On Monday we drove up to Solvang. The entire week before Gam had been VERY low energy, couldn't walk, didn't have enough energy to do her exercises or physical therapy, and spent most of her day sleeping. He Physical Therapists and nurses were going to close her case because she was no longer progressing, and warned me that this was the beginning of the end. That was really hard to hear. Gam had a mini stroke on day and the whole left side of her body she couldn't really move. For a few days I had to do everything for her, help her use the restroom, spoon feed her, lift her into bed. Gam also kept telling me that she could feel herself fading away.
I knew that Gam had wanted to go to the beach, so that day after the nurse told me I decided to take her to Malibu. That day she perked up a little, so I mentioned that maybe on Monday we could drive up to Solvang if she was feeling okay that day. Gam said that she loved Solvang and really wanted to get some black licorice and danishes. That morning her Physical therapist came and said once again she was making no progress so they would close her case on Friday and could get us hospice information. She said it could be risky to take her up to Solvang because it was such a long drive, so to make sure I knew where the hospital was there, and that I brought oxygen with me. So I packed up the car and Gam slept the entire way up. Right when we got there she perked up. We went for a walk around grandma and grandpas neighborhood, and Gam could not get over how beautiful their neighborhood was. We also went and saw where Elizabeth and Kathryn are building their houses. Gam loved seeing all of the little boys and watching them play.
Then Grandma, Grandpa and I took Gam and walked around Solvang. She loved it. She bought a whole bag of candy and danishes.
Gam took a few naps throughout the day, that night we all had Tacos and watched "the sting". Then we set up Gam in the guest room for the night. Grandma gave her this bell rattle and told her to shake it if she needed me in the night. Gam had the covers up under her neck and said, "Well I sure appreciate you all tucking me in (begins shaking the baby rattle) now I feel like a great big baby." I started laughing so hard I was crying. She continued, "I haven't felt like a baby in a long time, a great big 95 year old baby." She saw me laughing, and she started laughing and said, "you better get a hold of yourself."
The next morning I came in to check on Gam and she had gotten herself out of bed and into her wheelchair. I was in shock, and continued to be shocked throughout the day as she fed herself, stood up to wash her hands, and didn't sleep hardly at all. It was like she had woken up a new woman, motivated to work hard, get stronger and become independent.
Grandpa brought Gam all of these Danishes to choose from for breakfast. She was in heaven but said it was the toughest decision. We colored with the little boys, had lunch, went for another walk, hungout and watched one of my grandparents favorite shows, "call the midwife." Gam fell asleep halfway through but assured them at the end that she really enjoyed the show. On the way home I asked her how she had like the show and she said with a disgusted look, "ugh it was awful, all that screaming and babies and horrible conditions. Thats why I just closed my eyes and took a nap." I was laughing and asked why she had told Bill and Alice she enjoyed it. She replied, "Oh I'll tell people anything to make them happy." After dinner we headed back home. She said the whole trip was wonderful but what she enjoyed most was being able to spend time with her oldest son.
Gam left Solvang a new woman, the entire way home she was talking and talking. The next day she said she needed to start walking more and began doing her exercises on her own, and said she wanted to try to go into the bank with a walker. She even told me that she would like to start dating. She said she would like a really rich man so that they could travel. She told me that he would probably need to be younger, and thought 88 or older would be nice. Not sure what happened in Solvang, but maybe she should make that a regular trip, because it sure did motivate her to live on and push on.
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