Hide and Seek

 I went to visit my Mom in "the home" while Far Guy had an eye appointment.   Mom was nowhere  to be found, her phone and oxygen were in her room.  A few of the Nurses said she was last seen in the hallway walking....perhaps they should have noticed that she did not have her oxygen??  I asked every nurse and aide that I saw.  I checked bathrooms,  tv rooms, therapy rooms,  gazabo and lunch rooms.   I sent texts to my siblings just incase one of them had her. 

I headed over to her apartment in the adjoining building....she was not there either and the people I encountered had not seen her.  On my way back down the activity director was knocking on doors.  Mom was visiting old neighbors...which was just fine except no one knew it.  

Crisis was averted, Nursing Home staff were very apologetic...but someone or a number of someones dropped the ball. 

After I got Mom back in her room, the Doctor came to check her out. 

Elderly hide and seek...what is next? 

Far Side

Mom in 1953.

 

A Quilt

 My Mother made a quilt for Jen a few years ago.   It now has a perfect spot at Gather in Laporte. 

It hangs on the railing upstairs. 

My Mother is adjusting to life in the assisted living apartment by herself.   It is hard, she and Dad have been together more than 72 years.    Dad was asleep yesterday when I visited.  Mom shared that the Nurses at the Home said he wandered the halls all night long.  Mom usually eats the noon meal with him and sometimes supper.   At his table is an elderly lady who has no filter and her language is quite colorful...it doesn't seem to phase my Dad. 

One day at a time. 

We have candy ready for our usual Trick or Treaters...hopefully I will get some photos! 

Far Side

A Mountain of Cookies

Far Guys Sister, Far Guys Mother, Far Guy and Chance 2005 We carried him into the Nursing Home when he was just eight weeks old. Far Guys Mom said "It's about time you kids got a dog, and he is a pretty cute little guy too. What did you name him?" We replied "Chance"..our last chance for a dog.

From that day on, Chance became a Nursing Home visiting dog. He visited every other day with Far Guy. Sure there were some days he had to stay home, muddy wet dogs have to stay home. But for the most part he was ready to go anytime we said "Lets go visit Grandma." He loved her, and she loved him, she called him "My Dog." She would save cookies for him and hide them in her room. On her bad days she might not remember much of anything, but she always remembered where the cookies were hidden. Which side of which drawer the stash of cookies was hidden in today. After all you never forget a real friends favorite treat.

Chance learned a lot from Grandma, he learned not to be afraid of a cane. He learned to walk along side her walker. He learned that wheelchairs won't hurt you. He learned to sit in front of an automatic door and wait for it to open. He learned that it was OK to put your paws on the edge of the bed to be petted, but that Grandma did not want him in bed with her! He was allowed to put his front feet on the arm of her wheelchair if she invited him to do so, often he would steal just one kiss. One kiss that was enough for Grandma! He learned that when she cried, if he cried and whined too, she would stop crying, dry her eyes and laugh at him.

Chance knew the way to the Nursing Home, the right, left, left, left turns that would get you into the parking lot. As soon as you made that first right turn in town he would start to get excited, he knew where you were going, and that the lady with the cookies was there. He knew the way to her room, straining at the leash to walk faster, he knew which bed was hers. He and Far Guy were faithful visitors for over two years.

The last time I took him into the home to visit, I told him "This is it buddy, time to say goodbye." Grandma had been sleeping for days, he put his paws on the edge of her bed and licked her hand. Her hand never moved, and poor Chance looked confused, I found a stashed cookie in a drawer and we left. Two days later Grandma left the home for a heavenly one. There is no explaining death to a dog, we humans don't begin to understand it all that well, so it is impossible to explain to a dog. There is still something he knows... He still knows the right, left, left, left turns that get you into the parking lot, but doesn't understand why he is left in the car. He would like to go in, he would like to find Grandma. I often wonder if he thinks that we have totally abandoned her. He would never abandon her, after all this time..... she must have a whole mountain of cookies to share:)

A Promise

The last couple of days we have been enjoying the company of Far Guy's cousin from Alaska. He had hip replacement surgery and is recuperating quite well..he is only a little gimpy. Since he grew up at the farm kitty corner from where I grew up, we have lots in common. We took an area tour, talking, reminiscing about people and places. It was great fun!

We did have a mission ..to visit another cousin of Far Guys and Alaska Guys. For the purposes of this blog I will call him Street Rod. A long time ago Street Rod allowed his friends to cover his arm in catsup, then he crawled into the trunk of his friends car, with one hand holding the trunk shut and the other catsup covered arm very visible to the unsuspecting people of Detroit Lakes. Needless to say Street Rod was without wheels for several weeks.

Street Rod is one year older than Far Guy and Alaska Guy. Street Rod is in the Nursing Home. He has multiple health issues, diabetes, failing eye sight, dialysis and he is an amputee with a flashy red metallic flake wheelchair/ scooter. He may have lost the use of his legs but his sense of humor is still intact. The guys had a good visit. Street Rod was having some indigestion and had to go get his Rolaids. I offered to get them from his room, He said "Nope, around here you have to have a Doctors orders for Rolaids." He scooted out and returned saying "I am too old for this shit." His mood deteriorated after that, he was tired and needed to lay down before going to dialysis, so we left.

After leaving "the home" we all talked about our unwillingness to be residents of such a facility. We know they are necessary we just don't want to go there ..ever.

Later after we got home, I told Far Guy that I would try to do whatever was necessary to keep him out of the home for as long as I could. He said "No need to worry I will be in the pen." I said "WHAT?" He replied "Well Alaska Guy was feeling so bad about having to go to the home someday, he made me promise to kill him first." Now let me tell ya I just left them behind for three minutes while I walked to get the car in the rain, and during that time they must have had time to REALLY talk. Next time the gimpy one and one who hurts when wind hits his face can get the car for me:)

A Simple Question

A number of years ago Far Guy's Mother was in the Nursing Home. She preferred to eat her meals in her room, we encouraged her to eat with her group at meal times. In doing so we would try to schedule a visit around the noon or the evening meal. She struggled with the food, I admit sometimes it looked very unappetizing. Her table mates were Blanche and Betty, when we would wheel her out to her table the "Girls" would greet her warmly. So we would hang out and talk to the "girls" and encourage Far Guys Mom to eat. If she ate she felt better, if she drank her milk and juice she felt better. If she felt better so did we. In the two years that she was in the home Far Guy visited her almost every day. I accompanied him once or twice a week.

On one of those visits Betty grabbed my arm and asked "Do you bake bread?" I laughed and replied " No, my Mother did years ago, and Far Guy's Mom was a really good bread baker ..hardly anyone bakes bread anymore." She sadly stated "I am so hungry for freshly baked bread, the bread in here isn't fit to eat."

On our way home Far Guy wondered aloud if he could learn to bake bread the old way. I told him perhaps he should take lessons from his Aunt Louise. I am thinking... hey this is a great idea, he is not only going to be a great cook but a baker too! Instead I opened my big mouth and said "Well your Aunt Louise bakes bread every week, you just need to ask her to share with Betty!" And he did, Betty got the fresh bread she dreamed of and a good bread baker was honored to share her baking skills. Aunt Louise bakes the best bread ever! I still think Far Guy should take lessons.

Do I bake bread? No, not unless you count taking out a loaf of frozen bread and putting it in an old bread pan to rise and bake, or dumping the required ingredients into Far Guys automatic bread maker. I used to watch my Mother mix and kneed and bake, I used to enjoy the smell and the taste of a freshly sliced warm piece of bread slathered in butter. Do you bake bread? :)