Mom had fallen and hit her head

After last visit, I had gotten a call at 7pm saying mom had fallen

in a room and hit her head on a machine in the room and was bleeding.

They wanted to send her to the emergency room alone.

Thank goodness the nurse understood my angst about mom

not knowing what the heck was going on and going nuts.

So, she said they would try to catch her and treat it "in house".

so I hung up and waited.

In the meantime we wondered how they could just send a confused

person off on their own? 

Also, I weighed the consequences of my driving up there and staying with her.

Now most of you would reply that you would have run up to 

the hospital no hesitation.  But you see, she would forget the whole thing

afterwards , and I would be deeply effected by it or worse mentally.

After forty five minutes or so I called back...

They had finally caught her and took a better look at it and put ointment 

on it. Couldnt do anything more because she fought them.

As I was speaking to the person, he had to cut the call short to chase

after her..... saying something about her 

cart was full and she was going shopping again in someones room lol)

The next morning I called and it was a complete non-issue!

Oh, she's fine and it looks fine, just cannot get it wet for five days.

Whew! another fall dealt with.

On an elderly forum I use , I asked about this issue of sending a person

with Alzhiemers to the hospital alone.

The overwhelming response from people who work in the hospital was

that it "wasnt their first rodeo" and confused people come in all the time

alone. They "medicate" them, treat them and send them back as soon as possible.

The one and only time mom was in the hospital she almost fell multiple times

after she got out of bed without a walker. They ended up putting a net over 

her bed and drugs. 

I consider this to have been a practice run for the many falls and the serious

ones coming where the hospital will indeed happen.

My mental state after being there with my parents in the hospital

was NOT good at all and they were fine after.

Because of this, I would have no guilt not going and doing everything 

over the phone. 

I have to.

My dad's funeral

Full Military Honor Ceremony was performed...
They did the 3 volley salute
Played taps
Unfolded and refolded the flag ceremoniously over the urn
and gave it to my brother with a speech. Then also presented him
with the spent ammo cases..
My nephew stood with his hand on my shoulder which i appreciated.
He read the obit that my sister put together..
Then I got the pine needles and tossed them in the hole and
spread them onto the square of turf.
 I also tossed in a couple wrist
bracelets from a nearby air museum we had visited together..
 Placed a couple pine boughs by the marker sign.
I thought at least someone would think to bring flowers, but
no one did. Such a bunch of strange people.
(flowers in pic are for a different soldier)


I was feeling pretty good till the person showed up.
Then I had a visceral feeling of blackness that would
come over me at the sound of her voice.

Thank god my bf loaded back up the tables and dad's uniform
into the car and then, without provocation, whisked me away.

Here are some photos of the ceremony.
Loved you dad.

Preparing for the burial

I called the funeral home yesterday and they confirmed they had
scheduled a full military honor ceremony at the cemetery.
Going to bring two small tables
one short one for the urn and another for his Army uniform, hat,
dog tags and POW dog tag.
The one for the urn will have his army blanket and a tapestry
table runner folded in half with the tassels hanging.
I will place the flag next to the urn till they take it to fold it.
Of course this will all be for naught if it rains.
I dont know what to expect if it rains.
they are saying it may rain...

I want to line the hole with pine needles but i am not
sure if they inter the urn right then.

I posted a photo of the urn earlier... it really is beautiful
I'll shall see if i can go pick it and the flag up today.

I have finally defined what happened to me (described in my other blog)
it is called 'psychological trauma' - what a strange thing to happen.