My uncle from Dallas, TX came in to visit his family and especially to see my mother. My mother is the oldest of 12 children and now three have died. One sister had Alzheimer’s and that was my mother’s greatest fear. She really didn’t want to have that, and now, well, she does.
The good thing is that my mother still knows who we are. She knew Don immediately today and she always knows her sister, Genell and Reida. Reida is only 4 years older than me and she and Nancy, who is my age, grew up like sisters. I was blessed to have them because I never had any brothers and sisters. My mother’s family was so large that I didn’t know the difference.
When Charles and I arrived, my mother, daddy, Don, Bonnie (Don’s wife), Genell, and Reida were all at the door. My dad takes my mother up to wait about an hour before they eat. He says they have to go early or they can’t get back to their table because of all of the walkers and wheelchairs. I had brought their laundry and you just can’t believe how many people were lined up. I had to get someone to clear the hall so I could get to my mother’s room.
I wanted to take a picture of Victor and my mother today, but Victor got away before I could. You know Victor is the “world renowned chef” that works at Summit View. I will get a picture of him. He’s always laughing and really likes my mother. My mother says he makes the best gravy and biscuits you’ve ever put in your mouth!
I had a gigantic load of laundry today and one man in a wheelchair asked me how many people I do laundry for. I’m not sure if he wanted to hire me or he was amazed that I had that much laundry for just 2 people.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Mother's Day
I didn’t say a lot about my mother on this past Mother’s Day. I guess it was pretty hard for me. In the past, I always took her to her favorite restaurant, Red Lobster, and she always ordered the seafood platter. She really loved Red Lobster.
Of course, this year, we just couldn’t go. She’s not the same any more.
I really intended to make her a hair appointment to get her hair cut before Mother’s Day, but didn’t get to. When I went down to see her, she said everybody was telling her she looked like Don King. You know, he’s the guy that has the hair just sticks straight up. I went back the next day with my curling iron, but I just couldn’t make her hair look right.
Well, now she has had a haircut and set and she said everybody was telling her how beautiful she is. Well, everybody but my dad. I don’t know why he finds it so hard to tell her that she’s beautiful. He usually just tells her she looks better.
I took my mother’s picture so I could send it to her brother in Dallas, TX. He calls about her and my aunt Genell every few days. My mother has two brothers who have not been to see her at all. I told Genell that the family always shows up at funerals. Why can’t we see our family while they are still alive? So what if my mother has a hard time remembering, she is still a living, breathing person.
Yes, I’m thankful that I still have my mother this year. She’s different, but she’s still my mother.
Of course, this year, we just couldn’t go. She’s not the same any more.
I really intended to make her a hair appointment to get her hair cut before Mother’s Day, but didn’t get to. When I went down to see her, she said everybody was telling her she looked like Don King. You know, he’s the guy that has the hair just sticks straight up. I went back the next day with my curling iron, but I just couldn’t make her hair look right.
Well, now she has had a haircut and set and she said everybody was telling her how beautiful she is. Well, everybody but my dad. I don’t know why he finds it so hard to tell her that she’s beautiful. He usually just tells her she looks better.
I took my mother’s picture so I could send it to her brother in Dallas, TX. He calls about her and my aunt Genell every few days. My mother has two brothers who have not been to see her at all. I told Genell that the family always shows up at funerals. Why can’t we see our family while they are still alive? So what if my mother has a hard time remembering, she is still a living, breathing person.
Yes, I’m thankful that I still have my mother this year. She’s different, but she’s still my mother.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Real or Not Real
I went to see my parents tonight. I did my usual by taking my mother her pull-ups and my dad some chewing gum. I went into her room but she was fast asleep and I really hated to wake her up this late in this day. I was there at 6:30 p.m. I guess I need to back up and say that she spends most of her time in bed. She gets up and dressed and goes to breakfast with my dad. She returns to her room and goes back to bed until my dad comes to get her to go to lunch. After lunch she returns to her room and goes back to bed until my dad comes to get her to go to supper. After supper she returns to her room and goes back to bed until one of the CNA’s come to get her ready for “bed.” My mother told me that the doctor has told her she needs to get plenty of rest.
Well, I went down to chat with the CNA’s and I asked them if Geneva was doing okay. One of them began to giggle and asked me had she told me about the man being in my mother’s room. I told her that I hadn’t heard that one. She said that my mother came down and said please help me, there’s a man in my room messing with my heat. The CNA went back with her to assure her that nobody was in her room (my mother has a habit of seeing people who aren’t there) and would you believe it, there was a man in my mother’s room fooling with her heat. The girl said, well Geneva there is a man in your room. My mother replied that she had been trying to tell her that. Well, it seems my mother was cold and knocked on Luther’s door and asked him if he could fix her heat. He told her to go get somebody that he couldn’t fix it.
My mother had previously gone down to tell the CNA’s a few months ago that there were two men in her room. The girls asked my mother why would they be in her room and my mother replied that they wanted sex. There was nobody in her room that time. The girls told me that they always check to make sure and I sure am glad.
Then, they told me that someone had yelled to call the fire department that somebody was having a heart attack. Out of the room comes my mother telling them that everything is okay because Dr. Geneva is here.
I can’t make this stuff up. I have known my mother all of my life and have never heard things like this from her.
So another fun day at Summit View.
DR
5/2/09
Well, I went down to chat with the CNA’s and I asked them if Geneva was doing okay. One of them began to giggle and asked me had she told me about the man being in my mother’s room. I told her that I hadn’t heard that one. She said that my mother came down and said please help me, there’s a man in my room messing with my heat. The CNA went back with her to assure her that nobody was in her room (my mother has a habit of seeing people who aren’t there) and would you believe it, there was a man in my mother’s room fooling with her heat. The girl said, well Geneva there is a man in your room. My mother replied that she had been trying to tell her that. Well, it seems my mother was cold and knocked on Luther’s door and asked him if he could fix her heat. He told her to go get somebody that he couldn’t fix it.
My mother had previously gone down to tell the CNA’s a few months ago that there were two men in her room. The girls asked my mother why would they be in her room and my mother replied that they wanted sex. There was nobody in her room that time. The girls told me that they always check to make sure and I sure am glad.
Then, they told me that someone had yelled to call the fire department that somebody was having a heart attack. Out of the room comes my mother telling them that everything is okay because Dr. Geneva is here.
I can’t make this stuff up. I have known my mother all of my life and have never heard things like this from her.
So another fun day at Summit View.
DR
5/2/09
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