Long time, no write...

Guilty as charged...
Six months and one day ago, I wrote a post on June 29th. Yeah, I know, I'm so incredibly bad for not writing sooner!!! (Note: that's with three, count them, three, exclamation marks.) I have no real excuse, except that I've just been downright lazy about posting.

Mayan's and the election...
The good news is that the world did not end on December 21st as the Mayan Indians predicted. The bad news is that we have another four years of Barack Obama in the White House. To tell you the truth, I don't even like calling him the head of our country, because he has made an absolute joke of this title. I have talked to many other relatives and friends  and they feel the same way. I am not picking on him because he is black. On the contrary, that is not my issue with him at all. I dislike him because he really does not respect the United States of America, it's people or it's beliefs of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I believe that the election was rigged with many, many people voting more than once for Obama.

Digressing...
OK, enough of the world ending and the stupid election, I will talk about something else.

August 9th...
On this day, Mom unfortunately fell down three steps and fractured her right hip. She was taken to Wayne Hospital in Greenville and stayed there until the 16th. Even though the fracture caused Mom a great deal of pain, it did not show up with an X-ray, but they had to do an MRI to see it. Mom was also diagnosed as having a mild case of pneumonia and after doing a swallowing test, they found out that with every swallow she took, the liquids were going directly into her lungs.

Backing up a bit...
About two years ago Mom saw a neurologist, Dr. Rabindra Kitchener in Troy and he diagnosed her as having chronic progressive external opthalmoplegia. Basically, it affects the muscles of the eyes and limbs, as well as causing choking when swallowing, because those muscles are also weak. Dr. Kitchener discharged Mom, he told her to walk a mile a day and sent her home with a canister of powdered Thick-it that Mom used once and did not like the consistency which it made the liquids, so she stopped using it. She also did not feel up to walking every day, so that never happened either.

Simply Thick to the rescue...
While Mom was still in the hospital, the speech therapists started putting Simply Thick in all of her liquids at a pudding consistency. Right from the start Mom was not too thrilled with having to drink such thick liquids, but the goal was for her to regain the swallowing muscles so she would no longer choke and would eventually be able to drink liquids without the Simply Thick.

The Gardens of St. Henry...
Mom recovered another eight weeks at the nursing home where she had more physical and speech therapy. For about the first six weeks, Mom could only put 50% of her weight on her leg, which was difficult, but at least she was able to use a walker with wheels. By the time Mom was released on October 12th, she was once again able to put her full weight on her right leg, while still using her walker on wheels to help her keep her balance and move around the house a little easier. Mom is still not doing as well as she was prior to falling, but considering that she's still able to dress herself, go to the bathroom and do a small amount of cooking every day, she feels fortunate.

Home, sweet home...
For many years Mom wanted to get new bedroom carpet and her walls painted, so while she was hospitalized and having rehab in the nursing home, I told my brothers and sister that it was time we get her bedroom done for her. On October 12th, Mom returned home to a de-cluttered bedroom, new carpet, painted blue walls and white ceiling and two framed paintings. The bathroom/utility room behind Mom's bedroom was also revamped and now it's also looks so much better.

Timing is everything...
When Mom initially fell, I was really concerned with how difficult it was going to be for her to recover, but then as time went by and she was getting stronger and really getting some much needed help for the swallowing and choking problems that she had for at least three years, I realized more and more that the fall was God's divine intervention for three reasons.
     1) Mom fell down three steps, when she could have fallen down the basement steps, which would have really caused multiple breaks instead of just a small hip fracture.
     2) Since Mom's swallowing and choking problems were finally addressed, she is now getting some much needed help with it to help her stay healthier and stronger.
     3) Mom's bedroom and the bathroom/utility room, which she wanted redecorated for about eight years, finally got done.

Well, that's about it for now...
As the old saying goes, "I won't put all my eggs in one basket." so I'll end this post and write more over the next few weeks and months ... I hope!!!