But what she remembered was amazing....the names of her father's brothers and her mother's sister, and was asking me where they all are living now. (Which is "in the cemetery." If they were still alive, they'd be from 120 to 130 years old.) I managed to get her back on track before I left, but it wasn't easy to keep redirecting her limited thought processes. From prior experience, I initially believed this was something I would go through after trips in excess of two weeks. Guess not...we were only gone a week this time!
As I left the nursing home that day, a little excitement occurred. One of the new elderly male residents and his middle-age kids were sitting in the chairs out front - the first time this season the weather has been suitable for that. I smiled and said "hi" to them as I walked by on my way to the car. Then, as I continued walking away, I heard the resident said to the kids something like "she has nice long hair." The female said "Dad, I'm almost sure that's a guy." I simply kept on walking to my car, and by then I was beyond hearing range. Apparently my typical summer outfit of shorts, a women's polo top and fisherman sandals, with a purse, weren't enough cues to pass that particular female's eye...
Wow - 40,000 page views! Thanks to each of you who stopped by and made this milestone possible!
As for the DQ - how many folks thought I meant Dairy Queen? Gotcha...it's the Delta Queen! Our new D-I-L shared a picture she took of the Delta Queen leaving Chattanooga for New Orleans, where it will be refurbished for service.
Maybe someday I'll get to ride her... Unlike a cruise, a riverboat doesn't normally get too far from land!
More later...
Mandy
As to the different views between the resident father and the perceptive daughter I go back to Abe Lincoln who said,
ReplyDelete"You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."
Very true! And as you know, I don't really try to, most of the time. Like today, I was addressed by my wife's name after using her points card at the local pharmacy...shorts, polo shirt and sandals, nothing overly feminine!
DeleteNever a dull moment.
Mandy
But you DO have great hair!!!!!!! :-D
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your mom. I was caretaker for my grandmother for about 10 years, and she also lost her memory over those years (she made it to 97 though!)
She started thinking I was my father (her son), which was a little ironic as he had dropped out of my life at least 15 years prior.
Thanks for the compliment, hon! (I'm blushing...)
DeleteSorry to hear of your loss...it's never a fun time. Dad passed away 17 years ago...
Yes, Mom's current situation is distressing. But there is nothing I can do about it, except be there for her. And at almost 92. deterioration is both understandable and inevitable.
Perhaps she will reach 97 before the big bell tolls and calls her home... Her doctors haven''t prognosticated a longevity forecast yet - overall, she is still fairly healthy. All except that memory thing...
I'll take it one day at a time, and time will tell.
Hugs,
Mandy
It’s good that your mom still remembers some of your family member’s names, and that she still shows interest in them. I hope things are doing well for you and your mom nowadays. I know it can be tough at times, but you have to be strong for both you and your mom. Take care!
ReplyDeleteMarcia Sherman @ Comfort Keepers
Thank you for replying!
DeleteYes, she is in relatively good health for her age (92), and despite the memory loss, is doing fairly well. She seems to be getting good care. I attribute that to the fact that I am there frequently, and occasionally at different times of the day. They never know when I might pop in. So things can't "slide."
It's a tough row to hoe, but she took care of me as a kid, and now the "high heel" is on the other foot - mine! So, even though some days are a bit frustrating, I try to make sure she gets the best.
Please stop by again...
Mandy