My mother in law is 83.  She lives with her Border terrier in a nice home.  This woman pays all her bills and even pays her cable and fuel oil ahead for the year.  When she needs something done around the house that DH or I can’t do she hires someone to do it.  She takes care of her dog.

     Now, because she fell, banged her head, and had the good sense to call 911 she’s in a rehab hospital.  They have dosed her daily with laxatives and now claim she can’t hold her bowels.  (Could you if someone gave you Colace every day?)  She fell because she had an infection, which is now under control.

     She wants to go home.  She’s told them numerous times that she wants to go home.  Personally, I think she’d be better off in an assisted living place but that’s not my call.

      She’s not highly educated; she quit school in the eighth grade.  Nor is she the brightest light in the harbor, but she does do well in her own home.  Over the years, I have come to realize that she’s mildly agoraphobic.  Being in a hospital situation frightens her.  She’s easily intimidated. 

     Today they told DH she could go home on Saturday.  A few hours later, they decided that they should have a psychologist check her to see if she’s competent.  My problem with this is that most questions they will ask her are not relevant to her.

     She doesn’t read books and she stopped her paper when the delivery guy started leaving her paper where she couldn’t get to it even after numerous complaints.  She knows what year it is; she’s a bit fuzzy on the day, but heck, so am I most of the time.  When you don’t work at a job outside the home, the ‘day’ isn’t that important.  She watches the six o’clock news and her soap operas and is content.

     She wants to go home where she’s comfortable.  She wants to be with her dog.  She wants to sleep in her own bed.  Is she crazy?