, bring the kids in costume and enjoy the activities for a short time. Grandma would love it.
Visit #1: Friday, October 8th. When I arrived she had her hair newly styled, all dressed up and earrings on, too. (It is her newest fashion statement because all the other women wear earrings.) We were going shopping for a coat for the second time. Kristin had suggested Nordstroms Rack so I decided to try there first. It was the charm! Within 20 minutes we had found and paid for a darling gray wool coat, priced $250, and Grandma paid $79. Since we had gone to so many stores looking for coats the first time, we were both happy at the short shopping trip.
After shopping we had lunch in the dining room which turned out to be the least positive experience I have had there since I started my weekly visits. No, the food was good. But the little lady who joined Grandma and I at the dining table was a most negative person. She's lived there three years and had very little good to say about Coventry. Needless to say, I was anxious to get Grandma out of the dining room, so we took our dessert "to go" and went back to Grandma's apartment.
She wasn't in the mood to do anything, even a drive to see the Autumn leaves. She just wanted me to watch a movie with her, so we settled on the sofa together and watched "Dan in Real Life". I had hoped that watching a movie other than the ones she watches over and over would be a good change for her.
Visit #2: Wednesday, Oct. 13th was a beautiful day and when I arrived she was looking forward to go for a visit. To where? Colleen's office! She said she had not seen where Colleen worked. We wanted to surprise Colleen, so I curled and styled Grandma's hair and we were off. It was a great visit and Grandma seemed to really enjoy herself.
On our drive back to Coventry she said she did not want to go to Relief Society....she had insisted two weeks earlier she didn't want to go even though I was there to go with her. She said she just wanted to go get some chocolate. I told her we would get some chocolate after Relief Society, but she said, no, she didn't want to go. Finally I said, "I'll tell Dave," and she said, "Okay, I'll go to Relief Society." (I found the magic bullet.) I kept my promise and took her to get Hershey bars after Relief Society.
Visit #3: Friday, October 22: When I arrived yesterday it was Friday, so her hair was all styled and cute. She was excited to talk about her grandchildren. First, she loved the visit from Cambria, Marissa and little Peach. She said how adorable that little one was! Then she had a great visit with Chantelle and her little Nathan earlier that morning. They went around Coventry to see all the Halloween decorations and she said Nathan was so cute as he saw them "come to life". She wanted me to see the Halloween card and pictures that she had received from Jenny's family and was so happy about Kristin's news of Grandma's 20th Great-Grandchild due in June.
Eating lunch in the dining room with Grandma is so fun when Jose is a server. He calls out "Hilda!", and she laughs. Then he brings her out her order before she even orders it. She just adores the sweet kindness that he shows her and I have thanked him so much for that.
Getting her to branch out more within the Coventry community was my plan for the afternoon. I had brought my set of dominos and told her we were going to play 'Chicken'. After lunch we went up to the third floor in the Library area where there is a very nice sitting area and a table and chairs by the french doors for natural light. When Grandma heard that we were going to play Chicken, she invited Pamela, the PR Lady, to join us. Her schedule was so busy but she made time for one game with us. While we were playing, a resident named Reva saw us and came to watch. Grandma was in her element, and won all three games! I told Pamela they should add another game day called "Chicken" with Hilda.
Grandma shared something with me last week that I wanted to pass on. She commented on how Harold gets phone calls from his family all the time. I think she loves it when the phone rings. It brings joy to her. I've increased my phone calls since then.
Also, Grandma loves to receive a card. She displays them for all to see. She loves to check her mailbox to see if there is anything there for her. I know that sending her cards during the different seasons, like Halloween right now, would be so appreciated.
And for anyone living in Utah, there is a Halloween Carnival for the Coventry Residents and their families this coming Wednesday, October 27th at 6:30 pm. If you want to eat the chili dinner it is $7 per person. Or you can just come for the carnival, bring the kids in costume and enjoy the activities for a short time. Grandma would love it.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Sleeping Pills and Cheiko Okazaki
Marissa and I went to visit Grandma yesterday and we took the Peach with us. When we got there Gram was in the Dining Room because one of the new residents was having a birthday party. Gram was in there at a table with some friends and Miss and I sat down and met them. Everyone there was really nice and the baby was keeping everyone entertained.
The lady who was having the birthday was a new resident, an adorable white-haired Japanese lady named Cheiko. In addition to the cake that Coventry had for her, Cheiko bought eclairs for all the residents (Gram took three back to her room with her.) We all sang Happy Birthday to her and I didn't think much more about it.
When we got back to Gram's room, there was a flier to remind everyone about the birthday party and it said that the birthday girl was Cheiko Okazaki. She is the new resident at Coventry! So I told Gram that if this place was good enough for Cheiko Okazaki, she was in good company :)
Miss and I put on the Sound of Music and I made some kind of joke about how Gram is obsessed with South Pacific. Without missing a beat, Gram started singing "Some enchanted ceiling..." Miss and I looked at each other and laughed so hard. I think that is going to be my next song creation :)
While we were there Gram kept asking us to get her some more sleeping pills. Unisom is her brand of choice. We said we would stop by the store and get her some. Then she said that she really needed to go shopping for some winter shoes. I looked down at her feet and she was wearing sandals. So we said yes, of course, we will take her shoe shopping to get some new shoes.
After we left, I called my mom to tell her about our fun visit and that we met Cheiko Okazaki and didn't even know it. When I told her that we were going to pick her up some sleeping pills she said, "No, she has lots of bottles in her bathroom; she doesnt need anymore." I guess Gram has a full supply of pills and just forgets that they are there. She just sees an empty bottle and figures she needs more and doesn't remember that she has other bottles waiting for her. When I told her about the shoes, mom laughed and said that she and Kathy have taken her on several shopping trips recently and she has new shoes, and new coat and several other new items.
So family, I think the best thing to do when Gram tells you she needs something is to always check with Kathy, Dave, or Colleen before you buy something for her. It sounds like she is forgetting about her new stuff. Other than that, Gram is happy and doing better and better each day. She loves her new hair stylist and she LOVES the Halloween decorations that Jen came and put up in her house.
The November calendar is coming this week so that we can keep this great momentum going.
Love you, family!
Cambria
The lady who was having the birthday was a new resident, an adorable white-haired Japanese lady named Cheiko. In addition to the cake that Coventry had for her, Cheiko bought eclairs for all the residents (Gram took three back to her room with her.) We all sang Happy Birthday to her and I didn't think much more about it.
When we got back to Gram's room, there was a flier to remind everyone about the birthday party and it said that the birthday girl was Cheiko Okazaki. She is the new resident at Coventry! So I told Gram that if this place was good enough for Cheiko Okazaki, she was in good company :)
Miss and I put on the Sound of Music and I made some kind of joke about how Gram is obsessed with South Pacific. Without missing a beat, Gram started singing "Some enchanted ceiling..." Miss and I looked at each other and laughed so hard. I think that is going to be my next song creation :)
While we were there Gram kept asking us to get her some more sleeping pills. Unisom is her brand of choice. We said we would stop by the store and get her some. Then she said that she really needed to go shopping for some winter shoes. I looked down at her feet and she was wearing sandals. So we said yes, of course, we will take her shoe shopping to get some new shoes.
After we left, I called my mom to tell her about our fun visit and that we met Cheiko Okazaki and didn't even know it. When I told her that we were going to pick her up some sleeping pills she said, "No, she has lots of bottles in her bathroom; she doesnt need anymore." I guess Gram has a full supply of pills and just forgets that they are there. She just sees an empty bottle and figures she needs more and doesn't remember that she has other bottles waiting for her. When I told her about the shoes, mom laughed and said that she and Kathy have taken her on several shopping trips recently and she has new shoes, and new coat and several other new items.
So family, I think the best thing to do when Gram tells you she needs something is to always check with Kathy, Dave, or Colleen before you buy something for her. It sounds like she is forgetting about her new stuff. Other than that, Gram is happy and doing better and better each day. She loves her new hair stylist and she LOVES the Halloween decorations that Jen came and put up in her house.
The November calendar is coming this week so that we can keep this great momentum going.
Love you, family!
Cambria
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
A Happier Hilda
I had a great visit on the phone with Grandma yesterday afternoon. I hadn't spoken to her in a few weeks & she seemed happier & more optimistic than I have heard her in a long time. When I called I made her guess who I was & she got it right! :) She told me that living at Coventry is getting better... she likes having someone clean her house and she likes the food. But she told me she especially loves seeing family so much more than she did when she was way out in Magna. She told me fun stories of those who have visited her recently & I could tell how much she treasures those times. (And she also loves phone calls. I think we all need to give Grandma a quick call more often.) Thanks to those of you in Utah that are taking such good care of Grandma! She sounds like such a different person from when I saw her last at Mallory's wedding. She has come alive again!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
What happened?
I've been so disappointed lately in the lack of posts. Has everyone stopped visiting and calling Grandma? Obviously, I know thats not the case, but I have loved being able to stay up to date on things with how Grandma is doing. I've found it so helpful in knowing what to expect when I've gone to see her, and in general I enjoy the information. Please post when you visit or talk to Grandma. It doesn't have to be more than three sentences, but I've missed the updates. If you find it challenging to keep up, e-mail me a couple of notes and I will be happy to post it for you.
Happy Autumn!
Happy Autumn!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Bob's Birthday
I figured I would post a little note about our outing with Grams last Thursday, October 7. It was my Dad's birthday, and as such he wanted us all to go out to dinner with him. I asked him if he would like Grams to come along and he said "YES!" of couse. So Cambria went and picked her up and brought her to dinner.It was all 6 of us, my dad, Joyce, and 5 significant others, and Grams. My dad sat next to Grams, and I kept thinking how amazing it was that my 80-some-odd year old grandma had better hearing then my 56 year old dad. Then I realized Grams isn't much of a rock and roller, or a hunter like my dad, which is probably why they are both in the boat they are in.
Anyway, Cambria told Grams that she would just order something for her. But being the stubborn woman she is, she wanted to look at the menu and decide for herself. Now, I don't think you can go wrong with anything from the California Pizza Kitchen, except for one thing. I have always thought the Cheeseburger Pizza looks awful! Lettuce on a pizza?! NO THANK YOU! Of course Grams took one peak at the menu, saw the word cheeseburger, and said that's what she wanted. Cam tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't hear of it.
Sadlly, I think Grams only had one bite and called it quits. She did, however, have her regular root beer. Only she didn't finish off the meal with a chocolate shake. That is, as long as she didn't convince Ryan to stop by and pick one up for her as he so kindly drove her home. I haven't asked. :)I love that Grams and my dad have always had such a close relationship. It meant the world to him to have her there, and to still be a part of our family. Thanks to all of you for making sure he still feels that way. It means a lot to him, and to us.
P.S. This post is probably pretty boring, but I decided to post it anyway....
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Answered Prayer
When I arrived at Grandma's today it was just after noon, so I planned to go eat lunch with her at the cafeteria. However, when I got to her room she told me she couldn't find her glasses. This was really bothering her and she kept repeating the same things about how people would think she had lost her mind and get mad at her for losing them. I figured I would be able to find them very quickly since her place isn't that big, but they were no where to be found.
I convinced her that we should go eat and then look for them again when we got back. At lunch she kept repeating that she just really wanted to find her glasses. I told her she wasn't crazy and told her all of my stories about losing things and how it frustrated Marc. At lunch we sat with an retired couple as well as a very quiet woman with a walker. She kept saying how much better off she was than most people there (a little too loud too). I told her that I thought they all looked great and how nice it must be for her to not have to cook. She loved that Jose, the waiter, knew her name and new what her regular order was--grilled cheese sandwich, root beer, and chocolate ice cream.
When we came back we began hunting for her glasses again. They weren't at the front desk and she had them the night before so we knew they had to be in the apartment. She said that she had told Harold on the phone that morning that she had lost them and he said that he would pray she would find them. With that reminder I figured I should say a little prayer too. We were both in her room looking when I glanced in the closet and then turned back around to find them sitting nicely on her bed. It surprised me so much I looked at Grandma wondering if she had been playing some game hiding them from me. But there they were in plain site. She was so relieved and got a bit emotional. She kept thanking me but I kept telling her it wasn't me. I told her that Harold must have great faith because it really was an answer to his and our prayers.
After that she was much more at ease, and she re-taught me how to knit. It took me a while to catch on, but I finally got it. She was so proud of me. Now I just have to learn how to start a row. We kept knitting until Dave picked her up for her dentist appointment. I left with a greater appreciation for prayer and Grandma's great faith.
I convinced her that we should go eat and then look for them again when we got back. At lunch she kept repeating that she just really wanted to find her glasses. I told her she wasn't crazy and told her all of my stories about losing things and how it frustrated Marc. At lunch we sat with an retired couple as well as a very quiet woman with a walker. She kept saying how much better off she was than most people there (a little too loud too). I told her that I thought they all looked great and how nice it must be for her to not have to cook. She loved that Jose, the waiter, knew her name and new what her regular order was--grilled cheese sandwich, root beer, and chocolate ice cream.
When we came back we began hunting for her glasses again. They weren't at the front desk and she had them the night before so we knew they had to be in the apartment. She said that she had told Harold on the phone that morning that she had lost them and he said that he would pray she would find them. With that reminder I figured I should say a little prayer too. We were both in her room looking when I glanced in the closet and then turned back around to find them sitting nicely on her bed. It surprised me so much I looked at Grandma wondering if she had been playing some game hiding them from me. But there they were in plain site. She was so relieved and got a bit emotional. She kept thanking me but I kept telling her it wasn't me. I told her that Harold must have great faith because it really was an answer to his and our prayers.
After that she was much more at ease, and she re-taught me how to knit. It took me a while to catch on, but I finally got it. She was so proud of me. Now I just have to learn how to start a row. We kept knitting until Dave picked her up for her dentist appointment. I left with a greater appreciation for prayer and Grandma's great faith.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Back to the Temple
Grandma and I weren't sure how long it has been since she had experienced a temple session, but we guessed maybe five years. Probably when Andrew or Marcee prepared for their missions, so it was no wonder she was a bit nervous about going. Nevertheless, she was dressed and ready with recommend in hand when I arrived Friday morning at 9:45 am.
Upon arriving at the Jordan River Temple we found it already busy with wedding groups. In the dressing room she was a little concerned on how she should dress but it all turned out well. We were able to get right in to the next session and had a wonderful experience together.
On our way back to the dressing room and throughout the afternoon she commented on how she couldn't believe how much she had forgotten. "I used to be a Temple Worker. I should know!" I reminded her that it had been quite some time since she had been there and how I thought she did quite well. I told her we would come back more often so that she could remember.
From there we went to the Fashion Place Mall. She has wanted to buy a coat for a year. First we stopped in at Nordstoms to see Mallory working and found we had just missed Jenny. Then we went to the food court and shared a chinese lunch while Mallory had grilled chicken. Of course, she wanted a chocolate shake for dessert.
Then we began our trek from store to store: Maceys, Sears, Dillards..... not one of them had long dress coats for winter. They were all short coats. The sales woman did show us one longer black coat that was not pretty but the tag read $699. Talk about sticker shock. Then we found out it was a cashmere coat. It still was ugly. We plan on going to Burlington Coat Factory when I come on Wednesday.
Back to her apartment we found that the day had really sped by. We changed the sheets and did a bit of housekeeping. But then some saddness set in for me. She had been very engaged and alert most of the day. However, when we arrived at her place she became confused and quiet again. Things seemed disjointed and unclear to her. She repeated things again and again. I kissed her good-bye about 5:45 pm, took the two laundry bags and told her I would be back Wednesday. She sat on the couch watching the news as I left, and I realized what Colleen had told me was right. With dementia, a person can go from clarity to confusion in a short time. I saw that happen. I was so glad I had the first part of the day to make memories.
Upon arriving at the Jordan River Temple we found it already busy with wedding groups. In the dressing room she was a little concerned on how she should dress but it all turned out well. We were able to get right in to the next session and had a wonderful experience together.
On our way back to the dressing room and throughout the afternoon she commented on how she couldn't believe how much she had forgotten. "I used to be a Temple Worker. I should know!" I reminded her that it had been quite some time since she had been there and how I thought she did quite well. I told her we would come back more often so that she could remember.
From there we went to the Fashion Place Mall. She has wanted to buy a coat for a year. First we stopped in at Nordstoms to see Mallory working and found we had just missed Jenny. Then we went to the food court and shared a chinese lunch while Mallory had grilled chicken. Of course, she wanted a chocolate shake for dessert.
Then we began our trek from store to store: Maceys, Sears, Dillards..... not one of them had long dress coats for winter. They were all short coats. The sales woman did show us one longer black coat that was not pretty but the tag read $699. Talk about sticker shock. Then we found out it was a cashmere coat. It still was ugly. We plan on going to Burlington Coat Factory when I come on Wednesday.
Back to her apartment we found that the day had really sped by. We changed the sheets and did a bit of housekeeping. But then some saddness set in for me. She had been very engaged and alert most of the day. However, when we arrived at her place she became confused and quiet again. Things seemed disjointed and unclear to her. She repeated things again and again. I kissed her good-bye about 5:45 pm, took the two laundry bags and told her I would be back Wednesday. She sat on the couch watching the news as I left, and I realized what Colleen had told me was right. With dementia, a person can go from clarity to confusion in a short time. I saw that happen. I was so glad I had the first part of the day to make memories.
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