Wednesday Update

It's been a day of decision-making for Mom. The pain medication she was on caused a lot of confusion, so I felt a great responsibility to help her understand her choices clearly. It was a day when I longed for a sibling to share in this decision-making process.

Mom does continue to make progress, although it's difficult for her to see it. I watched her during all three hours of her therapy today. She took tiny, painful steps, with help from the therapist and two sturdy rails. All together she probably walked 18 feet (not all at one time). They are also having her strengthen her upper body, since she'll be using it more, to support herself and to pull and push herself up while she heals.

This evening, the doctor ordered that Mom's pain medication be cut in half, since we thought it was the root of her mental confusion. We hope the lower dosage will make a difference. However, as I told her, "If you need the medicine to keep you out of pain, take it and just lie back and enjoy the mad hatter's ride."

At the end of the day, the decision was made, at least for now, for her to stay in the hospital's rehab wing, rather than moving to the other facility, as she originally planned. Our hope is that she will make more rapid progress there, and be able to go home sooner. Once she is discharged, we plan to arrange for home-health care to come to the house as much as is needed.

After a couple of phone conversations with Dan today, he convinced me that staying until Saturday would be wise. So I shall. I'm so grateful for the nice people I work with and for, who are totally supportive of "family first."