Dot`sThoughts

July 30th, 2009

Yesterday was my older sister`s 80th Birthday. It was also my middle daughter`s 52nd Birthday, and a long time internet friend`s 42nd Birthday. A popular date for sure. They celebrated my sister`s Birthday with a surprise Birthday party on Sunday. It normally takes about 3 to 3 1/2 hours to drive to my sisters, but we got lost on the way and ended up getting there an hour late. We should have arrived there a half hour early. Everyone they asked either had never heard of Pulaski, or gave directions that were wrong. We ended up about 35 miles past where we were headed and had to drive back. Everyone had a great time. My other two sisters also went, the car belonged to a sister-in-law who was married to our oldest brother and a brother-in-law did the driving. Much better coming home as we drove on the Thruway part way home so we wouldn`t get lost again.


OH! How busy I have become lately. Worrying about my Aunt Hazel has turned into a different kind of worry. While in the hospital for an infection, she started getting mixed up about where she was. She was thinking she was at home and that some one had removed all her paintings off the wall and her furniture was missing. It was very hard seeing her that way. It started the following morning after she was admitted to the hospital. I keep wondering if the meds they gave her for the infection might have caused illusions, but no one else is thinking my way. After the infection was cured, things were still confused in her thinking. I noticed they were giving her shots to calm her. The first two hours when I arrived she was fine, then there was 4 hours of confusion. When I left her Saturday she asked me how many day I would be gone. Went to my sister`s surprise Birthday Party- we left early Sunday morning and came home Monday evening. So, I told her I would be gone for two days. Tuesday I went back to the Hospital to visit with her and learned her Dr told her she was going from the Hospital into a nursing home. Her thinking was very clear when I showed up to visit with her and she asked me if I was in on sending her to the Home. Of course I was not, but I am not sure she is believing me. Now, I am giving her a few days to settle in at the Nursing Home before I go there to visit her. I just hope she does realize that her going into the Home has nothing to do with me. It breaks my heart to have her leaving her home after so many years. She had grown up in the same home and when her father was ill, her and her Husband moved there to care for him and being an only child, the home was left to her. She has lived there every since. When her husband got ill, their youngest son and his wife moved in with them to help.
My Uncle passed away shortly before Christmas. He was my mother`s brother. They only had the two sons who are both married and there is a granddaughter. About the only other ones who were visiting my Aunt at home was my cousin Mary and myself.

I know it will be very hard for her. At Home she was able to get up when she wished, eat when she was hungry, do whatever she felt like doing and go to bed when ever she felt tired. She has a hand saw almost painted for me. She paints country scenes on old saws and on almost anything else she finds. She was also crocheting some still. I had bought her a large knitting case to hold her yarn and crochet needles which they probably will not allow her to have at the home and I am sure they will not allow the saw for her to finish painting it. I am hoping they do allow her to have a canvas and her paints as she so loves painting.

The Rescue Squad had told my cousin she would be transported to the Nursing Home about 1:30 on Monday. I went to visit her around 1PM and stayed till about three PM Monday and she was still there when I left. I arrived home to hear a message left on my phone from the cousin. I called him back to tell him she was still in the hospital at 3PM which surprised him. He thought they had taken her long before. I am not sure what time they ended up moving her to the Home. Later this evening I will call and see how things are going for her. My heart breaks for her. She had hoped to spend the rest of her life in her own home. She was born in 1920 and turned 89 years old on April 6th. She had been married for 67 years when her husband passed away last December. Their Anniversary was also on her Birthday, making her Birthday a sad day this year.

Last month my brother was almost moved to a Nursing Home, but arrangements were made for help so he could continue living at home.

I have spent so much time visiting them and the rest of my family, that I haven`t had time for writing in my blog. Hoping things settle down soon so I can again start visiting my friends blogs. I miss reading them.