The Truth of the Matter

Yesterday my siblings and I received lots of phone calls from Mom. I answered most of the calls she made to me. Her calls were less demanding and her language less colorful. In fact, they were a bit pitiful early in the morning. She started off by saying she was sick and needed a doctor. I told her that there was a nurse right outside the door. She hung up on me :) And so it went. Most of the later calls, she told me that she wanted out of this place and to go back to the old place. Of course, she has been telling me for two years that she wanted out of the old place. Each time she called, I encouraged her to get up and get out and enjoy the activities - that she needed to get well and get stronger.  She would answer that they were not doing anything, and then hang up on me. The last call was about 7PM when she told me that she needed her phone charger, because her phone was going to die and she wouldn't be able to call us. I had to laugh. Why would I take her the charger if she is just going to yell at me? Maybe I will take it when she settles down more.

Now the truth of the matter:
My brother went by the HOH (House of Hope) to check on Mom, but she was not in her room. She was down listening to music on another wing. The nurse said that Mom had also gone to get her hair done at the beauty shop. So Pete stopped by to talk to the hairdresser, who happens to have been one of Mom's old students. She said Mom had been great - really sweet - and all went well. Then the administrator for the HOH came by and told Pete that he had visited with Mom too. He said she was very nice and all seemed to be going well. Pete talked to the nurse on the B wing (where Mom lives). She said Mom had done well through the night and was having a good day. But, that when patients see their family, sometimes it triggers their memory and they remember that they are suppose to be angry. Pete asked if he should see Mom. The nurse told him that he could, but that she would probably get angry and upset, but that was okay, and she (the nurse) would deal with it. So Pete saw Mom as she was coming out of the music concert. He said she was talking and laughing and saying the food was really much better there. When they got to her room, all hell broke loose again. The memory was triggered. And so Pete left and let the nurse deal with it.

It is all going to be okay. Mom was angry before she moved in, she is still angry, but she is engaged in activities and well taken care of. I can live with that.