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I went to my Mom's in Beaufort, SC last Monday (the 19th), and returned home on the 23rd. She's doing well, for the most part. As i've reported before, she has Alzheimers, and she's on that slow downward spiral...
She couldn't remember when my birthday is.
That's pretty basic for a Mother. You *know* when your children's birthdays are. Ya know?
So that's how she's fairing.
She wanted me to help her straighten and organize her room, and we got most of it done. She has an art table that was COVERED with crap, and now that's clean and clear, so maybe she'll try making a collage again...
But i'm not holding my breath.
She and her husband (not my Dad) have their routine, and it works for them, and i doubt she'll get up the energy to break from routine and go in there and get inspired. =-}
But at least her art table isn't over there in the corner scowling at her anymore. =-)
On my four hour drive home, i almost wept in the car at the start. I had plenty of time to think, and to worry that i'll end up like her...
But that's another post, i think.
Right now i'm just trying to catch you up on my past week or two.
My near-and-dear friend i told you about in the last post HAS begun therapy. She went one day last week while i was gone. Her therapist recommended a book for her to read (about dealing with sexual abuse), and she actually bought it! So i'm thankful that she's trying to deal with it head-on now.
I am thankful that she went to a therapist.
I am thankful she actually got up the nerve/ felt comfortable enough with the therapist to talk about it/ what have you.
I am thankful that she's dealing with this now (as opposed to way later in life).
Now, I just need to be brave enough to call a therapist myself so i can continue healing from my one incident.
My dear Daddy...
Since the last post, Daddy got his staples out on July 12th, and the doc told him he was doing well, and to listen to his body and take it easy, slowly working up to his pre-accident self.
Well, i'm happy to say that Daddy *has* been taking it easy and trying to slowly work his way back.
However...
He has been having some clear-ish drainage on his pillow in the mornings (from his suture site). He mentioned it to his doc, and they "looked" at his head and said it looked good.
At his second appointment, he mentioned again that he's *still* having clearish drainage on his pillow. They "looked" at it, told him it looked fine, and sent him to a wound specialist.
(When i say they "looked" at it, i mean that literally. They simply leaned over him and peered at his wound. They never touched it. They never looked *closely* at it. Nothing.)
The specialist started cleaning and whatever-a-wound-specialist-does, and in a couple of seconds, he got all excited (not in a good way). The specialist said, "You need to go back to your neurologist right away." Well, serendipitously, the neuro office called while the specialist was panicking-without-trying-to-panick, so Daddy said, "Here, talk to this specialist."
The specialist "talked in code" (according to Daddy), and Daddy went straight over to the neuro doc.
Guess what?!
Daddy's skin didn't "seal" with the staples, so he LITERALLY had a hole in his head! Straight to his brain!!!
The neuro doc stitched up his head (again) and put him on horse-pill-sized antibiotics. (July 23rd)
Daddy said he was telling me and Boyfriend this during our Saturday-morning-Breakfast-Ritual so we could *SUE* if anything goes horribly wrong because of this. (Diclaimer! We've never sued *anybody* for *anything*! We're just not that way. We don't feel anybody "owes" us anything. But if they've fucked up my Daddy, you better believe we're suing!!!)
I still can't believe he was walking around with a hole open to his brain for almost TWO WEEKS!
When i shaved his head (somewhere around the week of the 12th), i told my husband that it looked like there was a hole there, but i just *knew* it couldn't possibly be!
So much for my wisdom, huh? =-)
And now to end on a happy note:
Boyfriend and i have been talking with our next-door-neighbors about the four of us taking a trip together.
Well, when Boyfriend woke me with my Goodbye Kiss this morning, he said, "It's official! I'm taking you to London and Paris on October 13th!"
I can hardly WAIT!!!
Big Ben
when Boyfriend went to England
with the Air Force
back in the 80s
.
Gee, I thought that was only a saying, "walking around with a hole in your head". Who knew it was true?
ReplyDeleteSo, what you're saying is that was, like, BRAIN FLUID, leaking out on your DAD'S pillow? I think you should give your Dad the nickname "TIMEX" - Takes a licking and keeps on ticking!
Sorry to hear about your mom and alzheimer's. That is such a sad, sad disease.
And on a happy note...Paris AND London? Wow! How great is that? I've been to Paris, but not London. Paris was wonderful. My brother-in-law was working there for a couple of years. He and his wife told us that if we approached the people of France with the question, "Parlez-vous anglais" (Do you speak English?" they feel better that at least you made an attempt at their language. Now this was back in 1995. I don't know how much has changed since then! But if you go there with an open mind, I think you will love the people AND the sights!