Sun. Sept. 12, 2010

9/12/10
Greetings! Sorry it's taken awhile to write an update. Esther, and her 2 kids, went with me to visit Kenn, on Sat., the 4th. It was his 57th birthday, so we had a birthday party for him. We had party hats, balloons, cards, a coffee cake, which we put a candle in for him, and party horns. He acted a little sleepy, so he would shut his eyes. One time that he had his eyes shut, I stood by his chair, and blew a party horn. Did he open his eyes, and look at me. I explained we were there to have a birthday party for him, because it was his birthday. He then smiled at me, and the expression on his face, was like he couldn't believe it was for him. Mason made a card for his Grandpa. Esther took a picture of me holding Mason up, so that he could explain, and show Grandpa, the card he made for him. Mason blew out the candle for Grandpa. We were there probably 5-6 hours. We had him outside for awhile. All of the nurses just loved the 2 kids. One of the nurses, had heard the horns, but couldn't figure out what it was about. Wed. afternoon, Kenn had a doctor's appointment, so I met him there. Esther did back up daycare for me. The nurse was amazed at how alert he looked, and how he'd look at me. He had to get his baclofen pump refilled, which didn't take very long. Fri. night I went to visit Kenn. I called ahead to make sure they had him up in his chair. I found out his feeding schedule is back to being done at 6 p.m., like it has been for quite awhile, before the 22 of last month. In talking with the nurse, I also found out, they have him laying down either in bed, or a recliner for 22 hours, out of 24. He has a bed sore, that has come back. They have him up for only 1 hour in his chair, during the morning shift, and then 1 hour during the afternoon evening shift. The head nurse feels, the only way to get rid of the bed sore is to keep him laying down, so that he's not sitting on it. I had him up about 4 hours while visiting him. He was sticking out his tongue without me asking him to do it. He smiled at me, and he was very alert. When I took him back to his wing, I stood at the nurse's station talking to the CNAs sitting there. They both remarked about how his face lights up when I'm there. They had never seen him sticking out his tongue like he was doing while I was standing there. He smiled too. They saw his face expression change when I said I had to leave. He frowned, and his eyes got tears in them. They remarked at how he responds so much to me. They were so amazed at how he was just sitting there focusing on me. They said he'll look at them, then turn away, but he won't focus on them the way he does me. They said he'll smile a little when they talk to him, but nothing like he was doing for me, while standing there. They said he just sits there looking at me intently, and not turn away. I put hair bleach different places in my hair, which turns it kind of orange, and makes it look cool. Then Thurs. night, after praise team practice, I went over to have Justice put some purple in my hair, where it was lighter from the bleach. So many people have commented on how they like it. Well, Fri. night I was telling Kenn, about Justice putting the purple in my hair, and he seemed to look at my hair, and smile. Mon. morning, I need to call the head nurse, and find out what is she going on. Also, I need to call Kenn's guardian ad litem, and find out what can be done about them keeping him laying down so many hours. Guess what? I'm starting to hula hoop again. I haven't done it for years, and I have forgotten how to do it, so I'm learning all over again. It's not as easy as it looks. Justice, Shawn's oldest, is real good at it, and has started making them, so her and a friend of hers, made me one. I picked it up Sat. night, and I was outside with them trying to learn to use it again, which is kind of hard. They were showing me all kinds of tricks you can do with them, and there's so many more than even what they know. They were both so excited I was learning to use one again, and they were having fun showing me how they can do so much with it. God bless!!