Creating Happier Days Through Time and Love

Mom walking unassisted in Whole Foods

My mom's doing better since I've been visiting her twice a day; getting her up and out of the wheelchair to walk seems to help a lot.  She is happy most days.

Mom's ankles had been swollen something horrible from sitting too long in a chair and not being allowed to exercise.  Moving.  Walking.  In my opinion, it's the best remedy for edema.  I've been vigilant to walk with her in order to help give her the best end of life possible.  I am exhausted.

I worry about my mom more while she's in the nursing home than when she was home with me.  I am losing  sleep again, becoming an insomniac as I lay awake at night wondering if mom is being treated with dignity and not being abused.  I worry about all of my little friends in the home.

I am nearly ready to bring my mom back home with me until the bed opens in a home where her Primary Care Physician would be her doctor.  I am not happy.  I should NOT feel that I need to be at the nursing home every day, twice a day.  My confidence has been shot because of incidents that I've witnessed.

What have I done?!  How could I have put my mom in danger?

People are dumped in nursing homes; no one really seems to care.   Left to be looked after by people who appear robotic with little time to do anything extra like walk with my mom.

Residents with few or no visitors, seem depressed as they cry out the names of those that had abandoned them when they were needed the most.  The screaming is ignored as nurses and aides have become desensitized to the crying residents.

It break my heart to witness the sadness.  Sadness that could be avoided if their families took even an hour out of their lives once a week to stop in and visit with a cup of coffee or a big hug.  How busy can people be that they can't give a little time every week to someone who loves them and misses seeing their face?  I need to understand so that I can answer questions when asked.  Today, I don't know what to say.

Monday, my mom was doing terrific; she slept through the previous night.  Sleep always puts her in a good place.

She walked in to Dr. Barton's office for acupuncture; a session she has every week to help her have better days.  Mom walked a lot yesterday.  She even pushed the cart at Whole Foods while we shopped for a few items.  It was like the sweet days before she was admitted to the nursing home over 2 months ago.

Eyes welling with tears of joy, I pulled out my camera and captured the memory.  Mom's not dead.  She's doing better than she had been.  Visits, hugs, smiles, laughter and time have made a difference to create happier days.  It's not hard to put a smile on a residents face, all you need to do is give the gift of time.

Mom shopping, pushing the cart and walking... Acupuncture works!