Decided it was time for an update here. My dad's health seems to be improving. He's eating a bit more and more talkative - stays around visiting more. He does sleep a lot. Goes to bed around 10 pm and I have to encourage him to get up around 11 am. The rest seems to be doing him good but I worry that he is going to long without food. Coco usually bounds into his room in the morning around 9 and wakes him up so I give him his meds then and he goes back to sleep. I'm thinking of adding a little Ensure in the morning - even a half bottle for some nutrition. He needs to gain some weight. Tonight we had chicken, stuffing, brocolli and cauliflower and he ate a fair amount. If he was not cold all the time from the anemia I'd get him to drink milkshakes but he's freezing always. Our house is warmer than it has ever been. I had the furnace on 75 today. It used to be set at 64.

Tomorrow the county nurse will stop in to see him. I called the county the other day. I don't understand why the discharge planner at the hospital didn't offer us those services. I decided to do it after my dad had a bad morning on Monday and I thought he was going to end up back in hospital. I wish our healthcare system would improve for our elders. I'm not pleased with many of the things that happened during his illness. He and others of his generation deserve the best treatment. A little more effort in understanding elder behavior and needs would help.

My 94 year old friend called yesterday. She wanted to check on how we were doing and told me she had shoveled her walk on Sunday, cleaned her oven that morning....she's amazing and a very sweet lady. She takes no medicine - only an aspirin a day.