A Visit

We visited Mee Maw after church tonight. She had just turned the lights out and started to bed. It was only 7:45! And then she complains about waking up so early and not being able to get back to sleep. Well, if I had the luxury of going to bed at 8:00, I would wake up at 4:00 am also, ready to go to work after a good 8 hours worth of sleep.

She seemed in good spirits. We chatted with her for a while. I think she was a bit disoriented at first, but she soon recognized us and we had a good visit. She worries about her dog. She is fed too much food. She doesn't like all the food that they serve. She can't find anything on TV (she has cable there - something she didn't have at home. Only 70+ channels instead of 6. Maybe she will get used to it!). Her back still hurts. There are too many twists and turns in the place and she gets lost. She is exhausted by the time she gets down to the dining area. So on and so forth. Mee Maw at her best.

I guess that means that she is feeling somewhat better!

She had several visitors today, including a couple of nephews (Bobby and Ronald). She specifically mentioned a couple of her grandchildren and their families that she would like to see. If any of you are reading this and feel pangs of guilt, then it must be you! Go see her! Call or e-mail one of us for directions if you need them.

Her apartment is larger than we thought it would be. There are three of her chairs there, including the electric lift chair that she uses to get herself upright. Beside the chair is the table lamp that Paw Paw made years ago. Her bed and dresser are there, as are a few photos and pictures. Her "other dog" is also keeping watch. Several Christmases ago she received a "statue" of a German Shepherd dog sitting at attention. It has been in the house in her den ever since. Now it graces a corner of the apartment. Mee Maw told us that more people have commented about that dog than anything else. One attendant has threatened to take it and give it a good home - all in jest, of course.

She has a large bathroom, a microwave, and a small refrigerator. She seems to be all set for a while. She says, however, that she cannot wait until she can go home. We are hoping that maybe, somehow, that can happen.

If we all pray hard . . .

Moving In

Yesterday (February 17th) Mee Maw was moved into her new place. She was released from the rehab facility in Huntsville to the custody of her daughters-in-law, Roni and Annie Ruth. They took her to her hairdresser for a long-overdue makeover, which she enjoyed thoroughly. Then they took her to her new home. She seemed impressed by the place, according to witnesses.
It was early afternoon, and she had missed out on lunch. Not to worry - the staff had saved her a plate. She downed almost every bite, pronouncing it good (with her picky eating habits, that in itself was a wonder!) Then she was told that supper would be served in a few short hours, and she declared herself uninterested because she had eaten so much already.
She immediately made "friends". A couple of the resident gentlemen stopped by to make her acquaintance. One resides across the hall from her room. Another gives indication of being a "talker", dominating any conversation he enters. Mee Maw can most likely hold her own against such as these. After all, she married a Matthews, and that has given her plenty of practice!
My father Ernest called her later in the day. She declared that she had just been talking about him and her dog, Dixie. "With whom?" asked Dad. "Annie Ruth?" "No," replied Mee Maw, "she left a while ago. I was just talking to the nurse. You want to talk to her?" Dad declined, stating that he would get the opportunity to meet the nurse during one of his visits. A few words were exchanged out of the range of the phone, then Mee Maw said, "That's OK, she said she will meet you later too." "It seems like she is fitting right in," was Dad's comment to me.
Our family will probably go and visit her on Sunday. I'm sure that others will be visiting her soon as well. They even allow dogs to visit, so sometime we may surprise her with a visit from Dixie. For family members reading this who are planning to visit, PLEASE DO NOT TELL HER THIS! We don't want to get hopes up. We also need to get the dog accustomed to a leash before being taken public like this. Hopefully it will work!
Continue to keep her in your prayers.

Valentine's Day Update

My parents visited Mee Maw last night at the rehab center in Huntsville. They said she was in good spirits and feeling rather well. Dad said that she had even volunteered to play the piano at the Sunday church service that was held for the patients! That's an encouraging sign!

The doctors have changed their minds and have declared that she will be released on Friday, February 17th. They have told the family that they think it best that she be placed in an assisted-living facility, or at least temporarily in a place where she can continue the therapy.

This afternoon, the 3 sons that live here (James, Ernest, and Ralph) and their spouses met with the director of the Morningside facility here in Decatur. For those of you familiar with this city, it is located near the Point Mallard Golf Course. Dad told me that he was very impressed with the facility and with the personnel that he saw there. Mee Maw would have a room to herself, furnished with her own bed and some of her own furniture from the house. She would be undergoing regular therapy, but she would not be under total supervision as at a nursing home. There are many different activities available for residents, some of which she would definitely be able to participate in if she wishes. For example, tonight is a candle-light Valentine's Day dinner. Family members can purchase meal tickets and join the resident in the meal.

All in all, this sounds like the best thing for her at the moment. The brothers have agreed that they will move her in there when she is released on Friday for at least one month to see how it goes. The only other alternative is to find someone (or multiple someones) who would be available and willing to stay with her around the clock in her house to help her out. We will see how it goes.

Introduction

This is our "Mee Maw", Mildred Matthews.

Mee Maw

See her profile for more biographical information about her.

This blog is intended as an update site for family members and friends.

This site is being created and maintained by her oldest grandson, Richard, and his wife Lori. We will do our best to regularly post news of her health. If you have comments or corrections, please leave them or e-mail them to one of us and we will update things as quickly as possible.

As of today, Saturday, February 11th, Mee Maw is in therapy in Huntsville. She had surgery to repair a compression fracture of one of her lower vertebrae 2-1/2 weeks ago. The doctor says that the surgery was successful and that the continuing pain she is having is muscular. Hence the therapy, which began last Monday, February 6th.

The first week was a bit traumatic at times. I will not go into details. Things apparently improved a bit later in the week. She will receive a second week of therapy and be released back home on Monday, February 20th. Family members will be instructed in her "care and feeding" (if you will) on Thursday, February 16th. It remains to be seen how well she will be able to take care of herself, if at all.

Please remember her and the family in her prayers. She will soon be 98. We keep telling her that she owes us at least 98 more.