December 18, 2023

Yesterday was John's birthday. I brought him home for the day, and it turned out well. He seemed good and happily munched on food throughout the day. He did eat pistachios, shells and all. I also got a rock out of his mouth. He peed in the laundry room once, but as options go, that wasn't a bad choice! On the drive back to Crescent Landing we drove through the neighborhood next to Fullerton College to see all their sparkleball Christmas lights. It was nice - just me and him, and he looked at all the lights, and I talked to him about all the wonderful people in his life. Some of our favorite songs happened to play on the radio so that added another layer of nostalgia. Today we had a regularly scheduled meeting at Crescent Landing with their staff, the palliative care people, and Danielle and me. In general we all agreed that things are going much better now than they initially were. He's adjusted well to the change. The big issue now is that he keeps peeing in the hallways. They estimated about 4 times a day. They've tried getting him to the bathroom every hour or two, but with little success. They're concerned about John's dignity, and they're concerned about cleanliness. They requested that we try some adaptive clothing - something he can't easily get out of. Danielle ordered something today that we'll try. They also requested that I bring some shoes that will be easier to get on his feet. I bought him a pair of tennis shoes with a built in shoehorn (that's how the sales person described it). Basically they have a firm heel so the shoe slides on and off easily. They're also a half size larger than his other shoes. Hopefully those changes will help the staff care for John with a bit more ease.