Gosh, it's been almost two years since my last post! And it's not because I've been busy. I guess I just didn't feel like writing. Or correction: I actually did start a few posts but never got around to finishing them. Yes, that's about right.
So here we are, trying to get back into the habit.
First of all, I'd like to assure everyone that Mama, the star of this series, is STILL ALIVE! A round of applause please, because she is turning (add a drumroll) NINETY-TWO (yes, that's 92) in 44 days!
And though I hate tooting my own horn, I know her extended long life can be attributed to my and my husband's care. I mean, if we weren't around or if we hadn't committed ourselves, albeit reluctantly at first, to taking care of her, then most likely she would have passed on long ago. That's the reality.
So what's her situation now?
Well, I hate to say it, but it's the truth. We're in the waiting stage. Waiting for what, you ask? Duh. Nothing! Waiting for nothing, waiting for anything, waiting for God's Will. And yes, we have accepted it.
But in the meantime, we still make the effort to keep her fed, warm and as comfortable as possible. It's a bit of a challenge really, because her Alzheimer's is so advanced that she no longer reacts to anything anymore. Her face shows no expression at all - whether she's in pain, or if she recognizes us, or if she's happy or sad, or she has an itch that needs scratching.. None. Nada.
She has also stopped talking. Her last full sentence was in July this year. My husband was leaving for Manila to attend his brother's wedding-slash-family reunion, and when he told Mama, she looked straight into his eyes and said, "Saan ka pupunta?" (Where are you going?)
I forgot to mention that Mama was hospitalized three times in the last four months. The first admission was from May 31-June 15. The diagnosis was pneumonia. The second admission was from June 22-July 5, and she was treated for bed sores and malnutrition. The third admission was from September 11-22, and she was in for a repeat pneumonia. We came home with an oxygen concentrator and oxygen tanks in case of emergency.
Today, we just continue the schedule the hospital nutritionist gave us. We feed her a milk-vegetable/fruit mix every four hours, starting at 8:00 AM until 12:00 MN. Her caregiver handles the day feedings until dinner time (8:00 PM) while I stay up for the midnight feeding.
This is actually right for me because I am a natural insomniac. I have been one since college so it's no biggie. I just make up for it by napping in the afternoon. My kitties nap with me.
The family is planning a big reunion in November. They won't be able to make it until Mama's birthday on December 5, so we'll just have to make the celebration one for the books. It will be the first time all her children will be together since 2013.
Sunrise at Apalit, Pampanga
To God Be the Glory!
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