Living with Bob and "Al"

The beginning of the end Chapter 18

Sheri and the girls met with hospice, there were two people from hospice there. They were wonderful. They listen carefully and understood Sheri's concerns about recent events and explained that now everything would go through them. "the boys" would now get music therapy, massage therapy, and hospice nursing care. Sher felt a sense of relief, and the fog lifted enough to pause, praise and pray.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri has been taking a little break from recounting the beginning of the end with Bob and "Al". Although she believes it is really helping her to go through this process Sheri believes she is experiencing something that she likens to PTSD. So she did what she does to help with her stress, she got out very early before work with her camera. The fog was beautiful.. and quite appropriate for Sheri's state of mind.
Isaiah 41:10
 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

 

Living with Bob and "Al"

The beginning of the end Chapter 16

After assuring the aid that she did the right thing, She explained that she had a meeting with hospice in the morning. The aid was teary eyed, and Sheri settled in to chair in 'the boy's" room , to wait out the rest of the night/morning until hospice would arrive. The aid went on about her routine, it was not long after the aid left the room that the tears in the aides eyes started running down Sheri's cheeks.

Living with Bob and "Al"

The beginning of the end Chapter 6

Sheri waited patiently ( "the boy's" impatiently) for the doctor to come in and evaluate Bob's condition. About a half hour to 45 minutes in, a female doctor came in and read the chart and then turned to Sheri and asked why we were here what types of changes the facility had seen. Sheri took a deep breath and tried to explain what she knew. The doctor said they need to run a battery of tests and listed off a chest x-ray (Bob was coughing), blood work, a urine sample, and head CT scan. The doctor did her best to explain to Sheri why the tests needed to be done, Sheri said she felt that this was just a progression of the disease after all they were 10 years plus in this monster called Alzheimer's. The problem with that assumption apparently, was that the facility needed to know what was happening, because the 2 person assist was a change. They scheduled the tests and the first one, the urine test, was not attainable with out a catheter. The calming medicine they gave "the boys" was not working, they gave a second dose but to no avail. Sheri spent the next five minutes or so assisting the 2 nurses by laying across 6'4,strong as an ox Bob's chest holding "them" down while the nurses inserted the catheter. Bob and "Al" cried out in pain, Sheri went into her familiar survival mode (at least on the outside) on inside she was weeping uncontrollably.

Living without Bob and "Al"

Sheri is trying to reinvent herself....  but Bob was always the one with the plan.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri knows it will take a while to find self again, she just wishes the pit in her stomach would find a new home.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri can not figure out how to really touch her grief without needing to lock herself in her room for months at time. To many worlds that need to be compartmentalized.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Christmas was not without challenges. Bob struggles with the most basic tasks. Trying to get "Al" to turn his legs so they were under the table to eat, reminded Sheri of the "how many people does it take to screw in a light bulb"  jokes. It took 3 of them working together to  accomplish this task... and that is not include Bob and "Al".
Heavy sigh... :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri is struggling with some of "Al's" behaviors at his new home. She is struggling with knowing about them, and not knowing how to fix them. Then on the other side wishing she did not know about them at all. Being truthful about this mess is hard, but necessary.