The Business Side of Things

I spent my morning yesterday doing paperwork for Dad... some good and some bad.

We got an offer on Dad's mobile home! And of course we took it! The lady is giving us a down payment and she will pay us rent until the beginning of next year when she will take over the mortgage. So, I signed everything and sent that off.

The other paperwork involved hospital bills from when he was in the hospital back in April after he ran away. We got an ambulance bill for $1000 a couple of months ago and I appealed to the VA for financial help since Dad only has Medicare Part A which doesn't cover ER bills. Then, two months later I got two more bills (this time for the ER)... one for $7400 and another for $1000!!! I don't know why I didn't think about the actual ER bills, but obviously Dad can't afford this, so I am appealing to the VA again and we're contacting a financial counselor affiliated with the hospital.

Unfortunately the process with the VA takes so long that I have a feeling we're going to be sent to Collections... I guess we'll just have to see what the financial counselor says.

Yesterday I was visiting Dad and I checked out his new laminate hardwood floors. The smell in his room is so much better although I think Dad is still peeing in other places other than the toilet. When I was picking up his dirty clothes from the bottom of the closet they were all wet. Wet with pee, oh goodie! I pulled all the clothes out and even though laundry is generally done on Tuesdays, Whittier place said they would wash all his clothes for him. I noticed that the closet door is always open and the bathroom door is always shut, so he probably doesn't even think about the bathroom, he just knows that he has to pee and ends up walking to the open door.

Dad's roommate is also gone. They didn't tell me why, but it's too bad because he was really a sweet guy. I informed the manager of the Dementia Ward that Ken's family may be calling about some missing clothes because when I looked in Dad's closet, most of the clothes were Ken's.

Apparently Dad helped the activities coordinator plant some radishes and summer squash in the garden. We spent some time watering all the plants and we ate a couple of the tomatoes off the tomato plant. He really has a great home at Whittier.

Later during my visit, we all walked to the big dining room so they could do their daily exercises and trivia. As we were walking down the hallway, I could hear a couple of the patients behind me say, "Where are we going?" and someone answered, "I don't know. I forgot." "Oh, Okay." I was giggling to myself because it was so sweet and so true.

Dad's rash is getting better but he is still itching like crazy. He took his second dose of Scabies medication yesterday so hopefully it really kicks in. I attached a photo of Dad's new floor and a video of him trying to do the exercises (I love the confused look on his face). He is the least coordinated out of all the patients. When they are doing arms exercises, he moves his legs and vice versa. At least he is involved with the group activities.

I've also been asked to write a post on another blog. The blog is about feeling better no matter what condition/cause your experiencing. I don't think they've had anyone write about Alzheimer's yet, so that will be a nice addition. Here is a link to the blog http://blog.dimmi.com/
I'll let everyone know when I write something.