Abby's family sees improvement

A female resident I will call Abby has been fed in the back dining room for the last few months. That is, until this past weekend when she started eating on her own. Marie, an aide who had not worked for months, encouraged her to try on Saturday and Abby has been feeding herself ever since.

This morning when Abby's breakfast tray was delivered. She picked up the napkin rolled silverware, unwrapped it, and started to eat her French toast strips. I was afraid they might be too hot. But Abby was not concerned, she dug right in.

It's done us all so much good to watch her feed herself. She has been very silent and almost motionless, and had to be fed every bite for so long.

At lunch Abby's mother and sister were in the dining room sitting beside her. I'm sure they came to observe her feeding herself.

Abby's mother had a large soft drink from McDonald that she was sipping on. I told her that Abby was doing so well feeding herself that she could probably get Abby McDonald's and she could eat it on her own as well.

They watched as Abby dug into her puréed taco salad and then ate the peanut butter pie for dessert. Abby gets several drinks with meals because she has urinary tract problems and needs a lot of fluids. The one thing she is not doing is picking up a cup to take a drink. Her aide was there at lunchtime to offer her drinks. The aide either held the cup or put a straw in it so Abby could sip. But, today Abby cut back on her fluid intake. At lunchtime, she did not drink her second cup of lemonade.

When Abby was finished, her mom and sister took her back to room for a visit.

It was nice to see a resident's family get good news during a visit.