Neighborhood watch

I've spent the bulk of my weekend with mom's neighbor. I've know Gerry all my life. She has Alzheimer's now.

And the bulk of my time with Gerry has been in the hospital emergency room. Saturday night they let her go home. Sunday night they checked her in.

First they decided it was a UTI, which is common in seniors. So they sent us home with an antibiotic.

Yesterday she got progressively worse. Wasn't talking as well as normal. Couldn't stand on her own. Hadn't pee'd all day. So we took her back. They checked her blood cultures from the night before and found one is growing some sort of bacteria. In her blood. Which is bad at any age. Very bad when you are 87.

I've taken today off to help get some things done. Her younger son lives with her and needs some sort of professional health care person to help with her daily now. Jill lives in Houston. I was able to stop her from driving over Saturday night. She would've gotten here in the middle of the night and by then her mom was zonked out at home. So she came yesterday morning.

The son panics easily. Which sends her into a long-distance panic. Course, I'd be freaking out too if it was my mom. I told her to trust me that I would tell her to come if I thought she should. At least she got some sleep that night, cause I'm sure she didn't get much hanging out at the hospital all night last night.

Frankly, I'm a little bushed myself. But, this is what you do, you know?