Charles House

We went this morning to Charles House for a guest visit and Moody enjoyed it so we will return on Thursday where he will be a guest for half a day.  They all sat around the table today and a UNC intern picked out highlights from the newspaper which was fun.  Today is Aaron Burr's birthday, so Moody graced them with his poem about the Burr and Hamilton duel.  They enjoyed that.  He see his primary care doc tomorrow and his cancer doc on Wednesday.  Busy week.

Calender Pics

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

A Plan...

Trying to come up with a plan for Moody's continued confusion has taken some time this week.  This morning I visited a day-care place for folks with dementia.  It was in Carrboro which is a 20-minute drive.  I'm not sure if Moody would like it.  He could go at 11:30am, get lunch, and afternoon music and discussion programs. Then I'd pick him up ~4:30.  I'll see if I can get him to go for an hour next week.  I'd probably try to do it once a week then maybe twice a week if the Long-term Care Insurance will pay for it.  They sent a nurse today to ask him some questions.  He did not pass the cognitive test and the nurse thought he should not be left alone.  So maybe, they will consider him eligible for benfits. If so, then they would pay after 90 days have passed. 

In between those two appointments, I went to a support group at Fearrington Cares for caregivers for folks with dementia.  It was interesting but depressing hearing all their woes.  One of the leaders offered a rationale for why Moody thinks there is the "other" Cathy (when Moody doesn't recognise me).  He thought Moody was looking for his other self - the one that knows and remembers- because that's the one that went with the "other" Cathy.  Very interesting thought. 

Moody was pretty good today - less confused about things.  But yesterday afternoon just as I was heading out the door to a rehearsal, he started in with the "other" Cathy search and where were we, etc.  So I didn't go to that rehearsal. I took him with me for the evening meeting and rehearsal.  He was happy to go.  He enjoyed listsening to the chorus rehearsal.

Closet Art Space

This is a pic of my new art space in the closet.  It's hard to take a pic of it.  It has a desktop with a shelf below for paper.  There are shelves for CDs and videotapes and my filing baskets.  Underneath I can roll in my art caddy file cabinet.  Next time you are here, please ask to see it.

Moody's confusion was a lot less today.  We met with the Fearrington Friends folks who are arranging for a male volunteer (turns out - a neighbor) to come and talk with Moody every week or so, maybe walk with him and the dogs.  Going to try to schedule for every other Tuesday afternoon when I have Polly's rehearsal.  We'll see.

I thought Moody was better today but now he's asking for the "other" Cathy Burt.  Yesterday, I could not convince him who I was and that he was home.  He wanted to call "Cathy Wilson Burt" and ask her to take him home.  We walked to the end of the street and he asked our neighbor, David, who I was.  Later I ened up calling ML on the phone to get her to assure her Dad that I am the one and only Cathy Burt.  This morning he seemed ok, he knew me and was talking about all kinds of things from the distant past.  But now, at noon, he is confused again.  I stopped giving him the inhaler this morning thinking that may have something to do with his extreme confusion.  It's the only new medication he is on. 

Last night around 1 am he got up and got dressed and had Zoe on a leash wanting to take her out but he could not find the door.  I asked him to go back to the bedroom, undress, and please go to sleep - not to distrurb me or the dogs while it is dark.  The dogs look at me so funny - they know something is terribly wrong.

I got some pamphlets on some agencies that might could send over a companion that could stay with him while I go to some of my rehearsals.  I also started the claim process on his long-term care insurance policy that would provide funding for care (either residential, in-home, or day-care).  They are going to send a nurse out to "evaluate " him.  Then we must wait 90 days before the policy could reimburse me for care expenses.  My cough is still really bad so I really don't think I should go to my Iolanthe rehearsal tonight.  I feel bad about that because I missed last week as well.

Mary Laurel Poster Pics

Potomac R., July 4, College Park

In Nantucket with Molly

In Nantucket with Kirby

At the Smithsonian Museum

In Lanham

Life at 10 Macon

AMB III 1984

Both Moody and I have colds, though his cough has been around for almost a month.  The Doc had him get a chest x ray but she said it's not worse than before.  He has a bit of emphysema. She has him using an inhaler but it's not really helping.  He is very confused so I'm not sure if it's related to less oxygen in his brain or not.  Sometimes he asks me who I am.  He doesn't recognize this house as home.  Last night he didn't know where the bathroom or kitchen was.  He thought Jeff and Patti were visiting and wondered where they were.  We go back to the Doc in early February for a FU, as well as back to the cancer doc for a check-up to see if he is still in remission.  He didn't think he could take the dogs for a walk as he felt weak.  He also couldn't remember where to walk them.  That means the dogs are getting walked less than normal because we usually each take them for a long walk during the day.  Zoe expressed her frustration by eating the button and part of the pillow that ML gave me for Xmas.  Very annoying!

Meanwhile, Monday is Chinese New Years - the year of the water dragon!

THE WATER DRAGON 1952 AND 2012
Water has a calming effect on the Dragon's fearless temperament. Water allows the Dragon to re-direct its enthusiasm, and makes him more perceptive of others. These Dragons are better equipped to take a step back to re-evaluate a situation because they understand the art of patience and do not desire the spotlight like other Dragons. Therefore, they make smart decisions and are able to see eye-to-eye with other people. However, their actions can go wrong if they do not research or if they do not finish one project before starting another.

Since I was born in the dragon, it's supposed to be a lucky year for me.  The sushi bar chef thought I was 48 yo when I said I was born in the year of the dragon.  That was nice - he didn't believe it when I said I'll be 60 this year.  So Happy Chinese New Year!