OK, here we go! There really isn't a lot to tell since I had to leave yesterday for my cardiology appointment. Bill was really glad to see his sister yesterday morning and we went to physical therapy with him. We distracted him some, so today we are waiting patiently for him in his room.

I missed occupational and speech therapy, but Shirley said he did basically the same OT that he did in PT except he didn't do any walking. I know he had a different OT therapist than his usual one, so maybe that was the difference.

Speech worked with him on cognition and memory, and the social worker also came in and asked a lot of demographic questions. I really wish I had been there for those. They may want to give him a dementia diagnosis, when it's all stroke related problems. So I'll see what they say in the plan of care meeting tomorrow.

He didn't eat much lunch apparently yesterday, but Shirley took a picture of his tray and it didn't look good at all. He also said it was cold. But they did bring him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and some ice cream for a snack later. We're still not sure what his dinner entree was last night, but he ate all of it. It looked like a salmon croquette, or a tuna one or a chicken one. It was pretty dry and tasteless (I took a smidge to try to figure it out) but he ate it all along with his fruit cocktail.

His breakfast had been delivered before we got here this morning and he was breaking all the rules. He was reclined in bed eating. They are supposed to be in their chairs for meals, so not only did he break the rules, the center also broke the rules. But, I took his table away and got him up before he took another bite. He hadn't been eating long and today he ate all of his oatmeal and part of his toast and eggs. There's a small problem with the trays coming cold now that I'll have to mention. Because his has to be mechanicalized (chopped) they come last and they may put everything that doesn't have to be on the tray first and let it sit. So, another point to bring up tomorrow.

He and I had to have a talk when I got back from Memphis because he refused a shower...again. I told him he has to stop doing that. He hasn't had one since last Wednesday. They only do twice a week anyway and he refused the one on Friday during therapy and the aides were supposed to come later in the day, but they didn't. So, if they ask him today, he has no choice.

He also broke another rule along with his sister, although she didn't know he wasn't supposed to do it and was only trying to help. He needed to have a bowel movement and he WALKED to the bathroom...without his oxygen! He knows they are supposed to help him in and out in his chair. Shirley didn't know this and she walked right beside him holding on to him and stood outside the door and then helped him clean up, but I really scolded him because he knows better.

We left him shortly after he had dinner last night and it was late and had dinner at Olive Garden. We were all very tired and I was asleep before 9:30 last night. It's supposed to rain hard tonight so we are probably going to eat at the hotel. We have some leftovers and I had gotten some ready to eat soups and sandwich makings for the room. That way we don't have to run in and out of the rain. Then again, that may be lunch and we will do something else for dinner, who knows.

My appointment was OK, EKG was the same, but my blood pressure was up. I told her everything that had been going on with Bill so she understood that the stress level had gone up. I told her that I had been bad and stopped drinking water like I was supposed to and even though I have lost about 10 pounds she said my pressure shouldn't be as high as it was, and it wasn't extremely high, 158 over something, and it came down to 142 over something. So, she did some labs and wants me to keep track of it more. That was something I was doing every day before Bill got so sick in November. I also told her that I would drink more water again. I think a problem with the pressure was the Ibuprofen I've been taking for my heel, so I'm going to also cut down on that.

So, you are caught up for now. When I get some results I'll let you know and I'll keep you posted on Bill's antics!