Happy, Happy, Happy!

So Ava has been asking for my mom "baba". I took both the kids up to the new assisted living yesterday. Ava looked utterly bored the whole time...Hmmm Just as I thought it would be too much of a long ride just for a quick errand.

We get there and Ava transitions really well.Everett is hanging in there...We find mom in her room. I sit down and nurse Everett. Ava is very interested in mom but doesn't want go near her. Think mom was fine with that...They always just seem to work it out.

Back story...Neither have been able to talk for most of Ava's life. But Ava has taken to mom. She hugs her, asks to "help" and generally just likes her. Do I get it? No way...but it is kinda interesting. I wonder if there is some genetic understanding...a basic human connection to our grandmas.

I talked to my mom. Asking her questions about her day program new assisted living...Finally I ask "are you happy?" She replies "yes"...Stop the presses my bipolar chronically chaotic mother is happy and admits it! This is big!

This has been my goal. This is why I worked my butt off last year while pregnant with Everett. Getting my mother out of that craphole of a nursing home and into a place she could have a quality of life! Well check that on the goal list!

I kept visualizing a 4 way stop sign. Jordan, Ava, Everett and Mom. In that moment driving home (windows down, humidity not horrible), knowing mom is happy, Ava and Everett are happy and healthy and Jordan is healthy (work is hard right now)...This was a moment I had to remember! Yes I will drive out of this intersection but that moment. It wasa keeper.

Dealing with people...I didn't call the state casemanager. Really I thought the Sheppard Pratt had called her. I thought the day program admission manager called her...

The NEW Assisted Living

So mom made it to the new Assisted Living. Best Care is the name. The owner seems fantastic! She is my age, has two kids and a recently deceased bipolar mother with an extensive psychiatric history.

I was encouraged not to visit today which is great. They seem really accomadating so far. Perfect for me and not offended by having mom sign the contract or a separate mailing address.

Can't wait to see mom and how she is doing!

Search Continues

I am calling looking for assisted living facilities again today. We lost a good but not great placement b/c of the hospitalization length of stay. But my gut says mom would have not liked it. My gut is happy but my brain is fried. Not really but just saying...

Know the hospital will put pressure on me. These are the best and I really can't just ignore them. They will probably be involved in mom's future. It is the best gero psych hosptial unit in town. But it is still a buisiness and have limited resources so they will be calling.

Today. Another anniversary...almost exactly a year since Mom was evaulated for assisted living (medical piece). We now sit in a much better position. She has real people working in her favor. Real people with real knowledge...So the hunt continues for a new place for mom to live, a place where she can function, a place where she may not be happy but she has a quality of life.

Right now she continues her psychiatric hospitilization at Sheppard Pratt. The one place that has always fixed her. The one place she would run to escape and make her ready to deal with real life. The one place she gets off the rollercoaster.