Thoughts about Nellie on this Friday evening, March 27, 2009

Mother's back at Governor's Ridge now. We moved her Wednesday afternoon from the rehabilitation place near my house back to familiar Governor's Ridge. She loves Governor's Ridge, though she can't remember the name very well. She sometimes says, "the Hill," sometimes can't remember any part of the name, and once or twice called it, "Blueberry Hill."

Her new "normals" include the following:

• She'll have a good part of a day and then erupt with anxiety that prompts her to ask the helpers to, "Call Gerre." Sometimes I can come and sometimes I can't. Not having me or Carol or Laura, our God-sent helper, causes Mother's anxiety to ramp up quickly.
• Repeating the same questions and hearing the same answers is routine.

We got a wheel chair today. She used one in the rehab place and handles herself well in it. She's able to stand up and get in the chair petty well without help.

Neither Carol or I want Mother to be over-sedated, but we are both convinced that the anxiety attacks need some sort of drug intervention. I called the doctor's office this morning and by noon, she was given a mild drug to help during those frantic times.

When you pray for us, consider:

• Pray for a "frantic-free" Mother.
• Pray for the Lord to continue shining through Mother's life. She asks me, "Why am I still here?" I always say, "To be a blessing to me and everyone else who knows you."

I helped her eat supper in her room tonight. There were a lot of crumbs on the carpet when she finished, so I went down the hall to get the vacuum. When I returned it, I stopped to visit some of my old friends, residents of "Blueberry Hill." They asked about Mother and were so caring as I shared her story. When I was standing up to leave them, one of the ladies said, "Let us know if there's something we can do." I said, "Pray for Mother." Then I added, "I hope she beats every one of you to Heaven." We all laughed.