The past few weeks have been extremely busy, exhausting, and stressful. The first item I must remember for years to come is the increase of school events in the month of May. It is like a month-long, non-stop field trip. There were so many activities I had to rearrange my work schedule and neglect the house and doggies.
The biggest hiccup for May was my mom’s surgery and lack of care, thereafter. The surgery was done on May 23rd and the care she received in the hospital was very good. However, they released her to a skilled nursing facility two days after surgery. We were hoping she would receive more physical therapy. All she received was neglect. Daily, I would arrive around 9 in the morning to have found the remnants of the neglect from the night before or from earlier that morning. You walk into the facility hearing the unanswered beeps from various rooms and the ignored patients screaming for help. I made so many phone calls to so many different people who work for that facility, as well as the hospital that released her and other care options. We received apologies but each morning I would encounter the same scenario. Sunday, May 28th, we took my mom from the facility to the ER to check up on her since she had fallen numerous times at the skilled nursing center with nobody following up on her well-being. After many, many hours at the ER, she was discharged to go home. The ER doctor described the neglect her own mother faced in a NY facility and how she decided to remove her as well. What a sad scenario for those patients who do not have family able to constantly look out for them!
My mom still has quite a way to go before she is, literally, back on her feet. However, having her back at home versus the center eases all of our minds. I had been trying to visit her daily while Roger had school. School ended on June 1st and, unfortunately, Roger got sick the second day of summer break and I have not been able to spend much time with my mother. He is still recuperating (not contagious) but do not want to have him around my weakened mother, since she could be more susceptible.
Yesterday, my husband took Roger to the movies and I had a few hours alone at home. The last day I had alone at home was May 22nd. For someone who works at home, that is an eternity. Although I mainly did chores around the house, it restored my mental health. I feel like I can now conquer this week – the first full week of summer break.
Spinning Wheels 