It gets you from head to toe

Hello, again. I wanted to fill you in on what has been going on. I have been quiet, taking a long-needed break, during my mother’s new 24-hour care which began last Friday, with the second of two aide’s who had been sleeping in. I called a few times to check in and things seemed to be going fairly well. My mother’s physician reported that he had visited and that “she turned a corner.” The clergy from hospice called and reported that she was “very related.” I had two  lengthy, actual conversations with my mother as opposed to the word rant-lecture when I’d be  a captive audience in preceding days. Our conversations were fairly appropriate give-and-takes of reality. When I spoke to the aide I could tell immediately how lovely she was; her flexible, deferring, calming nature went over big with my mother, who was now, again, asserting her dominance as the Queen of “do as I say.” I ordered the necessary decorative screen to visually create a little space between the aide and my mother, but when I mentioned  that it was arriving she went into her usual “there’s-too-much-stuff-in-my-room” snit. I countered with the law and the necessity and she backed off, thankfully listening to the voice of reason: an aide is supposed to have a room of her own, but a screen will do.

She was able to verbalize that she had “such vivid dreams of an erotic nature.” She probably would have been mortified if she knew that she was verbalizing, acting out and putting on a show. She said the dreams were upsetting to her and she had to make a conscious effort to shut them off: I would say the virus caused her pass through the thin veil of  reality, into  hallucinations and semi-dream states.

I estimate that my mother contracted the virus about three to four weeks ago and it has worked its way through her system, affected her thinking and exiting through her feet with the painful “covid toes” (important article) she was experiencing while we were participating in the conference call for increased home care two Saturdays ago. While you are at it, please read this article on seniors and covid 19.

After all of that worry it appears that “Candy” the aide was back to work, meaning, she took the live-in job. She began to call me, the call was ended before we could speak, I texted her to find out what was happening and she said that my mother was giving her a hard time from the moment she arrived this morning. I didn’t learn any more information. Then things went quiet. I am assuming they have to work out the rough edges or the “changing of the aide.”

I am hoping the aides remain well.

It sounds like everything is the way it was before the virus hit: my mother was being her usual ornery self.

The series starts here:
Part 1: And The Band Played On … a mother’s life, a daughter’s journey

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