Poinsettias

Tuesday, November 29, 2016
My bus was late so I arrived late.  Dinner was already served.  They had put a cover over my meal to keep it warm.  It was baked fish with tartar sauce, carrots and rice.  Dessert was a mixed fruit cobbler.
Mom ate everything on her plate.  My tea was already poured.  Ailene knows mom and I drink tea.  Jacquie got some pieces of orange for me.  It's nice to know mom's table mates are looking out for me.
We had dinner music.  Jacquie likes to sing.  The kitchen gave me two pieces of fish so I gave some to Jacquie to give to Peter the cat.  She said his teeth aren't very good so she removed the coating on the fish.  That coating was quite thick.
Jacquie said there was a kiwi tree outside in the rose garden.  She said someone had taken all the kiwis.  That was news to me.  I'll have to pay more attention next year at this time.
On the way back to mom's room Shanta flagged me down.  She gave me an apple.  She was sitting in the fish tank room by herself so I asked if she wanted me to push her to the television room.
I gave mom and Donna each a poinsettia.  They seemed pleased.  Donna said she loved poinsettias.
Donna went to the television room to join the others.  I trimmed mom's bangs and checked her drawers and laundry hamper.  There were clothes in the hamper.
I remembered to bring tape and thumbtacks so I put up some of mom's artwork and photographs.
We went to join the others, but suddenly mom said she wanted to go back to the room.  It turned out she had to fart.  I guess the dinner must have given her a lot of gas.  I took her for a brisk walk up and down the entrance hallway.  We laughed and giggled when she farted.  I tried to get her to skip and jump.  She tried the skipping, but she didn't want to jump.  Maybe I will hire her a personal trainer.
Once mom's gaseous episode was over I brought her back to the group and we played cards.  Mom won three times again.  Donna won once and Michael won once.  Anna joined us late in the game because she was talking to her son on the phone.
It's nice to hear them laugh and have a good time.

Anna has a fit

Sunday, November 27, 2016
Had dinner with mom.  I arrived early.  Mom and Donna were already seated and Ailene had just come to join them.  I went to mom's room to sort out laundry and such.
I need to remember to bring tape and thumbtacks.
We had macaroni and beef casserole.  Not my favourite.  Jackie asked for extra so we all got extra.  We had mixed veggies which were good and lemon meringue pie.  Mom only had a bite of her pie.
She was eating it before her meal, so I told her to wait.  She ate about half of her casserole and veggies.  I gave her a few orange sections.  She ate them even though she kept telling me that she didn't want them.
After dinner I gave her some vitamins and let her wash it down with my leftover apple juice.
We went to watch the news for a while.  Then, I asked Donna if she wanted to play cards, but she said she didn't feel like it.  Michael said he wanted to play so she quickly changed her mind.
We had the usual gang.
Anna started to pick on Shanta again because she wasn't flipping her cards neatly.  Then she started touching Michael.  Donna told her to stop it.  She said that not everybody like to be touched.  Well, Anna had a fit.  She threw down her cards and left.  We wondered if she was going to come back, but she went to go and touch other people.
Mom won three times, Michael won once, Donna won once and maybe Shanta.  Michael put his extra banana into the pot and Donna won it.
Donna helped to push chairs back.  I thought she had mistaken a chair for her walker so we had a giggle.
Shanta gave me two bananas she had been saving.  Last time she gave me a banana and an orange.
It was a dark and stormy night.  One of my buses didn't show up.  Someone told me that the 116 wasn't running.  Luckily I was able to catch a C7.  I was drenched by the time I got home.  And it was cold waiting for the 106 at Edmonds.

Friday night cards

Friday, November 25th, 2016
Metrotown skytrain station was a zoo.  It took me 10 minutes to get out of the station.
I realized too late that it was Black Friday.
Mom and Donna had just come from their room and were going to sit in the fish tank room.
I suggested they go and sit in the television room.  There was a movie with Robert Redford that I've never seen before.  Mom decided to come with me.
I combed her hair.  It was really tangled at the back.  I tidied up her drawer and collected her laundry.  I found a banana peel, an empty bag of Doritos, 3 mugs, a bag of corn puffs and a bunch of towels and bibs.  We shared some persimmon, nuts and some daikon and cucumber.
Then we went to join the others in the television room.
I suggested we play cards and everyone was in.  We played in the dining room.
Mom won twice, Shanta and Anna won one game each.    Anna was on Shanta's case because she didn't turn her cards over.  I turned the furthest ones over for her.  I explained that Shanta couldn't reach.
I caught the bus back with one of the staff.  She said that mom was easy to care for because she was calm and quiet.  She agreed that mom needed a lot of cueing.  She said Donna was always talking for her deciding what to do.  They did everything together.
She assured me that mom brushed her teeth every night after having her cocoa.

Home Alone

Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Dinner was just being served when I arrived.  Stuffed pork roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, string beans and rice pudding.   Mom ate everything except for the mashed potatoes and gravy.  She didn't even try it.
Tuesday is shower day.  Mom's hair looked nice today.  Fuller and wavy.
I asked her about Home Alone.  It was shown on Saturday.  Donna didn't remember, but mom remembered.  She smiled.  That's her favourite Christmas movie since two years ago.
Charlene got her the DVD and we played it over and over.
A couple of times, when mom stayed at my place for the weekend, I forgot her medication so I had to go back to her place to get it.  I would put in the DVD and then take the bus to her place and back before the video ended.
Once we went out for dinner, but she didn't want to stay.  I brought her back to my place. I made her cream of wheat and played Home Alone, while I went back to the dinner party.  Service was slow so I went to check on her after the appetizers and then I got back in time for the main course. Timing was great.
She still likes that movie.  They'll play it again next Saturday.
After dinner we sorted out the clothes in her drawer and in the laundry hamper, then we went to join the others in the television room to watch the news.
Michael was complaining about the food.  He said everything was too soft.  He said he wanted to eat a real steak.
After a while, I suggested we play cards.  Everyone was in:  Michael, Shanta, Anna, Mom and Donna.  Actually Mom and Donna don't really like to play, but everyone else does.  I think it makes them feel like they are regular people socializing and playing cards.  They joke and laugh.  They accuse each other of cheating.  They help each other find the card.  We played 5 games.  Shanta won twice, Mom, Donna and Anna won once each and Michael came close, but didn't win any.
It was a dark and stormy night.  Luckily my bus showed up.  The bus was empty except for me and the driver.  No other passengers got on.  My other connections were good too.  It was a good night.

Mysterious odor

Saturday, November 19, 2016
Mom was watching the news with the gang.
I went to her room to straighten things up: water the flower, tidy her drawers, check her laundry hamper, etc.  There was a bad odor coming from somewhere.  It was her underwear drawer.  I checked all her underpants, her socks, her pajamas, etc.  Finally, I checked the undershirts.  I found something wrapped in paper towels.  It smelt like poo.  I think it might have been some food that she wrapped up and hadn't eaten.  I threw it out.
Mom came to join me.  I asked her to smell some clothing and tell me whether or not they were clean.  She said they were all fine.  Finally we came to the undershirt that had been on top of the mysterious smelly package.  She made a face and told me it was dirty.  The undershirt itself was clean, but it smelt like poo.
I combed her hair and we ate some persimmon and some nuts.
Then I grabbed a couple of decks of cards so that we could go and play card bingo.
Shanta was already at the table so I invited Donna and Michael.  We played a couple of games and then Anna joined us for a couple of more games.  They were starting to serve hot cocoa, but I asked them to wait until we had finished our game.  We had a good time.
I think it makes them feel normal.

Ming will be on vacation for two weeks:(

Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Our dinners were already served when I arrived.  Mom ate most of her dinner except for her dessert.  I gave her a couple of pieces of orange as well.  She had only drank her apple juice.  I got her to drink all her milk.
We had ginger pork, rice and broccoli with carrot cake for dessert.
The portions were small.
Mom was wearing a sweater.  She usually doesn't wear a sweater.
After dinner I had her try on a couple of pairs of pants so I could hem them.
She didn't like the cream coloured pants, but then decided that she would keep them after all.
I noticed she was wearing pull ups.
I was going to take away her t-shirt with the neckline that was beginning to fray, but she said she would keep it.
Both Donna and Mom won Doritos at card bingo.
Ming announced that he was going on vacation for two weeks so that there would be no more card bingo or Friday night at the races for two weeks.

Dorayaki

Sunday, November 13, 2016
Mom was watching a movie with the gang in the Fraser View room.
She came with me right away.  I think she was bored with the movie.
I combed her hair.  There was nothing in her laundry bin and she didn't have any dirty clothes in her drawer.  I tidied up her drawer, hung some clothes in her closet, watered her plant, etc.
I gave her a dorayaki (red bean paste pancake) that I bought from the Nikkei Fair, but although she ate it, she said it wasn't very good.  It was okay.  The pancake part was a little heavy.
I gave her a few nuts to eat too.  She likes the Macadamian nut.
We looked at some photos that I had on my tablet.  She laughed because she didn't recognize herself right away.  She has put on quite a bit of weight.
I noticed her shirt was a little frayed at the collar.  I'll have to remember to take that one away.
One of her finger nails was not clipped well, so I clipped it and filed it for her.
I didn't inspect her toe nails.  I also trimmed her bangs.
We had a nice little visit.

Friday Night card bingo

Friday, November 11, 2016
Everyone was watching television when I arrived.  I went to mom's room to sort out her affairs:  watered her plant, checked her laundry bin, hung up her clothing, looked through her drawer for soiled underwear, etc.
After a while, I took mom with me to comb her hair and spend a little one on one time.  We did some fast walking in the lobby.  Mom said she was tired.  I think she was more tired of the activity.  We did some banzais which she enjoyed.  She counted in English out loud.  Then, we played a card game.  I show her two cards and she has to tell me which is the strongest.  She seems to have trouble with face cards.  She knows the ace is the strongest.
After a while, Shanta and her husband? went by.  Shanta wanted to join us.  She's so cute!  I went to gather Donna and Michael.  Michael said that they had just been talking about playing cards.  We played 3 games.  Donna won the first game and Michael won the last two games.  Alan, Shanta's husband played too.  They were disappointed when we had to stop.  They all went to the fish tank room and waited for hot cocoa, even Michael.

Triple crown

Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Mom had already drank all her juice and milk and mine too.  She ate all her dinner.  I peeled an orange for her and she ate that too although she told me that she wouldn't eat it.  We had piano music with dinner.  They usually have the music therapist play music on Tuesday with dinner.
We had baked fish with rice and mixed veggies and an egg tart for dessert.  Mom did not eat her egg tart.  I gave her some persimmon later.
We played card bingo and mom won three bags of Dortito's.  I told her she should give some to her friends, but she was hesitant.  She gave one to Donna and another to George.  When we came back to sit with Shanta, George had run over the bag with his wheelchair so I set it on the table.  When I came back from the washroom, Shanta was trying to explain that George wanted the Dorito's back so I opened it for him and gave him a chip.  He liked it.  He wanted to share it with the other ladies.  Mom ate some and said it was good.  I know she likes them.
Shanta asked if we could play cards, but I said that I had to go, but that maybe we could play on Friday.
I saw someone who may be the granddaughter of the lady who took the place of Gerry.  She was helping that lady write Christmas cards.  I guess her mind is intact; however she is blind and has hearing in only one ear.

Isami Sushi

Saturday, November 5, 2016
Mom and Donna were sitting in the lobby giggling and chatting.
I took some photos of them and we sat and chatted a bit.
Finally they decided it was time to go back to their room.
I explained to Donna that we were going out for dinner.
Donna reminded me several times that I had better inform the nurses.
Donna went off to dinner on her own.
I got mom ready to go out.  I combed her hair, put her boots on because it was wet outside, and changed her into a dressy shirt.
We did some colouring and looked at her photo album together to pass the time.
I also got some bubble wrap.
Charlene and Aunti Sumi came at 5:00 and we went to Isami Sushi for dinner.
Mom was a little anxious at the restaurant because she couldn't read the menu.
I gave her some bubble wrap and that made her giggle when she popped it.
Her laughter was infectious.
She ate a lot.  Her favourite was probably the tempura.
She also liked the sashimi.  She even ate two pieces of California roll.
She didn't like the ice cream, but she ate some when I fed her a couple of teaspoons.
We saw Yuki and her friend sitting at a table across from us.
They took a photo of the four of us for me.
When we got back, Shanta was sitting at the table in the fish tank room.  I took mom to her room to take off her coat.  I forgot  to take her boots off.  Donna came to greet mom and we headed back to the fish tank room to join Shanta for hot cocoa.

Tantrum

Friday, November 4, 2016
A man was having a tantrum.  It was upsetting everyone.
I went to mom's room to drop off my things.
When I came back, everything was back to normal.
Our meals had all been served.
We had "pork" spare ribs.  It was ground pork made to look like spare ribs with barbecue sauce.  It was quite tasty.  We had a blueberry cobbler for dessert.   Mom didn't touch her dessert and I had a taste of it because there weren't enough desserts at our table.
Jacquie said that the man had gone to a bar in Metrotown and had come back inebriated.
Mom ate everything and everybody at the table said that she had been eating well.
I noticed mom wasn't drinking everything before she ate.
In fact, she hardly drank anything.
I grabbed the milk and took it back to her room.
I gave her some vitamin D pills and a multi-vitamin and gave her milk to wash it all down.
We went to the "horse races."
Mom doesn't like to sit by the men.  She kept telling me to sit in the empty seat beside her.  I explained that only residents could play the game.
Donna won a chocolate.  I had to peel the foil for her.  Her arthritis is bad.
Shanta won a chocolate and gave it to me.  I gave half to mom and half to Donna.
Shanta has a lot of mucous.
Jacquie said that they had all received their flu shots.
After the races we went back to the room and I sorted out the laundry.  I found a pair of soiled underpants in mom's drawer.  I found a couple of maybe used pairs of underpants.
There was even a pair of used underwear in mom's laundry hamper, but also some wet tissue paper.  Mom may have tried to wash her underwear.
I peeled an orange for mom and Donna to eat.  At first mom said she didn't want any, but they each ate about half.
We met Anna on the way to the fish tank room and we played card bingo with Shanta too.

She put pudding on her food.

Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016
Dinner was already served when I arrived.  Mom had already started eating.  She hadn't even touched her drinks yet.  We had baked fish with carrots and mashed potato.  Mom didn't eat her dessert.  We shared Jacquie's cut up orange chunks.  Mom said she didn't want to eat the orange, but she ate all the orange pieces I gave her.  She didn't eat her dessert.
Jacquie said that mom had dumped her dessert pudding onto her main meal the other day.  I guess mom must have thought it was some sauce or gravy.  Jacquie said she ate everything.  Mom has been eating well lately.  I wonder if she's not eating her dessert because she was embarrassed.
I lingered at the table because I wanted to finish my tea.  Then I returned my chair to the TV room.  When I got back mom was still drinking her tea.  I thought she was going to leave, but she just sat there lingering over her tea just like I had done.
I went through mom's drawers.  I found two pairs of underpants wrapped in individual packages of paper towels.  We opened them.  They seemed used, so I put them in the laundry hamper.  There was garbage in mom's laundry hamper:  a banana peel, some wet stuff and some paper products.  I cleaned it out.  I got mom to sniff her clothes to see if they were clean.  I think her sense of smell is still okay.  I double-checked.
Mom still has phlegm and mucous.  Her nose isn't runny.
I noticed Shanta was wearing a mask.  She has a cold too.
Donna won a bag of chips at card bingo.  Shanta won one as well.  She gave me her bag.
After card bingo, mom and I looked at her photo book and Donna went to watch the news.
Later we all sat with Shanta in the fish tank room.