Multitasking

In one of the rare moments when my professional life and my scientific duties here at the Fremont Street Center for Healthy Aging overlap, I sat down to watch TV with Mother, and Hellboy (the first one) was on. Hellboy was produced by Mike Richardson, who is an Oregonian, so it qualifies as an Oregon film under the expanded definition we are using for the festival.   Once it was on, Mother fell instantly asleep and I began blogging, so it is pretty clear that we are not among the millions who love Hellboy. This still is from the production I am watching. The guy on the right is the director, Mexican cinematic genius du jour, Guillermo del Toro.

The Self Healing Human

Mother's discolored toe is all cleared up. It may be the problem came from Mother adjusting her sandals so tightly that they interfered with circulation. We are going to alter the offending sandal strap(s) so it is not possible for her to do this again. She can tighten them as much as she wishes, but not cause harm.

Mother is in excellent health: more trim and lively, with pink in her cheeks. She accepts her own reliance on the caregivers, Marcie and Margaret, and misses them (asks for them, comments on their absence) when they are not in the house.

 

This Morning, Thinking About Mother

Surprised to see Mother in the basement, Dennis asked Mother why she followed him down. She replied "Just looking for a little kiss". 

The Paul Simon song kept running through my head "....til he cried out/In his anger and his shame/I am leaving, I am leaving/But the fighter still remains".

Safeway Adventure

Marcie & Mother took advantage of the perfect weather to go grocery shopping today at Safeway. They went both there and back on the bus. Mother pushed the shopping cart.  Another example of holistic care - Mother was shopping, something she did every week of her adult life.

American Beauty

Margaret took Mother to the Peninsula Park Rose Garden yesterday. The intense heat wave is over, and the weather is mild so Mother likes being out.

She Does Yoga Too

Here's a link to The Sandwich Generation, a video by a filmmaker and a photojournalist who are caring for a parent with Alzheimers in their home. The Fremont Street Center for Healthy Aging has a more specialized focus than this family had - we are not trying to raise young children and study aging at the same time.

Dr. Report

The report from the visit to Dr. Harbison.

It had been six months since he last saw Mother. He checked her out thoroughly, and was not concerned about the discoloration of her toe. He recommended two things. He said he thought she should stay on the Coumadin, and that we should make an appt with her oncologist because the last time she was seen by that doctor was a year ago.

Mother has no problem going to the doctor. She is comfortable with all stages of the trip - the elevator ride, the hallway trek, waiting for her name to be called, sitting in the exam room. She was able to cooperate with all of Dr. Harbison's requests. Margaret was amazed by how relaxed she was.

Mother always liked Kaiser. She secured lifetime Kaiser coverage for herself (& Glen) when she became a civil servant. She planned to get the quality healthcare she now receives.

The discoloration of her toe seems to be going away.