My mother made no entries in her 2011 diary. Health issues and the challenges of daily living were overtaking her. Despite the good efforts of private helpers and those from Public Health, it was becoming increasingly clear through the month of January that her days of independent living were drawing to a close. I have taken the liberty of including a few entries in the 2011 diary. (Vernon A Tryon).

Called Mom and learned that she had been at the hospital last evening after falling backward in her kitchen. Three staples were used to close a cut on the back of her head and she was sent home by ambulance after CT scan and X-ray showed no further damage.

Mom talked with Jim in Kansas.

Mom called. She had had a phone call from Jill Tryon LaGrange who is commuting to work in Rochester but plans to sell her house in Syracuse.

Called Mom. She had had a long phone conversation with Jim.

Patty came at 9 AM and fixed breakfast and stayed until noon. Patty gave Mom a sponge bath, cut her nails, and put lotion on her back. Juanita and Doreen also visited.

Vi Mowers visited today.

Juanita and Brenda visited. Patty spent the morning with her. Jim planning to come home on February 10.

June and I visited Mom. Public Health nurse was there. Dr. LaPoint’s nurse called and gave the Public Health nurse instructions for drawing blood for tests the doctor wanted to run. Dr. LaPoint called me that evening to say the tests showed further deterioration of Mo’s kidneys and heart and she suspected a urinary tract infection and recommended that she go to the hospital she called Mom and told her the same, Mom chose to wait until morning.

June and I went to Mom’s and got her ready to go to the hospital. Called ambulance. Spent rest of day getting her admitted. Doctor said she was malnourished and did have a urinary tract infection.

Jim arrived from Levenworth, Kansas.

We were told hospital staff had determined that Mom would not be able to be discharged to live independently in her apartment and that we should begin to make preparations for a nursing home placement when she no longer needed hospitalization.

My brother, Jim, and I met with doctor. We were told that another infection had developed. IV feeding had to be limited because of fluid build-up. We advised him not to medicate for the infection but to keep her as pain-free as possible. She was not eating or speaking and could not move in bed.

Grandson Joel arrived from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Mom was aware that all of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, as well as their spouses and several friends had visited her over the past few days.

Mom, Beatrice Mildred (Hanson) Tryon died at 6 AM., at the Samaritan Health Center Hospital in Watertown, New York. Her body will be cremated and we will have a memorial service at Philadelphia United Methodist Church in the late spring. Her ashes will be buried in the Sanford Corners Cemetery, Calcium, besid Dad’s. Notified family and friends by phone and letter.

A celebration of the Life of Beatrice Mildred Hanson Tryon funeral service was held at 10:30 AM at the Philadelphia United Methodist Church, led by Lay Minister Nelda McCarthy and organist Marjorie Heck. People of the church prepared luncheon for the gathering and burial of the cremains followed at Sanford Corners Cemetery, Calcium New York.