We are in week three after a fall in the bathroom. At the time, Mom refused to go see a doctor proclaiming the fall was not a major deal. But since she is still going very slow when going at all...something must have been hurt more than she admits.
Does she have the right to turn down a doctor visit, or are we supposed to force the issue? When asked if she wants to see the doctor, she perks up and attempts to walk correctly, eat and drink, and stay awake as long as she can. So we wonder if she really is hurt, or just "old". Does her fear of being put in the hospital cause her to adjust her actions and hide the pain, or is she really feeling better?
Her mornings are the best time for her, but lately she has been feeling nauseated when waking up. Another symptom of aging? Some days her appetite is great, and some days she barely eats anything. She sits in her chair all day long and turns down any offers of change...i.e. sit on the porch, take a ride, etc.
Never having been in the position of watching someone grow old, we are daily concerned about what is to be expected and what should be addressed. Do we let her slowly go downhill, or do we spend time seeing doctors in an attempt to prolong the inevitable. Does "quality" count more than "quantity"?
She's in pain, her eyes are bad, her hearing is bad, her memory is going, her ability to carry on a conversation is diminished, she doesn't want me to call any of her friends for her, she can't stay awake, food doesn't interest her and I just found out that her teeth/gums are in turmoil. Yikes!! And yet if anyone calls and talks to her, she will not let on that any of this is going on.
So again, I wonder how much do we let happen and how often do we interfere...
so goes our days...
