It's the holiday season....weekend wrapup

I'm back.  Did you miss me?   Sorry about the Tiny Prints posts -- but I scored some free holdiay cards and that makes me happy.

Thanksgiving was awesome.  Delicious turkey.  My only problem?  No leftovers.  I am attempting to make my own turkey in a couple weeks so we can have fricking leftovers!! Turkey sandwiches, turkey soup....love to eat turkey (I know we've covered this).

Potty training? Blows.  However, we did introduce the little frog potty, and PJ seems to be liking that much better.  He won't tell us when he has to go just yet, but he does sit on it and go pretty much every time we bring him to it.  So that's something.  My best friend told me it took her two months start to finish with her boys.  As long as he's good to go by his third birthday in March, I'll be a happy mama.  But seriously.  Hardest thing I've had to do as a parent - so far.

We got all our Christmas stuff up over the weekend - except the tree, because we get a real one so we wait till the first week of December.   PJ is just amazed by our Santa outside - he loves it.  I cannot wait till Christmas this year, it's going to be so awesome.

Saturday was the hospice meeting for my mom.  I let her in. I explained to her my mom was against it, both my parents are in a bit of denial, and I thought hospice should have come in months ago. She totally understood.  It's important to note this meeting was almost cancelled because my stepdad fell over the coffee table on Thanksgiving night, and dropped my mom and she face planted and her face is horribly bruised.  He wanted to cancel because he didn't want anyone to see her like that.  Luckily, I was able to talk sense into him, how this is the REASON he needs help.


We discussed why we thought hospice was needed. My stepdad explained how every 2-3 minutes (literally) he has to reposition her on the couch. How he hasn't left the house since 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. I said he needed help, he can't do it alone.

Penny said that accepting hospice is simply managing symptoms to make you comfortable. That their goal is to make her comfortable. That's it. Whatever it takes, they will do it. She told my stepdad it's obvious he has taken wonderful care of my mom and there's nothing wrong with getting help.

He freaked out at this point and yelled "I have not done a wonderful job!!! Look at her face!"  Penny explained that the fall is one of the reasons he can't expect to do this alone.

She also asked if there was a DNR in place. I said no. She asked my mom if she would want to be resuscitated if her heart stopped. I haven't seen my mom move her head so adamantly in months -- NO.  My stepdad was visibly upset by this. Penny explained that there was a form to be signed because otherwise medical personnel is required to do chest compressions and/or insert a tube.

My mom is getting Ativan for anxiety and restlessness, which will hopefully help with her constantly needing to be adjusted. She's also getting Ambien to help her sleep -- they sleep 2-3 hours a night. She also has pain medicine, stool softenenerand some other medications that will be added to and/or adjusted as needed. A nurse will go there daily. An aide will come and bathe her and wash her hair and style her hair. My stepdad was beside himself for this -- he straightens my moms hair every other day and the aide will do this. The aides will also come sit with my mom so he can go to the store, the doctor, whatever he needs to do.

She also finally agreed to a hospital bed, after some convincing by me. I explained it might make her feel more comfortable, that she might not be in so much pain. I also told her to do it for stepdad, so he doesn't have to worry about falling if she's in an adjustable bed.  The meds came that night and they've slept better -- not fantastic, but much better since.

So that is my weekend wrapup. 

And I really need to start fucking Christmas shopping.