Parents Update

A lot of you have been asking about how my mom and dad are doing. Thank you for asking - it really means a lot to me.

In these last few weeks we finally got dad settled in his 3rd nursing home which we are choosing to call an assisted living facility. Dad has great care there as the nursing staff is very attentive and the ratio of staff to patients is really good. We are pleased with the quality of care he is getting but maybe not so pleased with the extraordinary spendy price tag it comes with. But you know, they made the made the money and saved it and now its time to put it to good use by actually spending it for a great cause which would be both dad AND moms health. It is nice to know that dad is in a rippen sweet place, although its not HOME for him.

It has been a hard adjustment for us all but one that was always just around the corner for us to make. You want what is best and you do what you think is best...but its always with reservation. There has been a lot of that lately. Very tough decisions.

Mom is adjusting to life without dad around but at the same time has her own health needs to attend to. Her cyst that was to be totally removed was just drained instead and seems to be disappearing. It was a godsend that she did not have to endure a full surgery to have this accomplished. She is really too fragile for that.

But because she is so fragile, she just recently picked up a bacteria from the "assisted living facility" while visiting dad and is now under care for that. If it is not one thing it is another with older parents!

The good news is that we got her infection cleared up enough to get her off to Hawaii safe and sound for a much needed respite (although she had to push it back a week). She deserves time away after caring for dad for 3 years now after his massive stroke that took "only" his ability to communicate away from him. No, I haven't been able to talk WITH my dad for years now. Just TO him and even then I don't know if he understands me. I miss him although he is there.

So all in all they are "well" (if I really dare to use THAT word) but are both adjusting to their new lives of being apart after 56 years of marriage. It is not easy for them or us right now.