Hi there, everyone.

Just a quick update. Some may have noticed that I haven't posted anything
for the last two weeks. My mom suffered a series of strokes and I have been
out of town to be with her and my siblings.

The strokes have left my mom with cognitive functioning intact, but with
highly diminished gross and fine motor coordination and function. She is too
weak to walk without assistance, but is able to sit. She is able to talk
with difficulty, and can be understood though her speech is slurred.

Mom was discharged from the hospital 5 days post-stroke to a transitional
care facility with the appropriate physical therapy care when it became
apparent that she was stable, and in no further medical danger. We have been
warned, however, that her current condition produces an increased likelihood
of a massive stroke within the next 30 days; a risk which lessens each month
that passes.

It is very possible that with the physical therapy, mom will be able to
return home under partial assisted care. I have a single brother who is a
manager of a Home Depot store who lives in the house with mom (it is our
childhood home from after my dad retired from the military), and so is able
to provide for her needs as well. In addition to spending a lot of time with
mom, I have been remodeling and repairing the house in anticipation of her
return home.

I just returned to my home to take care of some stuff here, pay bills, grab
some tools, and head back to mom. I didn't bother reading the NG 'cause
there's two weeks worth of unread postings. I just marked everything unread
to dump the backlog. Sorry if anyone has tried to give me a ping and I
missed it.

I feel blessed that Mom is still with us, was not damaged as severely by a
massive stroke, and that I have more time that I can spend with her.

OB food: Eating and drinking have become difficult hurdles; not so much
because mom can't eat and drink, but because she simply doesn't feel like
doing so. And she has to eat and drink in order to get her strength up. I
have been cooking and bringing her high calorie comfort foods that are
compatible with her need for a soft mechanical diet. So far, she likes my
meatloaf the best. And Sees chocolate.

--
Dave
www.davebbq.com