Brief Update

Today was another long day which began at 5:30 a.m. It is very hot in NJ this weekend, another day with temps in the 90s. AC is on keeping us sane right now. I went and saw my father around dinner time. We make sure someone is there for meals as he needs a lot of help. He is right handed and his poor arm does nothing but hang. It falls off his wheelchair and he catches it and it is bruised beyond imagination. They have wrapped his arms in a sock like covering to try to protect them. When his arm falls down he asks one of us to pick it up. Watching him eat is so painful. He tries awkwardly to pick things up with his left hand. He cannot hold a utensil and tries to put his mouth to the plate and we keep reminding him to use his hands for food that he can pick up and we feed him the rest. He tries to speak and he is frustrated beyond description. We try so hard to piece together words we can understand but the aphasia makes it nearly impossible. My son came in (I was so proud of him, he had gotten a wonderful haircut and was dressed so nicely and he looked so handsome) and my Dad was thrilled to see him. When he went to leave he told him what a great guy he was and that he loved him. He insisted on shaking hands with him and when he held out his right hand my heart sank. I whispered for him to be very careful.
My mother is struggling emotionally and doesn't think she can handle this. I told her we are not really given choices about these things and that while it might not be easy she would have to toughen up a bit, at least when he could observe her emotions. His physical therapy begins tomorrow and I am hoping it will go well.
My grandmother who has been in pain and crying for weeks has been hospitalized. They discovered she has vertibrae issues which were missed on several CT scans. Today that did an MRI which showed that two are crushed. They are going to try to inject something between them but she is so happy that her pain is being controlled. It was wonderful to hear her so much better.
I am exhausted and heading for bed and knowing I have a work week ahead of me. Not sure if I will get on to post as I will be getting home at 6, having dinner, going to the rehab/conva center and then back home and bed. Hoping I can sleep well tonight and function tomorrow. One day at a time.