An old aquaintance

At the hospital, we have to line up to get in as we have to get screened before going, in my case, to visit my mom. Yesterday while standing in line, the lady in front of me said hi to me. I said hi back, but didn't know who she was. She told me she recognized me and I asked from where. "The clinic" she says. As soon as I heard the voice better, I said "Ruby!" She was one of my nurses back when I was first diagnosed with my ITP. I hadn't seen her in years! I transferred from that hospital to our other one before she retired, but I knew she had. She's been retired for 13 years! Hasn't seen me since longer than that and still recognized me!
She was one of my favorite nurses. Always wore her cap. I often wondered how she was, and lo and behold, she pops up in front of me waiting in a line up!

That is so neat Cindy! You must have been one of her favorites too or she wouldn't probably have recognized you after all these years [they see so many patients]. That was a breath of fresh air wasn't it?!

Hope Mom is doing well.

Merry Christmas!

Brilliant Cindy
I walk my dog for about 4-5 miles every morning, preferably across fields. We are lucky enough to be less than 10 minutes on foot before we are in the countryside. A month ago I bumped into a woman who I haven't seen since we left school in 1973, she recognised me immediately.
Then lo and behold a week later the same thing happened in a different place only I recognised her before she did me. Both were farmers daughters both still live on the farms having worked on them all their lives. Not only that we are all season ticket holders for the same local football team.

Enjoy your festivities

Mel, I was really surprised when she said she recognized me! It's been so long since I've seen her.
As for mum, well, it depends on the day. She's definitely getting deafer and harder to talk to because of it. She's bored, of course. She gets drained 3 times a week, but sometimes I don't think it's working. Right now, we just take it day by day. Yesterday, I had a good day with her. Today, she seemed a little cranky. We'll be going to see her tomorrow as usual.
Mrsb, I lost touch with most of my childhood friends, but am now friends with 2 of them on Facebook! It's awesome to be in touch with people from my past! They both looked me up.

Cindy
6 of my close school friends still live locally. Prior to the pandemic we used to meet up on the first Monday of the month for coffee. Now we zoom monthly and have a whatsapp group which is great as the one who now lives in USA also joins in. We are hoping the one in Tasmania will be doing so too. She joined us for coffee when she visited last year. Hope you mum enjoys her day

None of my old friends live anywhere near me. I'm grateful for Facebook.
Thank you. We will be going up to see mum in a few hours and I will be staying with her during her supper.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Darn it - I typed a message and it isn't here.

Since I don't live in the State where I grew up I don't have any "old" friends nearby.

Cindy I hope you & Mom had a good time at dinner together! I've been grumpy lately too - my now unbroken shoulder is awful, only took 2 years from the break to get arthritis and a good bone spur, and my right shoulder has arthritis in it and has been giving me fits too. I see an sports medicine ortho in a couple weeks - don't want a surgeon as I do not want surgery!!

Mrsb - hope you had a Merry Christmas!

I did Melinda thank you.
Still suffering the after effects from broken wrists 9 months ago. Lost muscle strength in both shoulders & poor grip strength in R wrist has led to trigger syndrome in thumb. Physio has restarted. Hope your ortho appointment goes OK. Fully understand about avoiding surgeons I do too.

Mel, Mum slept through the visits with my brother and hubby and even I had a hard time getting her to wake up. She only did so when I got the nurses to come in and give her a boost for supper. They had their turkey dinner at noon so she only had a light supper.
But all in all, once she did wake up we did have a good visit. The patients all got goodies from the hospital foundation.
I find every once in a while my hand feels weak (the one I sprained 3 years ago when mum was in the hospital). The PT guy I worked with said it could happen.
Hope you both heal without needing surgery.

Oh Anne I'm sorry - and to have the broken wrists cause problems with your shoulders is adding insult to injury! Hope Physio will help you!! I'm thinking that's what the sports med ortho will be having me do - I'm not quite sure I'm ready to go into the PT office yet, maybe ortho will have some exercises to help. What I'm concerned about is the left side of my neck will get tingly at times & if I move then it stops. Keep me posted on how you are doing!!

Cindy - maybe that good turkey dinner at noon made Mom sleepy. I am delighted you had a good visit. That is so neat the hospital foundation gave the patients goodies - made them feel so special! I'm so thrilled with the assisted living place my stepmom lives in - may have already said this - so far no residents have covid [I'm knocking on wood - my stepmom will be 94 in March], they are very strict and with the increase in cases across the country my stepsister can no longer visit her once a week in a controlled location on site.

Cindy did the PT guy say that weak hand would stay that way or that something can be done via exercises?
I tell you - the 3 of us are messes

Mel, mum ddn't even remember if she ate much. Her memory is getting really bad and she is getting deafer. Knowing her, she probably didn't eat much at noon. She only eats supper because either my sister or I are there to make her. She was awake for my brother's visit today. As long as she stays in the hospital, we'll be able to visit her. One of the nursing homes on her list restricts visitation by letting only 2 people (and it has to be the same 2) in every 7 days. With 3 kids and a son-in-law, I don't want to make that decision. My brother would probably have a fit if I excluded him.
I don't do exercises on my hand, but I do plastic canvas and that keeps it moving. I don't notice any difference in the hand unless the weather is really bad. Sometimes it gets tingly.

Do you or your sister go every day to have supper with your Mom?
That would be hard to have 3 siblings but only the same 2 could visit at a nursing home! During the summer someone I know was in the hospital, not covid related, and could only have 1 visitor a day & if that person left he/she could not go back that day. At least people could alternate days.

Interesting your hand reacts to the weather. I was thinking maybe my knees or shoulder would but they don't seem to.

Happy New Year you two!! And I pray it is a healthy one!!

I'm there every day. Lately my brother has been going every day too. My sister relieves me 3 evenings/week. She went up tonight and replaced my brother. I try to let him have a lot of time with her, so I didn't go today. I'll definitely go tomorrow.I'm her next of kin and her POA, but I'll probably list my brother as one visitor and maybe my sister. Or I'll just leave it up to mum. I'm not sure if both visitors have to to go on the same day but will find out when she goes to the home.
Yeah, my physio guy said that could happen. I don't notice it much anymore.
Happy New Year to you, too!

Know that must be hard on you being at the hospital every day. it is nice your brother is going more often isn't it.
Probably if you leave it up to your Mom she might not get the gist of what is going on. Do you anticipate she will be going to the home any time soon?

Unfortunately, my brother and I don't always get along. He's very opinionated and likes things done his way. I'm glad he's going up more; he left home at a young age and didn't really start spending more time here until mum and dad's 50th Anniversary. He's been living here steadily since mum fell out of bed 3 years ago.
I don't think she does understand that she'll only be able to have 2 visitors. But since she lived with us, she'll probably name Steven and me as her visitors . She would already be in one if I hadn't screwed up. So now she has to wait again. But that works for us. We can all still see her, even if it is just one at a time.

I'm glad you are able to see your mum Cindy. When Dad was in hospital & then the care home before he died I couldn't go see him because the city about 15 miles away from where I live was in lockdown so I was classed as high risk to him and others. Fortunately my brother & eldest son whom he lived close to were able to go visit. I managed a few face times with him but not the same I'm afraid.
I take this opportunity to wish you and Melinda a good new year. Over here the Oxford Vaccine has just been licensed so we finally have light at the end of a very long tunnel.

I know how hard that must have been for you mrsb to not see your dad. The hospital was in total lock down for 3 weeks as my Province was reporting case after case. Even here in my city, we had more than through the whole pandemic. We had to rely on talking to her on the phone, and that was hard enough. She barely hears me when I'm with her and it was doubly hard on the phone.
My Province is getting 2400 doses, but it's all going to a city up North as that's where one of the worst break outs was. Health care workers, nursing home staff and patients are getting the first shots. I have no problem with that. Are you in line to be one of the first ones vaccinated?
I wish you and Mel a very Happy New Year!

The rules have ben changed now so that end of life patients can receive visitors.
I can't see me getting a vaccination in the near future as I am retired now.

Anyone on Palitive care can have visitors. But just 2 at a time.
I don't have any problem with the flu shot, but I want to see how the covid vaccine works. I think it's going to be sometime in the summer before Canada sees enough for the gen pop. I'll keep being careful and take my chances.
Got the call this morning that mum is going to her second choice of homes on Monday. Glad in one way, but sad in another. I know in my heart that it's the best thing for her as we can't take care of her anymore. I told her when I went up to see her this afternoon and she seemed to be okay with it. She realizes why we're doing it. At least we can all visit her. Steven and I will have a set day and my brother and sister can make an appointment and they will have to go together. Not sure how that's going to work out!
Now we really have to look for another place to live. Not a lot going at our price range around here. But I really don't want to stay here because mum's not going to be here.

My heart goes out to you Cindy. Take care ..Anne

Thanks, Anne.

My heart goes out to you also Cindy! I can't imagine what you are going through.

Well, the deed is done. Mum moved into the nursing home yesterday. We did get to spend some time with her after going over all the paperwork. She seemed to be okay. Nurses kept coming in to meet her and she was laughing and chatting with them and us. One of the first things she asked for was her ice water. She drinks that like it's going out of style!
I get a really good vibe from the place, too. The staff all seem friendly and the Director of Care told me if I had any issues, not to hesitate getting in touch with her. We will have our regular weekly visits with her on Thursdays just after supper. My brother and sister will have to make their own arrangements. But at least they can visit.
I'll be so glad when this Covid crap is over, and I can see her more than once a week!

Tha is good news Cindy. Hopefully your Mum will settle soon in. It must besoms much nicer and more homely than being in hospital.
I worked in a nursing home many years ago. It was like one big happy family.

I was trying to hold off calling to see how she was, but I gave in and called last night. Got a good report from the ward clerk. She told us mum ate all of her supper (clam chowder) and dessert but didn't want a bed snack. They already find that she is a social butterfly! She loves to people watch!
We'll be taking her phone over to the home, probably today as they will hold it for 48 hours.
The problem now is, my Province is back in the orange phase, so that means no visiting mum! We are not happy campers right now! But once they do whatever it is they do to the phone, we'll be able to call her. This is her own phone, so us kids are all programmed in and all she needs to do is push our corresponding button.
The way her bed is, it faces a window, so if we wanted, we could go stand outside her room and wave at her! Once we figure out what room is hers, that is! All-in-all, I do feel much better as far as she is concerned.

We have gone back into lockdown for the 3rd time.

I've heard that, mrsb. And you guys have a worse strain right now, too. Apparently, 2 of our Provinces also have it now.
I hate this Covid crap!

Apparently it spreads at a faster rate but is (allegedly) no stronger than the original one. It is the nature of viruses to mutate.
I expect the vaccine will have to be tweaked every year like the 'flu one is.

Well, that is good news. And yeah, I hope there is lots of tweaking of the vaccine.
Got an e-mail yesterday saying the home will be in touch with us about getting permission to give mum the vaccine. Of course, we'll give it. They don't know when they will be getting it, but they are getting things ready.

Will it have to be tweaked though - it isn't a vaccine like a flu vaccine. I had it explained to me the other day and from that explanation it sounded like the covid-19 gene is still in the mutation so the vaccine should "get" it. My stepsister recently signed the papers so my stepmom could get the vaccine when they get it. I'm on a virtual list to get it.

So glad to hear your Mom is settling in Cindy - that's great! My stepmom was put in quarantine on Dec 21 - she had to go to her rheumatologist, got a call on the 21st an employee there had covid so my stepmom let the assisted living people know and they put her in quarantine for 8 days - she couldn't go out of her room, had to have Christmas dinner alone, was back in the dining room on the 30th when "freed".