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family stuff
Sep. 21st, 2005 10:06 amI got a call last week about the aunt for whom I was named. She's 90 now and has been living alone in the same house she lived in with her parents until their deaths. On Wed she didn't show up at the museum where she was supposed to volunteer that day, and the fellow who was there got concerned. When he went to the house, he could see her lying on the floor in the hall. He called 911 and they took her to the hospital. The doc there was such an idiot he didn't even order bloodwork, but just sent her home with friends. I'm not sure of the sequence of events after that, but they apparently contacted a more responsible doctor and took her back to the hospital. She was dehydrated, had been having trouble eating, and had a heart murmur. They also did some tests (MRI, maybe?) to see if she had a PIN stroke (??- not familiar with that terminology) but don't have the results yet.
Last time I saw her was when my daughter and I went to Kentucky last. She seemed to be doing reasonably well then, even though she has shrunk from about 5'11" tall to being shorter than I am, and weighs about as much as your average sparrow.
When I talked to Mother over the weekend, the plan was to find someone to stay with her during the days and someone to sleep there at night. This morning Mother said Aunt S is going into a nursing home, and is happy about the idea (she's familiar with the place and feels they're responsible.) I got the idea somehow that this might be temporary until they get people lined up to stay with her, but I don't recall exactly what was said to make me think that. She has unfortunately not been able to keep the house clean at all, and Mother has been helping a local friend clean up. They're throwing out rugs the pets have destroyed along with tons of just stuff that my aunt has been unwilling to part with.
There's no good way to end this post-- no beautiful sentiment or hopeful comment. She's always been my favorite aunt, and I'm sad to know that she's fading. I think it's time for another visit to Kentucky. When we moved to NC, 500 miles seemed to be the perfect distance-- possible to drive in one day but too far for drop-in visits. Now it's about 400 miles too far.
Last time I saw her was when my daughter and I went to Kentucky last. She seemed to be doing reasonably well then, even though she has shrunk from about 5'11" tall to being shorter than I am, and weighs about as much as your average sparrow.
When I talked to Mother over the weekend, the plan was to find someone to stay with her during the days and someone to sleep there at night. This morning Mother said Aunt S is going into a nursing home, and is happy about the idea (she's familiar with the place and feels they're responsible.) I got the idea somehow that this might be temporary until they get people lined up to stay with her, but I don't recall exactly what was said to make me think that. She has unfortunately not been able to keep the house clean at all, and Mother has been helping a local friend clean up. They're throwing out rugs the pets have destroyed along with tons of just stuff that my aunt has been unwilling to part with.
There's no good way to end this post-- no beautiful sentiment or hopeful comment. She's always been my favorite aunt, and I'm sad to know that she's fading. I think it's time for another visit to Kentucky. When we moved to NC, 500 miles seemed to be the perfect distance-- possible to drive in one day but too far for drop-in visits. Now it's about 400 miles too far.
