Orientation

Mother was really confused yesterday. She fell nearly a month ago. There was no obvious injury beyond some bruising on one ankle and soreness. She was x-rayed and CT scanned from top to bottom. Nothing was broken and there was no apparent stroke. Since the fall, her mind has been seriously scrambled.

Yesterday she didn't know where she was. Once explained, her distress was relieved...for a moment. Then she was confused because she didn't know what she was supposed to do. Orientation to time and events have pretty much slipped away for good. There are calendars, clocks and seasonal decorations all over her unit to help the residents of this hermetically sealed world stay in touch with time and events, but not much registers with Mother any more. This, however, was the first time I was aware that she didn't know where she was. It was sad to see her frightened look. The nurses placed her out by the nurses station so there would always be someone near. That was reassuring to me. Still, another piece of her mind is crumbling away.

9:22pm Mother is back in isolation again. Happily she was less confused but sadly the culture that was taken from her skin lesion grew MRSA. This strain is sensitive to Bactrim so a course of it has begun. She doesn't act sick just unhappy about being cooped up. Fortunately some a new CD from my sister arrived. Music helps fill the lonely hours.