I just talked to the case manager for Mom’s Medicaid and it now official – she is approved! After all the paperwork since the end of October, all the figuring how to meet all the requirements and most of all the help from Dave Mom’s attorney, it is finally a reality. I think I have been uptight and tense about this and didn’t think I could relax until it was official.
Life for the past few months has been a series of people wanting paperwork. First it was Providence to enroll Mom in their PACE program – there was a list of things they wanted me to provide, then after 6 weeks she was accepted – more papers to sign. Then it was the beginning of Medicaid and also a loan for the house to pay off the home equity loan as well as money to redo the kitchen. That went on hold until Medicaid was satisfied, now it is back in the works. I am hoping the papers will be ready to sign in the next week or 2.
While that was happening, I had a last-minute presentation for Breakfast Club. I was due to present on the 20th, but the fellow scheduled for today wasn’t going to be there and Carol asked if I would do it. I already had an idea of what I was going to talk about, but I had to write it and get my samples ready to hand out. Along with all of that, I have been getting things ready for taxes – the appointment is on the 16th. The presentation is done and I think I just have to deal with the tax stuff.
So the theory is I have time enough to do tax stuff and maybe finally getting back to writing my blog regularly again. I have missed it and find myself doing something and suddenly think about something that would make a good blog post. Of course, when I come to write, I can’t remember the brilliant things I thought about at the time. Rats!!!!
I have been going to visit my Mom about twice a week. Last Friday I was due to pick her up about 11 so we could go to lunch and then have haircuts. When I got there, she was still in her robe and nightie – she had refused to wash or dress or do anything to be ready. I wondered why her curtains were closed and her bedroom door also closed. I wondered if she had gone back to sleep after breakfast. So I went in and I was remembering one thing Kathy had told me – always give her a choice. I sat and talked to her see what was happening. I told her she didn’t have to have her hair cut that day, I would arrange it for another day; I also said I was going because I needed a hair cut. She decided she would wash and get dressed and go with me.
We didn’t have time for lunch, just a haircut; Mom went first and decided to keep it long. Then it was my turn. When we finished, she said she wanted to go home. When I pulled in the drive at her home, she seemed disappointed – I think she thought we were coming here. Since she hadn’t had lunch, Judy fixed some for her and I left shortly after that – I was hungry since I didn’t have lunch either.
They had tried a new med and so far it keeps her awake at night and she sleeps during the day. Judy and Didi are working with the Center to find a solution. Mom’s doctor and the nurse and others at the Center are also looking for a solution. Apparently she sleeps well the days she goes to the Center – she is exhausted when she comes back. They are looking in to having Mom go a third day – has to go through channels. She didn’t go on Monday because she refused to get washed and dressed.
As for me, I have finally rested enough to sleep. I go to bed around 9 or 9:30 at night and wake up around 8 or 9. When I have to get up early, I wonder if I will wake up in time. So far it has worked out fine. I am sleeping all night and usually comfortably – I do have times when I am too uncomfortable to sleep, it is getting better.
Last week I took a photo album that Dad made of Mom’s family. There was a suggestion that would be something she would enjoy. It was in an album that Kathryn (Mom’s step mother) gave them and Dad labeled the picture – thank goodness. So we sat on her bed and I described the pictures and read the names; she really enjoyed that. She wanted to know if she could keep it and said absolutely! When I came back the next time Jan told me she was so pleased with the book and was saying it was all her relatives.
She has up and down days – now she calls everyone Elizabeth. My sister Ellen called on the Saturday I went to see her and Mom said Elizabeth had called that morning. She also introduced me as her cousin Betty one day – I am learning to go with the flow. Sometimes I wonder what is going on inside her brain, other times I’m not sure I want to know. Reminds me of having the same curiosity about the cats – except I realized I definitely didn’t want to know what the cat was thinking.
Tags: applications, forms, Medicaid
Gift of RA 
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