Navigating the New Year with a Plan
January 2025 Issue
Inspirations for Better Living
It was that time of year again. Mom and I tied a ribbon around the last twelve months of parent child role reversal and began focusing on the potential joy and happiness of a new year. Our relationship had evolved as Mom continued to live as independently as she could, and I kept on providing the assistance she needed to make that happen for both of us.
The year had been full of doctor appointments, medical procedures, big decisions, and subtle adjustments. She didn’t bounce back from illnesses and surgery like she used to, but a home health nurse helped a lot during her recovery periods. A few months ago, her nurse gave us a pamphlet about a group of nurse practitioners who had started a medical house call business. It was set up like a doctor’s office that comes to you. Since Mom gave up driving, I thought this could be a valuable healthcare tool for us.
I suspected Mom had a UTI again and thought this would be a reasonable way to test the waters on the house call idea. I set up an appointment for that evening. A nurse practitioner showed up on time, gave Mom a thorough exam, agreed it was a UTI, and prescribed antibiotics. She collected a urine sample and drew blood for laboratory confirmation of her diagnosis. I picked up the medicine the next day and Mom headed down the road to recovery once again.
The idea of having medical professionals come to Mom’s home eased my mind a great deal. I planned to go on vacation later in the year. Twelve days would be a long time for Mom to be minus a chauffeur. Not that I was the only one who could drive her to a doctor’s appointment. She had several neighbors who would be happy to help her get wherever she needed to go … if she asked them. That was the problem. She hated asking for help.
