Confusion today...

Today mom is still confused. The Home Health Nurse sent a request for labs to the doc , but when we called the doctor's office they hadn't received the request. Soooo more phone time. Tony is off today so he headed to the lab to get the right tubes to draw mom's blood. If he wasn't off it would probably be another day or two before we get the answers to why she is confused. It is often ammonia levels which are building up in her blood/brain and affect her ability to think clearly. I'm also concerned about her potassium. When she was in the hospital last they took her off the potassium completely because it was slightly high. Within a week it was normal, I'm guessing that possibly her potassium is now too low..or not. Tony will be home in about 30 minutes with the tubes, we'll draw her and get it back to the lab. Since it is a STAT Tony will stay and work it up himself and then call the doctor with the results. So I'm hoping to know by 2 or 3PM what is causing the confusion and be able to adjust mom's meds and see some improvement.

We are still considering paracentesis to lessen the pressure building up in mom's bod. She isn't having any shortness of breath or pain and when we have discussed it she isn't wanting one. She knows there are some risks and once you start having taps then you usually have to have them more often, increasing risk of infection.

Mom said she didn't feel well Monday or Tuesday and then today she said something is wrong. So I know she knows...which is good in some ways. She has enough going on up there in her brain to know things are out of whack.

She ate a good breakfast; poached egg, 1/2 of her sourdough toast, and only a few sips of her boost.

After her breakfast I turned her on her side, massaged some lotion into her legs and feet, massaged her hip which was bothering her, and changed two skin tear bandages and a tailbone bandage.

This afternoon I'll shampoo her hair and give her a bed bath. Never a dull moment. Now on to Sam's math! Decimals today.

Today's word was about Honoring Parents, Exodus and Ephesians. The first commandment with a promise. That you will live long on the earth and it will go well with you! Praise God!

Yesterday was about the Blessing Parents bestow upon their children and what happens in people's lives when their parents don't give them their blessing. How they spend their lives searching for significance to fill that void. It was so precious when later in the day mom said "I'm so proud of my family." She has only spoken in broken sentences and mostly answering our questions, smiling, or such...so when she shared that with me, I was quite moved.

Dad was outside burning early today. Since mom was only up once last night he had a good long sleep. He's reading a western in the recliner while Sarah is practicing her piano...which isn't always soothing, working through a new piece can leave my teeth on edge. I'll have to see how he is handling it.

Tony and I were invited to dinner with good friends in Anchorage. We are waiting until the last minute to finalize our plans after we see the lab results.