Tough Old Broad

It's official - my mother is a tough old broad.  We've always known it - she went through a lot of medical issues growing up with a bumb leg. Surgeries, casts, braces and yet most people didn't realize she had an issue. What would be a limp with other people Mom turned into a swagger. 

Of course, she also raised me alone in an era where that wasn't the norm. I grew up when most moms were home cooking and cleaning, my mother worked two jobs to provide a good life for me - I owe her a great deal - including my determination.  Mom always said where there's a will there's a way and proved it to be true every time. 

So, no surprise that even with Alzheimer's she's proving to be a tough broad. We do everything we can to help keep the disease from digressing quickly and much of it seems to be working. No clue what really helps, but we have a cognitive therapist who comes once a week, could be a waste of money, but Mom is worth it. My husband is a prize among men, he takes Mom out to dinner every Tuesday night often with friends - socializing is key. She has a weekly shopper who takes her to lunch and out and about once a week. On top of that we give her Gatorade daily to help with hydration and alertness, and one protein drink to make sure she's getting some nutrition despite her sweet tooth.  It all seems to work together as she's now tracking slower than average for digression.

Recently, mom was getting weak in the legs, wobbling and asking for a wheel chair or walker. My first thought was absolutely not so twice a week a personal trainer comes and makes her walk and climb stairs and a few other things to keep up her muscle strength - it's been two months and seems to be working. She's not asking for a wheel chair anymore and she isn't wobbling anymore. 

but the latest - she was a passenger in a car crash last week. When I reached her house and took a look at her knee I thought, that has to be broken or shattered or something so I called an ambulance and off to the ER we went. The photo on the left is what I saw at her house, the one on the right was when we reached the ER - I've never seen a knee balloon like this

Even the doctor was a bit surprised - when the xray came back as no fractures or breaks, he ordered a catscan - nothing. Even he agreed - Mom is a tough old broad. So we brought her home, elevated it, iced it, put a heating pad on her back (which was hurting) and the next night she climbed into a high guest bed after we'd all gone to sleep. I had her on the sofa, but apparently she didn't like that.  She's going to hurt for a few weeks, but she's walking like nothing and amazes me with every step. 

She's stubborn and doesn't like being slowed down. Even with Alzheimer's she's stubborn as ever. 

All of this has slowed progress on Honeymoon for Seven, but we're on track to release Just One Surprise next week! Is everyone ready? 

Okay - I'm going back to work. hoping to make up for lost words ! 

Oh - and we're still building the travel plans for June - So far my friend and I are driving through Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota.  So much to see!