[Dailydrool] Pierre "gets me every time" and a little drool for my Mom, please

[jacquelynn chazey]

Oh that Pierre, he does this to me every morning, and I fall for it every time.  He gets up and wanders to the edge of the King sized bed as if he needs to go out RIGHT NOW, so I get out of bed, find my shoes, and I am ready to get him out.  By this time, he is back to sleep curled up on MY pillow and fleece blanket.  So I find a place next to him and snuggle some more.  (I still have to post about this past Sunday and our walk and swim... it was great.)
Saw Mom on Sunday, and it was around 3, and I had jr. with me, and I was appalled that Mom was covered in chunks of jello and jello and cottage cheese stain on the shirt and pants both.  Lunch was at noon, so she was sitting there like this for a while.  This is a Sunrise Assisted Living, not a crappy nursing home, and I was ready to change her myself, and the aide who was there said, no, no, I'll do it, I just need someone to help me, it will get done in a moment.  An hour went by, and I chide myself for even waiting an hour, and Mom said she was cold, so I started to wheel her to her room to change her, and all of a sudden the aide came by to do it.  During that time, Mom had coughed a nasty cough, really came up from her toes, so I asked for the nurse who wasn't there YET (supposed to be 24/7), and requested that Mom get some cough medicine.  I spoke with the head nurse the following morning, ASAP, and she followed through and got Mom on antibiotics and cough medicine after first trying to brush it off as allergies to which I insisted NOT.  She told me she would quarantine Mom and to not visit that day.  Forget about this, I went on Tuesday, and when I saw her at the lunch table, all weak, asleep and not even making an effort to eat, and no one trying to help her, I stayed and fed her, and when prompted she ate, not spilling a drop on herself either.  By dinner time, she was eating on her own, but still in obvious pain of congestion and pressure.  I brought her REAL oj for extra vitamins and REAL tea.  I didn't notice till she was almost finished with her dinner that while it was supposed to be a warm meal, fish and potatoes, it was not warm at all, but she really appreciated the warmth of the tea I brought her.  After dinner, I wheeled her to the common room, got a nice blanket on her, elevated her feet, and a very nice resident sat next to her.  Mom is the basset team leader of the family.  When I first returned home after years of being away, she made me take her to North Shore Animal leauge, and we adopted Audrey basset (ATB), a real devil dog but a great one.  When Fred basset passed in 2000, she made me drive her again to NSAL, and we adopted Pumpkin puppy, the matriarch of this current herd.  Granted, Mom went a little over board when the dementia kicked in, but were it not for her, I would have never had the experience of the joy of so many hounds at once.  It is at times frustrating and nerve racking, but mostly it is an utter joy.  I am going to visit her for breakfast today, and since Miss Nikki has a play date with Ginger from BHRA (they are having an Omaha steak party BBQ), Sis will go for lunch.  Nikki and I will go for the dinner again tonight, and I will bring some chews for Nikki, leave her in Mom's room, in case Mom needs me during the meal.  She is 83.  I can't even begin to imagine how awful she must feel.
Healing drool to all others in need.
Jackie and the herd 		 	   		  
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