I See I Have a Lot to Update

Mom got moved to a nursing home this week, so now that she's weaker, she has around-the-clock professional care. We were concerned that her caretakers who had been staying with her would not be able to evacuate her safely in the event of fire--despite the FD headquarters being across the street. Mom's move has already had positive influence on her. She was too isolated in her apt, and kept telling her caretakers that she wanted to go to sleep and wake up to see the face of Jesus. She also wanted to see me, her baby, one last time.

I told her that Jesus might have another plan, and that He might want her to meet more people. Then one of my sisters announced that arrangements had been made for the nursing home. The move took place this past Monday, and the sister in charge of the move declared mom to be in "magnificent" shape.

My MIL seems to have perked up now that the holidays are approaching--and we will be visiting. The ghosts are still giving her fits. We shall see what's happening when we get there. The last time she was going through this, I had to sprinkle Lourdes water throughout the house, and place Miraculous Medals in every room. I even bought her a large St. Benedict crucifix to keep in her room, and a St. Benedict rosary to keep on her person. Since November is the month of the Faithful Departed, I would almost expect more activity--if indeed that is what it is--during this month. During the "triduum" of Halloweeen; All Saints Day; and All Souls Day, the activity increased. There have been a lot of religious (and laity) praying for her and her house.

As for my Aspie son, I prayed to know what to feed him to help bulk him up--actually just to get weight on him, and "Muscle Milk" kept coming to me. I had seen weightlifters at the gym purchase it from the front desk, so I asked him if he would like to try, and he was desperate. The boy typically is very finicky about what he eats--texture problems due to the autism--but I guess this was a "shot across the bow" for him. We ordered two cases from the Vitamin Shoppe and he alternates between Chocolate Mint in the morning, and Vanilla Creme at bedtime. I also bought him a "City Gainers" smoothie at the gym (I use a "City Burners" during every workout--keeps the muscle pain at bay), and that did more for putting weight on him than anything, including ice cream. We have one City Gainers in the freezer, and he partakes at his leisure.

I am trying to get him into a special clinic at UNC-Chapel Hill for the sake of his liver problems. We have permission from his GI specialist to use Advil--Tylenol is discouraged but permitted. The last time I gave him Advil was for a migraine, but the jaundice came back quite darkly in his eyes, so prevention is the course at this time. We see an endocrinologist this coming week to see if my family history of thyroid problems will be heeded. All three of my sisters have had their thyroids removed, and my aunt and her two daughters have had problems, also.

As for the other members of the family, we got my neurotypical son over a recurrent case of "Bulbous Impetigo". We thought it was just dermatitis, so the dermo--who thought it was shingles--did a biopsy. Two weeks of Doxycycline, and the bubbles (blisters) are no more.

Hubby has quit graduate school to concentrate on politics. He has been to five demonstrations--two in DC--and plans to attend more. We are dismayed that there are no more than just him from the Triad area, or NC for that matter, attending these things.

Pray for us as we pray for you.

Blessings,
Gemma