Sometimes it's best to just let your thoughts fly freely through the atmosphere. Most times, though, as we're all somewhat used to, it's good to have them in a container where they're accessible to any and all.
Today's thoughts few freely - truly - and it was quite an interesting ride!
I arrived to take Mom to Mass around 930 this morning, as she's usually up and about waiting. But, this morning I found her in her room, sitting down doing whatever she was doing.
I had brought her some goodies: Mount Rainiers, Toffee Bars, and Rich Bars, which she used to make for Christmas time each year. She told me to put them in the refrigerator. I also brought her some cards from people she knew in Port Angeles, which arrived at my doorstep.
She eagerly opened them, and showed me. Then she stuffed them back into their envelopes and she put them on her dresser.
Next, we needed to put on her stockings. Where were they? She told me they had been stolen, along with her slippers and shoes. Hmmmmmm. Where could she have put them. Under the bed? no. Under her pillows? no. In her closet under a stack of blankets? Aha! a slipper to match the other. She still wasn't satisfied.
I then opened the cabinets under the sink. No. The drawer under the fridge? Aha! The shoes and the stockings. She told me someone was playing tricks on her. Oh well.
While I had her putting on her shoes, which she found to be a sign that Satan had possessed me, I ventured out and spoke to the med-aid about getting her medications for our outing. Here I discovered that she had just only risen from bed. She had been complaining of nausea and pains. Funny. She hadn't said anything to me. Oh well.
So, there we were, me thinking we were on our way out - how silly! We just got her ready to eat her breakfast! So, I settled for a cup of coffee and helped her read the paper. Next, she worked on two crosswords from the same paper. Time moved on but we did not. There was no moving her.
Finally, it was past time to arrive at Jean's for lunch. So, we set off for that part of Portland, driving merrily through the streets, detouring around Lloyd Center and venturing through other neighborhoods.
We finally arrived to a warm greeting. Jean had also purchased a padded folding chair for use when the RLC came to visit Mom in her room!
Jean's daugher, Jenny, and son-in-law, Aldo, were also present. I'd brought Jean treats, as well.
One of the goals, today, was to have Mom write Christmas Cards to her friends in Port Angeles. Jean mentioned Nancy, but Mom said she had died. Jean showed her a card she'd just received from Nancy, but Mom pooh-pooh'ed it. So, I dialed my phone.
Nancy answered, and I handed the phone to Mom, who thought it in bad taste to call the dead.
"Is this you? or a recording you made?" Mom asked.
"It's really me, Norma," came the response.
Mom had a few more probing questions to ensure Nancy really wasn't speaking from the tomb. Eventually they were happily chatting away - about what, I couldn't tell you, except that not all Mom said made any sense -- quite a few non-sequitors, a few things that fell from the sky and became the topic, etc. But it also demonstrated how strong her hallucinations and delusions can be. Of course, I'm not telling you everything, because that would be too much.
Finally, they ended the chat.
"It was so good of her to call from so far away!" said Mom. "That was a great act of charity!"
I didn't touch that.
So, the conversations were off. Mom and Jean talked about family, and Mom asking Jenny all sorts of questions about her family, forgetting, of course, that Jean is her mother.
She even asked me some questions that related to me as her own brother, inquiring as to whether or not I'd visited my brother in Japan while he was teaching there and in the seminary. Trying to help her identify me was somewhat confusing for her - but in a minute she would know me, and think I was talking nonsense. <sigh>
She wrote some cards, after lunch, and we departed.
On the way home, Mom asked me, "If you were married, and owned your own home, would you rather be married or single?"
I wasn't sure she realized the question so I parroted it back to her.
"That's right," she said. "Which?"
"Well, let's try putting it this way - I'd rather be single than marry the wrong person."
"That's a very wise response," she stated.
Whew!
So, we got back home, and she was still going on about the phone call with Nancy. Will she remember tomorrow? Will she recall any of today? That's a tough call.
Yes, she did ask about Dad and his doings recently, and of her parents. Luckily I can figure out what to say quickly, and she accepts it.
So, a promise to take her to Mass on Wednesday evening brought a weary smile to her face, as she began to wind down for a nap.
I've a feeling this is the beginning of a whole new stage.
Today's thoughts few freely - truly - and it was quite an interesting ride!
I arrived to take Mom to Mass around 930 this morning, as she's usually up and about waiting. But, this morning I found her in her room, sitting down doing whatever she was doing.
I had brought her some goodies: Mount Rainiers, Toffee Bars, and Rich Bars, which she used to make for Christmas time each year. She told me to put them in the refrigerator. I also brought her some cards from people she knew in Port Angeles, which arrived at my doorstep.
She eagerly opened them, and showed me. Then she stuffed them back into their envelopes and she put them on her dresser.
Next, we needed to put on her stockings. Where were they? She told me they had been stolen, along with her slippers and shoes. Hmmmmmm. Where could she have put them. Under the bed? no. Under her pillows? no. In her closet under a stack of blankets? Aha! a slipper to match the other. She still wasn't satisfied.
I then opened the cabinets under the sink. No. The drawer under the fridge? Aha! The shoes and the stockings. She told me someone was playing tricks on her. Oh well.
While I had her putting on her shoes, which she found to be a sign that Satan had possessed me, I ventured out and spoke to the med-aid about getting her medications for our outing. Here I discovered that she had just only risen from bed. She had been complaining of nausea and pains. Funny. She hadn't said anything to me. Oh well.
So, there we were, me thinking we were on our way out - how silly! We just got her ready to eat her breakfast! So, I settled for a cup of coffee and helped her read the paper. Next, she worked on two crosswords from the same paper. Time moved on but we did not. There was no moving her.
Finally, it was past time to arrive at Jean's for lunch. So, we set off for that part of Portland, driving merrily through the streets, detouring around Lloyd Center and venturing through other neighborhoods.
We finally arrived to a warm greeting. Jean had also purchased a padded folding chair for use when the RLC came to visit Mom in her room!
Jean's daugher, Jenny, and son-in-law, Aldo, were also present. I'd brought Jean treats, as well.
One of the goals, today, was to have Mom write Christmas Cards to her friends in Port Angeles. Jean mentioned Nancy, but Mom said she had died. Jean showed her a card she'd just received from Nancy, but Mom pooh-pooh'ed it. So, I dialed my phone.
Nancy answered, and I handed the phone to Mom, who thought it in bad taste to call the dead.
"Is this you? or a recording you made?" Mom asked.
"It's really me, Norma," came the response.
Mom had a few more probing questions to ensure Nancy really wasn't speaking from the tomb. Eventually they were happily chatting away - about what, I couldn't tell you, except that not all Mom said made any sense -- quite a few non-sequitors, a few things that fell from the sky and became the topic, etc. But it also demonstrated how strong her hallucinations and delusions can be. Of course, I'm not telling you everything, because that would be too much.
Finally, they ended the chat.
"It was so good of her to call from so far away!" said Mom. "That was a great act of charity!"
I didn't touch that.
So, the conversations were off. Mom and Jean talked about family, and Mom asking Jenny all sorts of questions about her family, forgetting, of course, that Jean is her mother.
She even asked me some questions that related to me as her own brother, inquiring as to whether or not I'd visited my brother in Japan while he was teaching there and in the seminary. Trying to help her identify me was somewhat confusing for her - but in a minute she would know me, and think I was talking nonsense. <sigh>
She wrote some cards, after lunch, and we departed.
On the way home, Mom asked me, "If you were married, and owned your own home, would you rather be married or single?"
I wasn't sure she realized the question so I parroted it back to her.
"That's right," she said. "Which?"
"Well, let's try putting it this way - I'd rather be single than marry the wrong person."
"That's a very wise response," she stated.
Whew!
So, we got back home, and she was still going on about the phone call with Nancy. Will she remember tomorrow? Will she recall any of today? That's a tough call.
Yes, she did ask about Dad and his doings recently, and of her parents. Luckily I can figure out what to say quickly, and she accepts it.
So, a promise to take her to Mass on Wednesday evening brought a weary smile to her face, as she began to wind down for a nap.
I've a feeling this is the beginning of a whole new stage.
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