Mom is better today.  She is very tired though.  I found her sleeping on the floor in her room at about 10 am.  I flipped out, but not at her.  I realized she probably couldn't get onto her bed, she has one of the thick mattress that make the bed super high.  She struggles at night every night to get in, she practically has to jump to get in.  Bob and I removed her bed frame and now she will be able to sit on her bed without practically jumping onto it.  Her headboard is still there, but it isn't attached to anything, it is just sitting there.  I was very worried as she was so tired today, she slept most of the day.  I hope she will sleep tonight.  Tomorrow I will be setting my alarm at 7:45 so i can call the doctor's office at 8:00 am to get a same day appointment.  The hospital said to have Mom see Dr. Gradolph right away, so as there was no appointments today, I will get up early for tomorrow.

Tomorrow I will also be in Waterford by 11 am with all the instruments I am selling.  I am meeting with Dan (he owns a music store) to price the instruments and to fix my clarinet.  It needs servicing.  I hope I don't forget it.  That would be bad.  I am excited about the instruments I am selling, I feel like a load is off my shoulders.  If only I could get rid of the 25 painted violins and violas.  I plan to do a give away here in May, and the rest will go to the auction place near my house.  Unless Dan wants some of them, they are all going.  I am not saving any for next years competition because I don't want to keep them around that long.  I am giving 2 to one of my friends for her little ones.  They are very into music instruments and anything make music.  That's how they are, very into music.

I have made some decisions about Mom.  I will enact them this week.  By Friday, all the decisions will be enacted and in place.  I feel good about the decisions I have made.  It is the best for me and for Mom.  Definitely best for us.  It's not that we won't be flexible to the situations that may arise, but they are definitely best for what we are going through and what is coming up for us.

Pain isn't too bad considering all that we have been through this weekend.  I dressed myself all by myself for the first time in months.  It was very difficult and rather painful, but since Mom can no longer help me, I have to do it myself.  The socks are the hardest, or at least the left sock.  The right one is no problem really, but the left is a doozy.  Oh well, at least I know I can do it by myself.

It has been a pretty good day compared to yesterday.  I hope your day has been good.

We just got back from the ER with Mom.  She had a CT scan, chest x-ray, blood tests, and urine tests.  Everything came back okay, except there may be something with her kidney's now.  She was very confused this morning, I mean really, really confused.  Way more than normal, it was hard for her to keep her head up, it was resting on the table and she thought it was up.  She is eating dinner now, she is doing a pretty good job with her dinner, I am happy about that.  Of course, this morning while she was super confused and couldn't hold anything, I was yelling and losing my patience.  She slept okay, I think, because she was up before me.  That in itself is nothing unusual, because she is often up before me.  I wonder if putting her back into bed would have help her.  I don't know because I didn't do it.  I don't know if that would have helped.  She nearly fell coming out of the house, but fortunately, she didn't, it was a close call.

After 3 1/2 hours of the emergency room, we were in and out.  We got in pretty quick too, I was impressed with that.  We saw the doctor right away too, I mean, it seemed like we just got in and there he was.  He said Mom needed to see her doctor right away this week for further testing.  It could also be Alzheimer's dropping too.  He said sometimes a person will do a drop and then go right back up again.  I will know more tomorrow.  Right now I am just happy she is eating something and is sitting up better than she was this morning.

Pain is a bit higher because of the stress.  I am very tired now.  I think after this Extreme Makeover show we are going to bed.  Mom is tired too, I think both from getting up early and going to emergency this afternoon.

Nap is over.  I slept for about an hour.  When I got up, I didn't know where Mom was.  I was a bit nervous until I heard the little voice say, I'm up here in my room.  Then I was relieved, she didn't go outside looking for me.  She came down to help with the laundry.  Right now, she is so not making any sense.  It happens a lot with Alzheimer's.  They get so confused and then they don't make sense.  I was asking her to drink her water so she will be healthier, she answered rather strangely.  I am getting used to this but it is unnerving.  

Today was rather boring except for the two lessons.  Both were good lessons and then we went to Red Lobster for dinner.  I had the soup and the salad.  Oh, is it good!  Mom just had a bowl (not a cup) of clam chowder.  She ate the whole thing.  I will be giving her another ensure shortly since she won't drink her water.  Stubborn little thing, I can't seem to get it in her head that it is for her health and she would be healthier if she drank water.  But no, not my Mother, she has to think it is awful and torturous.  Well, I could give her worse, too bad she doesn't know that.  I tried to have her get me an ensure for her today, but she couldn't find it and it was right in front of her.  She no longer recognizes certain things, like the difference between a basket and a box.  She kept handing me the box, I was not happy because the basket was right in front of her.  I need to learn to calm down when she does these things.  I know now not to ask her to get anything because she just can't.  I didn't know that this morning.

Pain is a bit high because of the rainy weather we have.  It is gray outside, and ugly looking.  No sun whatsoever.  I am so unhappy over this revelation.  It is suppose to pour again tomorrow.  I think we may be heading to a movie or something like that.  Staying home is getting to me and we haven't seen a movie in forever it seems.  Since before Christmas that I know of.  If I am wrong, I apologize for being wrong, but it has been a while I know.

There isn't anything good on TV tonight that I know of.  Of course, I don't get the TV guide anymore because they only put in the evenings TV and we watch during the day too.  It is really annoying how they do that.  It is more of a celebrity magazine than the TV guide, and we buy it for the TV guide not the celebrity stories!  I cancelled the subscription when they changed the format.  They, of course, called, and wanted to know if we wanted it again, and I said no.  They guy goes, don't you get other magazines you don't read?  Well, I don't, if I don't read it, I don't buy it.  I don't know anyone who gets a magazine they don't read.  Do you?

She finished 16 oz of water now.  Finally, it takes all day and most of the time she doesn't make it.  I try to impress upon her how important it is, she just doesn't get it, which is fine, she doesn't have to get it, she just has to do it.  That is the important thing.  Finishing her water.

I hope your day was better than mine or at least more interesting!  I hope tomorrow is a better day.

Not much happening, can't think of anything to say.  Going to nap in the living room.

Here is the weekly link:

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/fma/fibromyalgiaaware_2009winter_v2/ 

Mom is still eating better.  I am really pleased on this.  She ate 1/2 her fish for dinner, 1/2 of the beans, and all the chicken soup.  I brought home the rest for tomorrow night's dinner.  I also have chicken to cook and the beef roast.  I think I will cook some of it next week.  I am really getting into cooking with the crock pot.  Mom likes it too.  Of course, now that she is eating more, I will cook more interesting food, not so many frozen dinners.  

I talked to Mike last night.  He used to work for me at the store.  He is a retired person who wanted something else to do during the day so he went to work at our store.  When I bought it, I kept him on, I mean, he was an excellent employee, so why change a good thing?  I didn't see the point of changing him.  He was great at what he did.  I called Oliver, but he called me back when I was eating dinner, so I couldn't talk to him.  I hope to get together with the both of them and Jessie and Katie soon.  It will be fun.  I did receive some bad news from Mike, he lost his wife, Joanne, last May.  That was so sad to hear.  I really liked her a lot.

I tried to have a discussion with Mom but she really couldn't keep up.  I have some decisions to make this week about what Mom and I are going to do.  I have done some research and we really don't have the money to move, it cost a lot of money to hire movers, plus we need someone special to move the pianos and according to research, with Mom in stage 6 of Alzheimer's, moving can be especially hard on her.  I don't think we are going to move.  We can afford the house right now.  Richard has offered us to live with him if it becomes necessary, so we have a back up plan.  I just don't see how moving to Windsor is going to help us, I would have to give up teaching and start over there.  I like it here and Mom is doing well in our house.  Yes, the stairs are hard, but if I change a light bulb and put toilet paper in the bathroom, the downstairs bathroom is ready for to go.  The toilet works, the floor needs to be vacuumed and scrubbed, but other than that, it ready for use.

Pain is medium today.  We had sewing so my mind was kept off of it for a while (a good thing!).  My head has been giving me hassles this week.  I am not happy about that development.  We shall see how long it lasts.  I don't remember if last spring brought me so many headaches, it may have for all I know.  I just don't remember.  This fibro fog can really get annoying.

It was really nice out today, it is supposed to rain all day Saturday and Sunday.  Yay!  Rain!  Ugh.  Oh well, if there is no rain, there is no flowers.  I hope your day was as nice as mine.

Mom ate all her lunch and asked for more!  Yup!  I said, more!  So, of course, I got her more.  I went and got her a cookie, they are pretty big and she wanted a small one.  I expected her to eat 1/2 and be done with it, nope, she ate it all!  She also drank 1/2 her water all ready today!  I mean, who could ask for more.  She is also sitting up straighter and walking straighter, not so slumped over like the last few days.  Mom must be getting stronger again!  I was really worried about her, I thought I'd be burying her from starvation, but the new medicine must be kicking in.  I am so thrilled with her today.  She even helped me get dressed without too much problem.  That is a first in a week.  Yesterday, I struggled to do it myself (except for socks) and managed, but boy was I exhausted and sore afterwards.  Today, she did it with no problem.  What a day!  I am so excited by this happy news.  I have to email my older brother, Richard about this new development.  I wonder when he is coming to visit.  He is (hopefully this will continue) going to see an improved Mom, not the one he would have seen a week ago, where she was failing and going downhill fast.  Now she is on an upswing.  Okay, maybe I need to rein in my enthusiasm until this has been going on for a few days, but it is so hard.  

Mom is sleeping in her chair right now, but not as much as she did the other day.  I think boredom does it to her.  I know it does it to me and we have boredom every so often here.  I try to come up with things that will interest us, but I don't always do that.

Disney has a new movie out we want to see.  Oceans.  It looks really good.  We enjoyed the Earth movie they did last year so I think we will enjoy this one.  With Mom hopefully doing better, she should enjoy it too.  We have gift certificates that Mom got for her birthday that we will use.

Pain isn't too bad today.  I haven't woken up with a bad headache this week, although it does hurt a bit more now, but it will go down as I have taken a pain pill.  My arm isn't so bad today either, probably because I had help this morning and I haven't moved it wrong yet.  I say yet, because sometimes I forget it is frozen and try to move it and then it really hurts.

I have knitting this afternoon, I love going to my friend's house for knitting.  I don't get much done, but that is okay because I spend time gabbing with her and her Mom and her kids.  Her kids are simply wonderful.  One of them is my student and in the fall they both will be.  I just love them.  They did really well, like all my kids did, at the concert.  They had some technically difficulty with the drums during the Ode to Joy, but they continued on like the troopers they are.  I haven't been able to tell them how proud I was of them because they continued on and didn't get upset.  It was really good.

It is beautiful outside, a touch chilly, but not too bad.  Mom has changed into her spring jacket and looks adorable in her pink sweatshirt, hoodie, and spring jacket.  She should be able to shed the hoodie in a few weeks and just wear a sweatshirt with the spring jacket.  Her pictures are in too, they turned out great.  I am to give Hayley Andrew's so he can pick it up from her.  I will see her on Saturday. 

I hope your day is as good as mine is!!!

It has been a good day so far, except for the blood test.  Can't say I enjoy that.  At least, the nurse did get the vein right away this time.  This particular nurse does a good and fast job.  I like her.  After that we met Georgette for lunch and really had a good time.  We ate at big boy's.  I had the new burger bar and salad bar.  It was good.  Mom ate a cup of soup and finished it all.  I mean, all of it.  She was trying to get more but it was empty.  I offered to get her another cup, but she said no.  She didn't like the piece of pita bread though, I love pita bread, so I ate it.  For dinner, Mom ate all, and I mean all, of her mashed potatoes.  It must have been about a cup of mashed potatoes and she finished them.  She is working on her meat.  I am so happy about her eating today.  Maybe the new medicine is working.

I found out why she is so bent over, it is because of the weight she has lost.  She can't stand up straight because her muscles won't let her until she gains weight.  I am working on that concept with her.  The doctor told me to give her whatever she wants and feed her something every couple of hours, so I will.  I want her to gain a bit of weight and stand up straight again.  We are changing her medicine again.  Instead of her anxiety medicine 2 times a day, she is going to double up and take both at night.  She doesn't really need it during the day anyways, but at night is when we have trouble.  I won't be giving her the anti-depressant because of the change of the anxiety one, also, it was making her more confused.  The doctor thinks its because of her weight (or lack of weight) that makes her not react well with it.  She is shuffling now when she walks so I have to really watch her because she could fall.  She is at risk of a fall, I will keep a close eye on her.  She holds my hand when we walk anywhere already, even if I am in a scooter in the store.  This way I can see how she is doing.  I don't want her to fall because she has osteoporosis and a fall could be really bad.

Tomorrow I think we are going to go to McCourt's music to show Dan the instruments.  I know he won't be there, but that is okay, he usually gets back to me pretty quick.  He also said to bring my clarinet so she can be serviced.  I don't think anything is seriously wrong with the instrument, it just needs a check up.  Every few years it is important to take the instrument in and have it serviced, pads and corks checked, key alignments, keys oiled, and oiling the wood.  I love that instrument.  We also have knitting tomorrow so a busy day for sure, just like I like them.

Pain seems normal today except the head, that has been going strong all day.  I am not happy about that, but there isn't anything I can do except for take pain pills.  I don't like to take extra, but I have to when it gets this bad.  I am hoping by bedtime it will be down to normal.  As long as I stay on this path, I will be able to take care of Mom for a long time.  I do worry that I will get sicker and then I won't be able to take care of her, so far, I have been fine.  We have to change a light bulb in the downstairs bathroom and put toilet paper in it, then it will be ready to use.  I have to find the ladder so I can change the light bulb.  We have them in Mom's room, thank goodness!  Not so hard to do, just can't find the ladder to do it.  You would think this would be an easy thing to do and it would be, if I could find the ladder.

I will be moving the stuff in front of the office door this weekend because I need to get in there for some music.  I need to get Lily some new songs.  The young lady needs some new Broadway stuff because the book she is using doesn't have anything else I want her to sing at this time.  Because she is 12, I am really picky on what she sings.  I don't like to give love songs to young people because they know nothing about it, how can you sing about something you know nothing about.  When the get to 14 they can sing just about anything.  I have exceptions to that rule, but by then they are usually dating or at least liking boys.  Lily isn't there yet (I am glad that boys are just her friends and not boyfriends!)  I have lots of stuff she will like, I just need to get into the room.  Shouldn't be a problem.  It doesn't look that difficult, just heavy stuff (weight wise).

It was beautiful out today, now it is a bit cooler, and will be cooler tonight, but during the day, it was wonderful!  I hope tomorrow is just as nice.  It is getting closer to when Mom and I can go for evening walks.  I just hope she is strong enough for them.  We will start slow and then increase as to how much she can handle.

It has been a good day even though I wasn't sure it would be.  I talked to my friend, Diane, on line while I was waiting for Zachary for his lesson and it was fun.  She is so nice.  She is from the Michigan Music Association that I belong too.  She has 29 students right now!  That is awesome.  I remember having that many, I will again soon.  I can't have too many because I take care of Mom.  Zach just called, he is running a little behind.  I said, no problem, just drive safely.  That is the important thing.

I may have 2 new students starting this summer.  That would be great!  They are my friend's children.  I knew her in high school and thanks to face book, we reconnected.  I just love face book.  I have become friends with my old friends and people I knew, but wasn't really friends with.  

Tomorrow I am having lunch with Georgette, another MMA friend.  I just love MMA.  It is a good organization and really good people.  They all work hard for the students and that is what is important to me.

Mom is doing okay today.  She still is a bit bent over, but I don't get it.  She isn't as bent over as she was on Sunday, so it is slowly getting better.  I can't believe that April is more than 1/2 over!  What a fast month this has been.  I am looking forward to May when we can get outside more.  My scooter is just waiting for me and Mom to go for a walk.  We will start slow and then we will slowly add distance.  I don't want to tire her out, that would be bad.  I am hoping we can walk up to Tim Horton's like we did last summer.  That was a nice little walk.  Mom's doing okay eating, she finished everything again.  We will see how she does at dinner.  That seems to be where she has a problem finishing stuff.  I think I am either going to get me Taco Bell or Subway, I just don't feel like a frozen dinner.  I am really tired of them.  When we pick up our medicine at Walmart, I am going to get stuff for the crock pot and make something.  I love my crock pot.  I may pick up a chicken (small one) and cook it in the crock pot.  I have to buy more seasoning because we don't have any left.  It was all out dated so in the garbage it went.  I also want to get some mushroom soup.  I am going to make a potato and veggie something out of it.  I can be creative with cooking when I want, and right now I want to.

Mom is drinking her afternoon snack, an ensure.  Fortunately, she likes them, so that is good.  She has to drink a couple a day because of her weight.  I think the new medicine will help her become more hungry.  She is such a tiny thing these days.

Pain is normal today, my head is finally back to it's normal dull roar.  I woke again with a bad headache, but this time I got up and didn't continue to lay there and make it worse.  I have a blood test tomorrow morning!  Ugh!  I was supposed to have it 3 weeks ago, but I forgot.  Then I forgot to keep making the appointment, yeah, not my best time this month for remembering blood tests.  After that is when I meet up with Georgette, then I have Grace and then an appointment with Mom.  Definitely a busy day tomorrow!  yeah!  I love busy days.

It is beautiful out today with the sun shining and the little birds singing.  They were singing out my window this morning.  I hope you are enjoying your day!!!!

It is day 2 for Mom's tummy medicine.  She ate really well this morning so I am hopeful this will work.  She is tired, but doesn't seem as tired as last night.  She dozes a lot during the day.  She slept all night straight through too.  I halved her antidepressant.  She was so difficult yesterday that I was going to deal with that everyday, that would just suck for both of us, so I cut the pills in half.  Seems to have done the trick, she sleeps and is a bit more alert, which she wasn't yesterday.  Grace is sick today so she is going to have a makeup on Wednesday.  It is a stomach thing, so I don't think Mom or I want to be there.  Poor kid.  I hope she feels better this afternoon.  Those things are awful when they hit.  I have 4 more lessons later this afternoon, so it is a good day.

We had our annual wrap up meeting for MMA last night.  I wish meetings were more often, they are fun and sometimes the only way I see my MMA friends.  We got a lot accomplished and I think everyone was really happy with how the competition went in February.  Next year it is in Grand Rapids.  We should have the money to go since I will be saving starting in September.  I think I will ask Tillie to go again so she can watch Mom.  Someone will need to because she doesn't do well without me near by and that could be a problem at competition when I am so busy.  I wish it was Kalamazoo, only because then i would see Kathy and her family.  I am hoping to see them next month for a day trip to bring them the games we are giving them.  I know the boys will be excited about that.

It is pretty nice outside, unlike the cold weekend we had.  It is getting nicer out again, although I did wake up with a bad headache.  I am going to take a brief nap after I am done with this since my head was hurting so bad, it made me a bit tired.  I don't know if Mom will nap or not.  Two chances I guess.  So far, it looks like she has stopped wandering around the house right now.  I am not taking down the gate though because that would be the day she goes right out the door and that would be bad.  Very bad.  Extremely bad, especially if I am sleeping and don't know she is out.  I am going to get those door things later on, we don't need them right now, but I think eventually it would be a good idea.  Just another way to keep her safe.  

Mom is falling asleep at the table.  Her head is an inch away from it.  I have a headache and am feeling very crabby today.  I don't know why, I just am.  I think we are both going to take a nap after I finish this.  She was very difficult this morning to get going.  It drove me nuts.  i don't like feeling this way either and I am sure she isn't enjoying it either since she is the one I yell at.  I have yelled several times already at her this morning starting from when I woke up.  Not good, I know, but how do some people not yell?  How do they stay calm?  I'd like to know so I can do it.  We are both rather tired today.

I have a bad headache this afternoon.  I already took my medicine so I can't take anymore right now.  Mom has started her new tummy medicine and the new antidepressant last night.  I hope they work.  I am tired of her not eating and being sad.  Although, if this is what she is like with the new antidepressant, she won't be on it very long.  It was difficult to get her to do anything this morning and she is never like that.  So if this is it, forget it, she will be off it very fast.  I will try a couple more days and then we shall see.

I am heading upstairs now.  I gotta go and lie down now or my head will explode.  More later.

Here is the weekly link:

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/fma/fibromyalgiaaware_2009winter_v2/