What a week it's been! Some good and some not-so-good. Let's look at the not-so-good first.
Mom has lived with us for the last 6 and a half years. She turned 93 this last Friday. Without going into details, let's just say she has been failing all along and it's finally time for me to admit that I can no longer give her the care she needs and deserves. She has always been terrified of people and the idea of going into a care facility is not one that she favors. But it is time. I had never looked into the process of getting her situated into a place I could trust to care for my mom as I want until now. The process is daunting, to say the least. That is my main focus until we can find a trustworthy place for her...probably here in Missouri as opposed to Arizona - Arizona is where she would prefer to go but the cost of care is exhorbitant in Arizona compared to here in Missouri. Will post my progress as we go along.
On a good note, as above, Mom had her 93rd birthday on Friday. What a milestone for her. For the most part, she has her health. And she has family who love her and want only the best for her.
Additionally, I turned 70 on Monday last. If someone had asked me when I was growing up how I would be living at 70, I not sure I would have been able to answer. I don't feel 70 years old... I feel as though I'm only about 40 but my body tells me I'm not. While it is said that youth is wasted on the young, it sure helps to have a young-ish body when you want to stoop down and pick something up off the floor!
Mr. Wonderful took a class yesterday on curing fresh hams at home. Just like our ancestors did 150 years ago. Here is his finished homework:
2 comments:
It is a hard decision, Sally, but your mother will be able to get the round-the-clock she needs. We have had to do this with both my husband's parents (mine didn't live long enough to need care) and after settling in, they were well looked after.....and the rest of the family was happy knowing they had done as much as they could for as long as it was feasible. Those hams will be so good!
It is so daunting to find a place for a parent. I looked into bringing my dad to Alaska and the prices were so much higher than his home state of Washington. He had bladder cancer and the onset of dementia (Alzheimer's runs in his family.) He stayed in Washington with my mom for as long as she could care for him and then the hospice care givers found a small home that gave him full time care the last month of his life. It was less expensive than the larger institutions. I don't know how to find one of those places but I visited it after his death to collect his things and it really seemed like a lovely place. Very clean...sweet staff...very homey feeling. My mom now lives in an assisted living apartment. Memory care doubles...even triples the expense of care so not having that issue with my mom made finding an affordable place for her much easier. I feel for you...it felt so overwhelming for me at times to try and find a place for my dad and then my mom.
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