I’d get an external hard drive and save all his files. Since I switched to an IPad after I retired I have trouble getting on my pc since it is rarely used. Updates cause everything to be unfamiliar and seem to require more passwords and security steps. I had to resubscribe for Adobe Acrobat this week and the subscription required me to link my Adobe and Apple accounts. It was a pain.
I’ve got all my files saved on an external hard drive.
Any chance of your dad getting a prosthetic leg?
Phone issue resolved. Turns out the nursing home social worker had his phone (he probably gave it to her to get it fixed). The phone is not broken - just needed to be charged. He doesn’t need a password to make or receive calls. So, he is back in business.
My FIL’s Parkinson’s had made it such that he was no longer able to stand. We couldn’t get him to understand that he wouldn’t be able to stand. When he started insisting on getting out of bed on his own, we had to have someone with him at all times. It was hard to convince MIL of the importance of having someone sit with him through the night, but it was nonnegotiable. I remember how difficult that time was, and my heart goes out to you and your family.
My concern with prosthetic leg at this point is that he may no longer be sharp enough to learn to use it… and to install it before walking. Of course the cognitive decline may be temporary due to infection etc… hope that is the case.
Oh I certainly agree. I really don’t see it happening, at least in the short term.
Oh that is tough. The nighttime caregivers had been given permission to doze off, but they can’t do that now. Some of these women work two caregiving jobs, so they go straight from one client to another.
Could this be one of those things where there is a “phantom” experience? My guess is not and that he’s just super confused. 
My MiL was taken to Urgent Care again today by FiL; she emailed DH to let him know so that’s an improvement in communication. She describes it as being unable to catch her breath/being breathless. They did an Xray (negative) and gave her an inhaler. It is some sort of progress that FiL has gotten more comfortable taking her to some sort of medical provider, but I wish they had a better PCP to figure out what is going on.
How is everyone doing? @MaineLonghorn how is your dad? @kiddie how are you doing?
My MIL has been in the hospital since Saturday. Started as a UTI but they tested for other infections…and found some. On IV antibiotic cocktail. No word on possible discharge.
Good news sort of. MIL is home…but she is more confused, and disoriented than before she went into the hospital. The day she was discharged, she also couldn’t stand and walk without assistance, but apparently this is improving.
She is on a a maintenance antibiotic. It’s just a matter of time before she has a breakthrough UTI, in my opinion.
We shall see…
I hope she continues to improve and adjust to being home.
Thanks to all who share, to help us learn about the challenges of caring for our own parents. And to give us things ponder about our own situations down the road as we age.
Thanks for asking! Yesterday I was just running constantly, so I couldn’t respond.
Dad’s hemoglobin level was excellent yesterday. They’re still not sure why there was a little blood in his stool, but they kept him long enough they’re satisfied he’s stable. He was discharged in the afternoon and had dinner in his AL facility with his lady friend and my sister. He’s very quiet and his long-term memory is poor - he couldn’t remember what he’d had for lunch, even when given hints. But he is as cheerful and pleasant as ever.
My sister reminded me that one of his good friends there has had a couple of strokes and regained most of his memory, so we’re hoping that’s the case for Dad.
My sister and I are making financial decisions for now. He has a rental house that hadn’t rented in months, so we decided to put it on the market. Of course, just when we made the decision, the management company found a renter, but we told them we still want to unload it. It’s been a money loser and a pain for too long.
My 93 year old father who is a nursing home, called me the other day to say it is like a prison (one of his usual complaints) and couldn’t he just live with me. Aside from the fact that we have downsized (and not told him) so there is no room for anybody else, he seems clueless to the amount of 24 hour care he is receiving there. How does a person who can’t even leave his bed on his own, and can’t walk at all anymore, not get it? I don’t think he understands that besides being on call all day and night they are: cleaning him, feeding him, getting him in and out of bed, doing his laundry, taking care of all his grooming, and monitoring his health.
My mother is exactly the same. (Nursing home, hates it, why can’t she live alone in her old house etc etc. And yet, she can barely walk, can’t read, can’t even figure out how to put on a cardigan). Let this be a warning to US when we are very old! Though of course, our self-awareness will also probably vanish.
Denial, I guess. I don’t think my dad realizes how fortunate he is to have private caregiving, 24/7. He would be in a nursing home for sure, otherwise. He has always been the competent, in-charge executive (chair of his engineering department at UT), so I don’t think he can accept his situation. 
My husband tells me when your father complains, tell him how lucky he is to have all his needs met 24/7. I try, but it doesn’t seem to click with my dad.
Big confession
I’m putting off calling my mother.
It’s a lot of different things. It’s winter, neither of us have much going on. I’m pretty upset about the state of the world and don’t even want to think about it and do not want to discuss it.
And… I know her world is small but it’s hard to hear her complain and talk about why I’m not doing anything, my sibling isn’t doing enough, why can’t we get together. On and on…
We had plans but they got canceled because of sickness and weather. I can’t change those things. I’m not sure we can easily figure out another date because of many things.
That’s my confession today
Sometimes when I called my mom (when she was in her 80’s), she would say, “I’m so glad you called because I wanted to complain and knew you would listen.” So I was her safety vent.
I think she didn’t like to complain to my brother because he lived and worked minutes away and she relied on him for a lot of stuff.
I am super lucky to have parents who aged with kindness and good cheer. My mother didn’t like bothering me with calls, so every day until about 4 months before she died she would send lonnnng daily upbeat email. Subject line “Monday” etc. I would read and smile knowing she was ok , do a very quick reply so she knew I had read it. (Sigh - wish my kids would do that for my emails and texts). And I visited her once or twice a week after she stopped driving. (She got her own groceries, walmart-ToGo.). My 97 year old father tries to call me or my sister every day. Loves to talk about his day, current events, sports, memories, whatever. Once in a while he start a bit of complaining but catch himself and say, “too much negativity, I’ll move on”.