Celebrations in Colours: Mom & Dad

Mother's Day is coming up and my Dad's birthday is literally the next day, so I thought I would surprise them both with these intricate art designs that I have spent a lot of time and effort colouring.

Thank you to Bill for making the sheets fit properly in the frames!

*Update: They loved them!

Summer Time

Just wanted to pop in and say hello to everyone who reads my blog and post a few photos and updates. I hope your summer is going well!  Feel free to send me your photos of what you've been up to so far, I would love to see them.

I got treated to yummy Shrimp and Noodle Salad from Lilly Kazzilly's, Man, this salad was delish!

 A couple photos taken in May. Note, my Mom sure rocks her Sugar Bear t-shirt.

Dad is doing really well. Recovery is still happening, especially dealing with short-term memory lapses, but doctors are pretty amazed by his on-going progress!

After moving my parents and going through their enormous amount of clutter at the old house, it was time to make a decision and for the last while or so, we've been really occupied getting ready to put my brother's house up for sale this time. It is a new chapter in his life, so that means purging and starting fresh.

That's it for now. I will blog again soon. :)

Dad's progress

UPDATE: Just another update on my dad since I know a lot of our friends want to know how he is doing.

So I guess I could say that everyday is certainly an adventure for all of us! When i walk into the room, either my dad knows who I am or it takes him a bit of time to process. At first this was really hard to handle emotionally, but I have come to terms that there may be days where he doesn't remember my name, but he recalls details. The other day, he realized that I had my haircut.

My dad is feeding himself and we are trying to keep meals healthy. His appetite is still weak, but way better than before. He is also walking around a bit more and doing exercises that were prescribed by the physiotherapist, instead of always staying in bed.

We got him a whole stack of dvds and musicals to watch, so Fiddler on the Roof has been playing pretty much non-stop, along with The 3 Tenors. It makes him smile and stimulates his brain. We're going to try some cards today.

He is also communicating better as well, cracking jokes at times, although still a bit jumbled especially when he gets tired. So although some days are better than others, we are still very hopeful for more improvement as time goes by.

We are welcoming visitors who are able to provide *only* positive and upbeat conversation because that is what my dad is really responding to. Sometimes his mind goes back to certain topics, but the best thing to do is just say "everything is taken care of and there's no need for you to worry" and then change the subject.

I guess that's it for now. Our days are long and sometimes physically and emotionally exhausting. We just want to say thank you again to those who have actively been helping our family, in even the smallest of ways. Every bit counts so we can provide the best possible care and continue the path of recovery. It is all greatly appreciated.

~The Arditti Family~

Longevity flowers

I had these beautiful "longevity" Fuji Mum flowers delivered to my parents from Victoria's Flowers and Gift Baskets. Thank you Kathy for making the arrangement so quickly.

I wanted them next to my dad's bed, so every time he wakes up, he can see the vibrant colours and remember me (i'm the purple flower). I also wanted to have them in his room, so no matter what kind of a day my mom is having, she can be reminded of how special she is to all of us.

Ed Arditti: MIA

Hi everyone.

I apologize for not blogging very much, however, the start of 2015 has been a rollercoaster ride for our family. I wanted to write a blog, but I haven't had the time nor the energy to put insightful or thoughtful words together. So please just bear with me.

Over the holidays, my dad fell ill with a terrible Encephalitis virus that severely attacked his brain. He was in Hotel Dieu hospital since the first of January, and finally came home on the 13th.  I know this has been devastating to everyone who knows him, including us.

Unfortunately, his cognitive abilities are rather delayed right now. He is currently taking anti-viral medications to reduce the swelling in his brain, which comes with its own side effects, but this is our best line of defense. We have around the clock care from a wonderful organization here in the city of Windsor called CCAC, from nurses to PSW's, an occupational therapist etc...

I wish that I could give more details or at least say that my beloved father is going to fully recover, but we don't know. No one seems to know specifics, it is a situation of wait-and-see, plus keeping up with blood tests, doctor's appointments and of course, monitoring any changes.

As you can imagine, this has been a very difficult time for our family, both physically and emotionally. This was not something we had anticipated and it has thrown our lives for a loop.

We appreciate all the support, deeply and truly.

I took this photo last year when we spent a nice day at the park together.

I love my Dad so much.