things getting a little better

[lilyjohn]

Well things may be getting a little better for me but you won't believe what I have to do to get there.

I found out that one of my ladies is in the hospital with a urinary tract infection. Someone her age with dementia that is very serious. She is supposed to get out of the hospital tomorrow and will need 24 hour a day care for at least a week. Sense I am the one who first went to her and I see her more often I will be taking the night shift. I'll do my other jobs during the day then go to her house in the evenings.

I will come home Sunday morning for our church program and then go back to her house Monday morning and will not be home again until Thursday evening. The pay is very good so I can't pass it up. It won't solve all of my money problems but it sure will help. I feel too that I really need to be there for this lady.

So this evening has been a real rush. I had to stop a couple of places on the way home so even tho I got off at one thirty I didn't get home until after three. I came in grabbed a bite of lunch then got started. I made some pralines because that is what I give out to my friends at church. Then I made cookies for after our Christmas program at church Sunday. My groceries were still setting here from yesterday ( I spent too long on chat and after eating a bite and finishing off a half bottle of wine I didn't want to put them away). I got those picked up and took the pieces of meat I bought and devided them into packs. I have to freeze them because I won't be home to cook.

Now I have Christmas cards to make out if they are going to get out in time. And I have to pack my bag for three days. Sunday I will wash in the evening so I will have clean clothes for the week away.

It is really a lot of rushing right now but I can handle it. I was supposed to start my job tomorrow at 1:30 but I am waiting to hear if I won't have to go at 10 instead. My other lady was not feeling well today and really needs someone there in the morning. I haven't heard for sure yet so I am trying to get all I can done tonight. If I don't go early I can do my laundry in the morning and maybe rest a little.

I have to tell you what happened today. It shows why I love my job so much. I get very tired and really would like some time off but it is so rewarding at times.

I got to Clair's house this morning and the first thing she told me was that she was sick. While questioning her I started to suspect that she too may have a UTI. I called her son and he called the in home nurse. She came out and checked her out. She is very weak but most vitals are good. Oxygen sats are a little low but not too bad. She just complained of being tired and weak and running to the bathroom so much that she didn't sleep well. I got a urine sample and it is being tested. If anything shows we should know and have medication by Friday. I don't want to be an alarmist but I know how bad that could be. Her nurse agreed with me. She said a trip to the hospital would make the Alzhiemers worse.

After the nurse left I brushed her hair and we took care of some hygene. I took her walker out and told her to use it instead of the cane until she is stronger. While I was brushing her hair she told me again that I am a good mother. She said "you take better care of me than my mother did". I protested but she told me that it was true. She said her mother was more interested in taking care of herself. I know that she has told me once before that she had run away from home when she was a girl because her step father kept trying to "do things" to her. I guess the problem runs deeper than I thought. At any rate it really made me feel good when she told me that I take such good care of her. Do you see why it is hard to say no when I am asked to put in extra time with these ladies? The money sure helps because I need it so bad but I need what they give me just as much.

Tomorrow morning before I leave I will take Misty to my nieces house. She won't be so lonely and she will be warmer. I won't have to worry either wondering if they forgot to come and walk her and feed her. They say they didn't forget but I sure found it disturbing when I came home yesterday. I guess it could be that she is just lonely and is rebelling by doing things she never did before and eating so much more. That would explain the lake in the bathroom and the empty food dish if they did come like they said.

So other than checking a little Sunday night I won't be here for a week. I will be thinking about all of you and hoping that everything is going well. Thanks again for all of your support. Lillian