The Complicated Mind of a Ninety Year Old.

Dad has trouble with some of these new names for kids. He is always getting his Great Granddaughter's name {Kiara} twisted around and can't remember it. It has nothing to do with his love for these Grandchildren. He just can't remember the names if they are not Mary, Jane, Sue, etc.
So many times he wouldn't recall the name and say to me, "Your Granddaughter......and so on.
Keeping that in mind here is how this story starts.
We were sitting in an auditorium waiting for a seminar to begin last night. We have been listening to the series on Revelation. {which has absolutely nothing to do with this story.}
Dad and I were talking together on a number of subjects from false teeth to pearls. A little girl of about 10 was walking down the isle past us. She had long dark hair and tanned skin. She caught Dad's eye as she walked by and he looked over at her. He then turned to me and said, "Why that little girl looks like Cory's Mother's daughter."
Long Pause................
I thought for a moment trying to put this puzzle together and then it HIT me....Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh KIARA!! YOU mean KIARA. I started laughing and Dad got that pre-laugh smirk and then he started to laugh at his description.
I told Rod who was on the other side of me and didn't initially hear what we were laughing at.
Rod paused and thought for a moment and then HE started laughing.
I told Dad that for someone who couldn't think, put sentences together and has trouble communicating, that what he just said was MORE complicated than just saying Kiara!!
Rod who really didn't hear what I had just said to Dad, then commented to Dad how much thought he had to put into that and why does he think he can't think straight?? LOL

So Rod says to Dad, "Yeah, well, how about this one....my son-in-law's wife's son." Who is that? Dad thought, started laughing and said I was making him laugh and he couldn't think....so in about 30 seconds....it came out....it was CHRIS! LOL

I told Dad he could make up some quizzes like that for the OLD folks at the home to use to keep their mind sharp.
He told me that they do JUST that at the Life Senior Center for games using current events to keep them thinking.

I thought to myself this is a story for them to publish in their magazine they put out each month. Dad is proving to them that what they are doing IS working to help keep their minds sharp.

How NOT To Put On Your Jacket....

This is common at our house. Dad swears he starts out right putting it on.
He gets his arms in it and then all goes wrong. It's still funny. I ran and got the camera and his remark was, "So you think this is funny?" {while laughing} I said, "No, it's Hysterically FUNNY!"

You're In The Army Now......

Dad was having a dementia attack tonight, as I call them.

I was just out in the living room and showed him this photo of an old man with a walker with a handmade plow in front….{see photo} and he couldn't quite tell what it was so I explained it and then he saw it.
I told him he could take it and show John, his friend at the center and they could go in business. He laughed.
I come back in the office and here he comes following me a minute later.

He stands in the doorway with his blanket around him.
He says, "Where's my shoes?"
I said, "Shoes?"
He sounds impatient and says, "YES, my shoes."
I asked him what in the world did he need his shoes for.
He said cause there are people out there....
I said, "Show me."
So I got up from the desk chair followed him to the living room.
Rod was in there and had the TV on.

He looks around and says, Well, the Air Force……errrrr I mean the Army people
ARMY?.....so then I lose it and start laughing
I said laughing all the way through, "Dad, don't tell me the Army is so desperate that they are now taking 90 year old men?"

He says, "Okay, let them put me in the brig, and then see."
He sets on the sofa, looks around, looks at me and then starts laughing.

So I said, “You were dreaming.”
He tries to get out of it by telling me that he didn't know what I was talking about.
Then Rod started laughing.
I can’t win.

Oklahoma Blizzard 2/1/2001

Apparently if I am asleep and Dad gets up before me he is helpless. Not true but Dad acts it. You know the story of the man who can't take care of himself unless there is a woman around to "guide" him? Well, on some days, Dad lives that well. I call it the Poor Me syndrome.
So since we got a snowstorm I stayed in bed. I loaded up on cereal and milk yesterday and Dad knows how to do all that without help. What I should have said was that as long as there is no one in HIS VISION. haha
Rod was up...I saw no reason to GET up. I worked out in the yard yesterday to the point I couldn't move anyway. I had to take pain meds to do that even. At least it was done. I stocked up on what we needed from the store and I was sleeping in.
Dad's morning pills were laid out in a white cup, as usual, on the kitchen table. IN PLAIN SIGHT.
I had got up at 6:30 because I hear someone in the addition. It was Rod. Long story so skipping that.
I didn't wake up again until noon.
I go past Dad's room and there he is with the TV on asleep, as usual. So I get to the living room, there's Rod watching TV, awake....which is UNusual.
So I get to the kitchen, see Dad's undisturbed pills and start asking questions.
Wendy-Rod, did Dad come out to the kitchen this morning and eat breakfast?
Rod- No
Wendy- So what did he come to the kitchen for?
Rod- I dunno.

So I check the sink, no bowl, no milk gone and no cereal touched.

I head to the Dad.....Moving Dad's arm....Dad??? Didn't you eat breakfast? ---No----Why not? ----Cause I couldn't find the cereal.....Why didn't you take your pills?----I didn't see any pills.

Okay, Dad, get up, come to the kitchen pronto....

Follow the sounds of me mumbling obscenities all the way to the kitchen.
It went something like this..."If I wasn't here to direct these men the whole world would friggin fall apart. I don't know how grown men can't find the cereal, take their own damn pills and manage to make it through the day without a woman."

So Dad is laughing as he gets to the kitchen. I am still babbling about I don't care of they starve. If they don't have sense enough to find some food let them starve.

Dad NOW sees his pills telling me they weren't there earlier. Yeah, I put them there NOW just to make you think you are nuts. haha
Then I said, If you choose to be helpless you will get mighty hungry before the day is out. Don't wait for me to appear. You KNOW where everything is and there is not a darn thing wrong with you. hahaha

He thinks it's funny.
So I get the dang cereal out and the milk and I have Rod makes his coffee. That story I won't tell because this is not an about Rod BLOG. I don't have time to write that one. MEN!!

You know my theory on Adam and Eve, don't ya? I will save that one for another day...LOL

So Dad gets done eating 2 huge bowls of cereal....for a man that can't chew as he says, he sure chomps down that STRAW shredded wheat like there's no tomorrow!

So I said...."Dad. It sure snowed." He says, "Here in Oklahoma or Indiana?" I said, "Here, last night, we got about 10-12 so far." Dad tells me we did NOT. hahaha Always has to tell me the opposite of what I say. Always!
I said, "It did too!" He tells me we don't get that much snow. I said we did this time.
He gets up eating and off to the front door he goes but I said, "You can't get the door open." Dad..."Why?" {he loves that word...and now I know where I got it.}"Why?" I asked. "Cause the snow is blocking the door....why else? Come to my office and look out the window."
He sees all the snow and says I guess you are telling the truth. JUST a few moments later after he lays down in bed to watch his TV he announces his fingers are cold as ice. Hmmmm, coincidence to that and the snow? haha So the "Mommy" got the "little boy" his heating pad and all is well with the world...Dad's world, that is. haha

Since Dad has been here MAYBE a couple times his fingers have been white and cold....and then today seeing the snow caused about the third time.

Darn and I wanted to go out with Dad and have a snowball fight!!

One Liner....

I completely forgot to write down what else happened in church yesterday.
Dad was just getting seated and people were gathering around introducing themselves to us. Dad got seated and he was way too close to me and I had no room between he and Rod so I asked him to move down some more. Dad doesn't get UP and move. He twists around in his seat and gets no where.
So I told him he would have to do better than that and he got up with some straining and effort and then moved down....he turns his head to me and in a voice that anyone nearby could hear he says, "Oh good, you made me pee my pants."
Yeah, Dad....it's all MY fault....LOL

Dad without his teeth.

Dad in his normal state....fork in one hand and food in mouth. LOL
He didn't have his teeth in so I asked him if he wanted to grin with no teeth and he started to laugh, as in the second picture. Nothing kept him from continuing to eat though. He was eating meatloaf and he said it was good and soft, just like he liked it. YEAH, WITH NO TEETH! haha

Always take your night time pills at Night!

Dad started on a new muscle relaxant pill a week ago. We are seeing if it helps with his leg cramping pain at night. If it works for him, then maybe it will help with me....but after this morning I learned a valuable lesson.
Rod helped Dad with his bath last night but I got his bedtime pills ready in a cup and his morning pill ready and put aside in the bathroom. I was rather busy last night cleaning my office. I forgot to take that last look at the container of pills in the bathroom as I walked by to my bedroom.
Dad has not forgotten to take them before but then again I do remind him 80% of the time. I did remind him but before he took his bath.

This morning we got up early to go to church. Dad got ready mostly by himself but for putting his pants on backwards.
He makes the annoucement that he took his 4 pills this morning. I told him that he didn't take his morning pills yet....we would go to breakfast after church and then he could take them. He insisted he took them. He said they were on the bathroom sink. So with a few questions I found that he had NOT taken them last night but took them THIS morning. I didn't think too much of it at the time because we were ready to go out the door. It still didn't hit me just what he had taken until we were in the middle of the sermon. Dad started leaning on me little by little...slipping down in the seat over to his left.
I poked Rod to look at what Dad was doing. His lower lip was prodruding out with his teeth dropping down and I almost bursted out laughing when I got my first look. I had to stifle that urge. Then I nudged Dad in the left arm and he looks at me like, What do you want, I am trying to sleep.....so I thought oh yeah, he took the anti-depresant, which had a side effect of making one sleepy. It didn't hit me until the church had to get me a wheelchair they kept on hand that Dad had taken that MUSCLE RELAXANT and he was totally out of it. I had to laugh then....Dad couldn't walk at all....so he was wheeled out and got in the car and I had to push his butt in even at that. It was pretty funny for sure the more I thought about it.

He went home, no breakfast out.....Dad didn't even go to the bathroom. He went STRAIGHT to bed and didn't wake until 2:30pm. When he did get up he came to my office to announce--------GOOD MORNING!.

So the moral of this story is to always take your night time pills at night...but always check to see if DAD took his nighttime pills at NIGHT!

Dad's New Room and Church Decision.

This project has been given a lot of thought....it's taken a few months to decide exactly what we wanted to do. We thought of moving into a new house with an area just made for Dad with a handicapped bathroom. We thought of moving to find a house with a 3-4 car garage or room to add more garage on to accomodate these cars that Dad and Rod have. Lots of decisions had to be made and quickly.
What we decided to do was to stay where we are and add on a bedroom and accessible bathroom for Dad. We will be selling 2 cars and keeping two.

The room he is in now is okay but he has no room for his stuff. He has a twin bed and that's enough room for him since he practically sleeps on the edge and hangs his legs over the side. He says he will be glad to get the full bed here....so I say, Why? You won't sleep in the middle because you say that it's too hard to move over when you need to get up in the middle of the night. He laughs and says, "That's true." Dad's a riot. We are getting a new mattress too. Not a bargained priced one like he always buys. Then again, it won't make any difference. LOL I told Dad if I got a cloud for a mattress he would find fault with it....then he pipes up with, "Yeah, it would be too soft." LOL

We may just put both of the mattresses at his house together for a bed and switch them all the time when he doesn't like them anymore. Oh it WILL happen. One day it will be wrong and the next day the very same mattress will be perfect. And so it goes with Dad.

He has chosen what he wants in his room because he was always the choser. He wanted non slip tile and hardwood floors. I liked that too. However I did have something to say about the color of the walls. He actually thought the color was okay believe it or not. I am still not sure about the one brick interior wall but Dad likes the idea. That's still up for discussion.

So today they are framing. The roof is being raised as well as the chimney. The bathroom is a little bigger than initially designed. We were going to change the bathroom in the hallway of the house. We were going to widen the doors and put in a double shower and take out the tub. After some discussion we decided for convenience it will be better to just add the double shower to the new bathroom. It takes a little space out of the room but it will work out better in the long run I think. Since they were running pipes to the area anyway it didn't cost much more to add the shower.
In the meantime I am cutting down on stuff in the rest of the house...the old upright piano is going since I will be bringing Mom's piano here. I found a very good home for that old upright. I loved the sound of it but I don't have room for all of the things I want. I have been dissolving the closets contents...just too much stuff. BOOKS!!! Too many books but I love books. I do read them too. I always have a book on my stool in the living room. It will be hard to decide which books have to go. I may have to find room under the beds. lol

In Dad's bathroom will be his oak cabinets he made for his own bathoom. He was going to let them go with the house but oh no, that's not happening. He was worried what the new owners would do for towel space. LOL Like I cared. That's their problem Dad. The stained glass cabinet will be in his bathroom too. I wanted him surrounded by the things he made. The gallery rails that he made for Mom are down and ready to move. The shelves he made are coming too. If I could take the baseboards I would. lol Yes, he made them too. He doesn't seem to be so disappointed about selling the house as much as he is disappointed he is no longer able to live alone and take care of himself. He calls this house home now.

We visited a new church yesterday....a smaller church like Riverview used to be a long time ago. This church has a lot of older people. A couple people use walkers too. Dad noticed that right away. We were greeted by a lot of people after we sat down and Dad seemed comfortable. They sang a couple old hymns that he likes. He even sang along. He can't read the song book but he knows the words anyway.

He said he would like to go there but I told him we needed to visit a couple more that I had in mind that were about the same size
.
He doesn't like a big church or one that is so far away and one that you have to walk so far to get to the pew. He wanted older people in the church and songs he knew. I did some research online to find 3 that will be possibilites and then let him choose from them. They are less than 2 miles away too. One man came up to us to say hi and he works at the same place Rod does. I figured we would run into people we knew. I have met him before and dinner functions and he ALWAYS comes and greets us. People like that stand out and one always remembers them being friendly.
So we shall see which one Dad chooses and then I will take photos of him in his new church.

I am posting new photos of the construction and they should be approved and up in a few hours.

Dad's Longevity Outlook....

Here's a quickie...
I was in my bedroom taking photos of the workers outside and Dad comes down the hall and tells me he needs help putting on his shirt....and boy did he....so I get the shirt on and he says, "I sure don't know what I am going to do when you are gone." I nearly choked laughing...and then he realized what he had said. He got red in the face and said, well, I mean....LOL
I said, "Too late Dad....it's obvious you think you are going to outlive me and boy that's positive thinking!"

He sure has come a long way from a year ago when he just wanted to die. LOL Leave it to Dad to change his mind.

So how is he doing you ask?

I have to say that Dad is better now than he has been in a very long time. If I can just keep him from landing on his nose again, it will continue to go well. He really has listened better than he did before he fell I must say. I think he learned a lesson that day. ASK FOR HELP! As most of us near him know, he doesn't do that well. He does now. He even comes to me tangled up in his shirt, laughing, with his arms up in the air, calling my name. It is funny. Sometimes I wonder just now he managed to get in that position when he says he can't raise his arms up in the air. UH HUH!
He can do more now for himself than he did a year ago for sure. I do not waite on him unless he asks. I want him to be independent and do it himself. He shaves, toilets and dresses himself. The only time I help is if he asks me or I see he is struggling. He usually goes to the kitchen in the morning by himself and gets his cereal. He likes cold cereal although I do make oatmeal if he asks. I will make it unasked if it is really cold outside before we go to the Senior Center. I lay his morning pills out on the table each day. He can do the rest all by himself. One day last week he even finished the cereal and went to the fridge and got a piece of Carrot cake that I had made. I laughed when I saw that later because he didn't spill a CRUMB. If he wants to do something he will do it. I am not worried about him falling right now. His balance is better in the last 6 months than it has been in 3 years. He does use the walker at the Senior Center only because there are a lot of people there and he could easily fall if they pushed him accidentally. He also walks the halls and it helps to give support to his back.
He does have that back pain and is due for another shot soon. They really help but when they wear off he has pain when he walks very far.
When we go shopping he has no hesitation to use a motor cart. I don't even have to mention it anymore...he just looks for them.

Just a little story from today...we were watching TV this afternoon. Football of course and Dad and I are going to drug Rod so we can run that TV one of these days, LOL However, Dad falls asleep almost as fast as he sits down on the sofa anyway so it's not really a big deal. I asked Dad if he wanted to go anywhere today....like shopping or out to eat or whatever....he thought for a bit and then said he wanted to go to Indiana....hahaha Funny one Dad....I said, "Okay, so let's pretend.....you are in Indiana right now. You are in your house....now what are you going to do?"
Dad says, "Sit in my chair and watch TV." hahahaha I said YOU are doing that NOW, duh! He laughed and said Yeah, I know. I told him I understand....believe me I do....I was terribly homesick the time I spent 4 months there. I was just a mess and wanted to go home so bad. However, I told Dad that when we were there he had visitors daily for a week...then that wore off fast....and the last month we were there no one came over. NO ONE but a couple people. So I told Dad it was almost better to stay here and visit Indiana....it was more fun and exciting....he thought for a second and said, "You know, you ARE right."
So we waited for Amy to come over and then we all went out to Logan's Roadhouse and Dad had his favorite.....Baby back ribs that falls off the bone with a spoon.

A Picture is Really Worth a Thousand Words or Less

Dad is funny, no doubt. He even thinks he is funny....So to entertain Rod and I, he does stuff like this. I asked him what he was doing and he said, I dunno. lol Now that's funny.

Church on the Move Christmas Program

The contractor who is working on the addition room for us had invited us for a Christmas program at The Church on the Move. So we took Dad but by the time we got there they were so full that we had to sit in the Oasis Room and watch it on TV. It was easier for Dad too since it's so hard for him to walk long distances. So we sat in the room with several other people and we had a good time. It was a good program but aimed at a much younger audience. It was more like a rock concert. It was good though. So here are a couple photos of Dad in the Oasis Room.

Taking out the teeth....

I have to be in the mood to come in here and blog. It's a busy day most days but I need to be more disciplined at blogging at least twice a week. Sorry for those of you who faithfully come here to see something new when I haven't been as faithful.
However, here is a funny story about Dad that even made Dad get the giggles.
We had settled down for the night and we all were getting to the living room in our favorite chair positions...when Dad said he needed to go take out his teeth. Okay...I told him to go ahead and then come back and sit with us till it was time to go to bed.
Dad leaves the room....he is gone ohhhhhhhh, about...1 minute.....he comes back in and rounds the corner from the hall and I look at him and see he still has his teeth in. I start laughing and asked him what he did while he was gone cause he sure didn't take his teeth out. He started laughing and so did we. He said he forgot so he turns around and heads back down the hall. We wait....and wait...and in about 5 minutes here he comes again.....with the teeth STILL IN HIS MOUTH. I just lost it and laughed till I nearly peed my pants....Rod is laughing and Dad can't quite get why we are so silly with laughter....then I finally was able to get out....."YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TEETH IN...WHAT THE HECK DID YOU GO DO ALL THAT TIME?"
Now Dad is laughing hard....can't hardly turn around and head back down the hall.
This time when he came out he had his teeth out....and we had finally calmed down from laughing.
It's hell to get old and forgetful.

Christmas Time

Again, behind in posts.....

I had my second knee surgery and that sorta put me behind again. There are so many things to do to get ready for Christmas around here....with adding on a room and the every day chores to do we have full days for sure. I will catch up real soon. I have lots of photos that I need to add too. So keep watching.

Grandpa and Christopher.. Thanksgiving Dinner

To catch up a little....here is the group at the church today for the annual Thanksgiving meal. I am the odd one out and stayed home as I am still sick with food poisoning....at least that's what they said in the Emergency room at the hosptial. That was Sunday night and I am still queazy but much better. This is the group that made it to the church this morning. They said they had fun. Dad looks like he is having a good time...free food always put a smile on his face. LOL He had cherry dump cake for dessert. It's a bit cold here now...we had rain all day yesterday so that brought the temps way down.

Stories, Stories, Stories...

OH I have plenty to write....just not plenty of time. I find myself easily distracted with other things to get done. I had surgery a couple/3 weeks ago and I am still having to sit in a wheel chair. I hate it....then the second week in December I will be having the other surgery and AGAIN another 4 weeks in a wheel chair.
Rod does just about everything around here right now....he does 98% of everything for Dad. I do manage to get up and walk to the car 4 days a week to take him to the Senior Center but they come out to the car to get him. Rod picks him up then.
So we are finding a way. Rod does all the tending to Dad and insists that I don't get up. So I try to do as the Dr told me to do.
I told Dad he was going to have to help take care of ME for awhile. LOL
In the meantime, Dad has done enough funny stuff to keep us laughing, that's for sure. I have the list here in front of me on my desk.
Let me write just a few short ones just for kicks...

*I made Dad an appt for a massage...I said "She sure is pretty, Dad."
Dad says,"A pretty girl don't do me any good anymore."

*I had collected a spider in a jar with her egg sac. I could have sworn I saw the babies starting to come out....and then realized I did not. I said to Dad, "I must be seeing things." Dad's reply, "Why not, I DO!"

*This last one really isn't about Dad. It's about the other comedic in the house, Rod. I had gone out with my girlfriends to dinner one evening and Dad and Rod stayed home. That was the night that Dad was having his run of diaherra, no pun intended there. lol
We [my girlfriends} were seated to a nice evening meal and I had picked up my cell phone and noticed Rod had tried to call me but I didn't hear it. So I called him back. He said all was fine now but he couldn't find the Depends so he fixed something up. {Oh lord, I thought} I didn't ask any questions either.
I didn't think anything about it until I got home and nearly wet my pants laughing when I had seen what Rod had rigged up. He left an extra pair for the next time on the bathroom counter. {not near as bad as the clothes pole he rigged up but damn near close, inside joke to some.} Photo attached below. Just make sure you don't have anything to drink in your mouth when you look.

What's Going On....

We have been rather busy around here. Dad has been doing well in healing his cut on his brow...it's almost completely gone and has been a little more cautious.
I decided to have my knee surgery while he was still up and able to get around. That was almost brought to a halt with his fall but thankfully he didn't break anything. I really told him that I needed him to be very careful so that he could help me out when I have my surgeries. I know he feels helpless when it comes to doing anything physical around here but helping us with NOT doing things without help is the way to help us. Calling us before he tries something he might not be successful out is one way to prevent a fall.
After getting that message across off we go to get my first surgery over with. Last Thursday I had the first one. Early in the morning we all arrived at the hospital. Dad wanted to be with Rod during all that instead of going to the Senior Ctr. That was fine since I knew he would be worried anyway. Rod did take him to the Senior Center right before lunch after the Dr came out to talk to Rod. Dad was ready to go knowing I was okay. I wanted Dad to be at the center so Rod could get me home, run errands, get prescriptions, etc, before he had to go pick up Dad.
We got through that day fine...sorta, haha Just those little things that make one sigh and then keep on going. I am the detail person and when I am not running the show, Rod runs around in circles yelling, "Which way do I go, which way do I go."haha IMHO.
I remember very little about after the surgery and for the next day or so...
Dad had his lower back injection the very next day after my surgery. It had been scheduled for a couple months. Rod took him while I stayed home. All went well with that. In fact, Dad says that he didn't feel any pain in his lower back yesterday. The Dr had told Rod that he was going to try the medicine in another area to see if that is any better than where he has been putting it before. I do believe the Dr may have gotten the medicine in the absolute correct spot this time. It takes a while to find out exactly where the medicine does its best job. Once the Dr finds it, then it's so much better each time. Dad doesn't always tell the Dr helpful information about what is helping and what isn't...he saves that for when he gets home. Haha. This time it worked out well.
Dad missed going to the Senior Center on Friday due to getting the injection. So he missed the Halloween Party. I had planned to have him dress for the costume party. Now he didn't know what the plan was BUT I was going to have him dress up like an OLD LADY. LOL I KNOW he would have done it. It would have been so crazy awesome and they all would have had a good laugh with it. So I will keep that in mind for next year. I just need a good wig. I hadn't figured that part out yet so I guess it wasn't quite ready for this year. I just need a good blue-gray haired wig. I have the clothes and pearls and handbag. hehehe
Amy and Chris were here last night for Halloween. The weather was puuuuuuurrrrfect for Trick or Treaters. They passed out candy and we took photos. Dad didn't go outside to see the Trick or Treaters like he said he wanted to do just some days ago. I think he was rather tired after a busy day. We ordered pizza and had a good time watching reruns of the Munsters and Addams Family. Oh and we watched 2 old Vincent Price scary movies.
Even though I am not supposed to put any weight on this knee for 4 weeks....*sigh*, I am taking Dad to the Senior Center tomorrow. He just can't lie around here and sleep all day like he WILL do if he doesn't have something to keep him busy. He will miss all of them, especially his friend, John. Dad needs to keep up his exercise and get his good meals and coffee he loves so much. They told me that I can just drive him up to the door and they will come out and assist him in the building with his walker while I am in this condition. Of course, Rod is concerned I will fall being alone or worse, Dad will fall going out the door and then I can't help him up. I just say I will be careful and would rather take that chance than to have Dad go backwards in his mobility! Rod will have to settle for that answer. The Dr told him and me today that I could drive...I just had to keep the weight off the knee until it heals.
I will be continuing my surgery on the next knee 2nd week in December. Christmas will be a little undecorated this year....I hate that but maybe I can get Amy and Chris to come help. They will be doing the cooking this year for the holidays. That actually is a good thing for ME!

Story of the Week

I picked up Dad and first thing he grins and says,
"I've got a bummer for you today."
I pack up the walker and get into the car and he continues...
"Lola came up to me today and announces "You need me, Odie. I can take care of you."
Now Lola is another senior who is there during the day. She flirts with Dad if you will recall some previous stories.
"She had plans for us to get together and move in."
"I told her that I have everything taken care of and that my daughter takes care of me and she does a fine job." "I don't drive anymore."
With that being said, Dad gets up and makes the excuse that he has to use the restroom. When he came out she had moved on to the other side of the room.
Dad then says to me, "She is {still trying to remember the word he used...will get back to this later. LOL}

Dad just couldn't wait....

Dad fell, but he is okay. Healing up now with tape sutures to pull the skin together at the eyebrow. It all could have been prevented....but it was one of those days that I thought he was doing well enough to walk alone. MISTAKE! He gives me a false sense of security when he wants to do something alone. Most of the time I watch or am nearby to get to him in time but not this time.
I had cut my foot outside in the front and it was bleeding...at the same time, Dad opens the front door and I asked him where he was going and he said to the back yard to see the progress on the shed. It's really hard to tell him no when I don't want to take away his total independence BUT I should have turned him around. I asked him why he was going out the front door to the back when he could go across the living room...he didn't want to put on his shoes at the back door. haha Okay well my foot was bleeding which Dad didn't know and I had to go inside and get it stopped. I wasn't thinking at all that Dad would fall. I watched him walk slowly around the corner in the front...I hurried inside to get a paper towel to stop the blood while holding my foot in the air....yeah, it was a sight. So I get to the laundry room for some slippers and there is Dad coming around the corner to the back yard...okay, so far so good. I get the wet towel and look at the kitchen window and there he is walking slow...I look out again a few seconds later and no Dad....I went to the bay window and there he was on the cement sitting up. I ran out the door still no bandaid on my foot and I see he is bleeding at the head. I RUN back inside grab wet paper towels to compress to stop the bleeding. I check his arms, legs and ask him if he hurts anywhere....he says no. He bent up his glasses and it was the glasses that really caused the cut on his head and over his nose....however, had he not had them on, he might have broken his nose or worse. So I get him to his feet....and have him stand a moment...and he says he can walk. I get him in the house and on his bed. I get him cleaned up so I can see the cut. I decide it's a call for the emergency room. I have not used a ER here in so many years I can't remember. So it took me about an hour to actually get his treatment started. By that time Rod arrived at ER and they took a CT scan of Dad's head. No bleeding, no fractures, no concussion. That was the good news. The bad news was that he looked like he had been in a fight with Ali.
His eye was swollen shut.
Dad was joking with the nurses and I told Dad this was not the time to be funny and tell them I beat him up. haha He did that once before thinking it was funny and I told him in TODAY'S world, that ain't funny. He grinned that ornery grin.
They sent him home with an antibiotic script, a scar with tape sutures over it and a big patch to keep it clean.
He never once said it hurt....we went home and got a light supper and he was in bed by 9pm. I put his alarm pad on the bed because I didn't want him getting up by himself at night. This night, naturally, lol, he gets up every 2 hours. I asked him if this was pay back for letting him go out that front door. WHICH he can't do no more no matter how good he walks.
He actually would have made it fine had he not tripped over the edge of the cemement that sticks up on the corner.

That was last Monday....he is much better today with the healing well in progress. His eye has been open for several days. He told Chris today that it never really ached or hurt him. It was his arms that were sore. His bruises are green now...

Oh but he used the accident to get some laughs.
At the Senior Center...first thing when he was asked by the group of them that are at the door at 10am..Dad pipes up after asked what happened to him,
"I was in a fight....but you ought to see the other guy!"

They all laughed outloud....Dad's mission accomplished. Dad should have been on the stage.

Here is a photo of us yesterday at the Company Picnic at Incredible Pizza. We played games, ate, played games and watched Viva Las Vegas and ate again.

Dad was pooped when he got home and he slept for 4 hours.

The Male Mermaid...or MerMAN!

Not a day goes by that Dad doesn't come up with something to make us laugh. I am just sorry on this one I didn't take the photo. I thought about it....I almost went for the camera but Dad was in his underwear and even Dad has his limits of what I can take a picture of. I thought later I could have blocked the underwear out but it was too late then.
It began with Friday morning and Dad getting ready for breakfast and to go to the Senior Center. Dad was in the bedroom without the light on, as usual. For a man who leaves the lights on all over the house in his own home...he sure can't seem to turn a light on when he really needs it to see what the heck he is doing. haha
I was finished getting dressed myself and I walked down the hall and looked in on Dad. I just burst out laughing. There he was, sitting on the chair with both legs in the SAME pants leg.
Dad had that smirk/smile on his face that he knew I was going to laugh when I saw him. I don't even ask how he does that stuff anymore. The answer is always the same. "I do NOT know." So I sat on his bed, still laughing, and told him he looked like a Mermaid, or in his case, a MERMAN!
I told him to take one leg out and what does he say?
"WHICH ONE?" LMAO
The ONE that doesn't belong would be good. So he says,"If I KNEW which one didn't belong, I wouldn't have BOTH of them in the same leg.

And so it began the day....so much better than crying.

He is doing so very well. I have to say that even in the last couple weeks, he is better than he has been in a couple years. His mind is clear...well, as clear as it gets, haha Not counting the dressing incidents. He eats well. He remembers better about taking his meds and what day it is...and what he does on that day.
I suppose he has got into the routine here. We stay pretty close to the same routine throughout the week. I know older folks like to know what to expect on what day. However, I warned him a long time ago that there is no routine on the weekends. We might do just about anything that pops up.
In fact, today we are headed out later to try out a new restaurant. Maybe Dad will give me a new story later. LOL

Dad's New TV

Dad never had a TV in his bedroom all the years he and Mom were married. I don't think Rod and I were ever without one. I can't go to sleep until I see a little TV. Some people read books and some watch TV. Dad always said that when he goes to bed he goes there to sleep and not watch TV. LOL BUT things have changed. I had two TVs at one time in Dad's room because I would switch him in the bed because it was necessary when he first came to live with us for preventing pressure marks on his skin. Now that's not an issue so he only needs one TV. He would say to me that he can't see that little TV...but he never would come out and say, OKAY you are right, I like watching TV in bed and I want a bigger TV. hahaha You would have to know my Dad to get that one.
At night he hints that he might like the TV on....usually I ask him if he wants to watch something. Usually it's Animal Planet. Right before I go out the door, he asks if I set it to go off by itself....YEP, Pa.....in 30 minutes. That's about how long it takes him to get good and asleep. LOL

So we did look at sizes of TVs and which ones he thought would work. He ended up saying that IF he was to get one....although he would say while looking at them that they cost too much and he don't need it... {which is what he said about everything JUST before he bought it}, he would get a 32".
I have been looking and comparing prices for the last couple months. I didn't get one before we staying in Indiana for 3 months because I want to make sure I am here while we try it out in case I get a lemon...I have 30 days to complain. LOL
So yesterday I bought one while Dad was at the Senior Center. He doesn't know it yet. I will just let him find it on his own.
My sister and I discussed through an email just what he will complain about...cause he will....and it better not be the SIZE of it. LOL
Update later.

UPDATE to TV reaction...
Dad came home today @ 4pm and we ate dinner at 5:00. I mentioned that there was a surprise in his bedroom....he says, "Yes I know...you made the bed." I laughed and said, YEAH, I do that every day...that is not it. Then he says, "I didn't see anything." I told him when he got curious enough he will know then. Rod and I were putting away dishes and Dad disappeared. I turned around and he was gone and I didn't think much about it figuring he was in the bathroom, as usual.
Rod came up behind me to kiss me on the neck and Dad blurts out...."Now what do I want with that TV.{grinning.} He made Rod JUMP...and Rod pulled away from me like we were caught necking on the couch and I was 16. I laughed and laughed.....neither one of them had a clue why I was laughing.
Finally I stopped laughing and said to Dad...."Yep, Nola was right...you found fault with it already." Dad says, "No I didn't." LOL
I reminded him about how he complains that he can't see the little TV and now he has a big one and still finds a reason to complain.
However, he doesn't see it as complaining. He is JUST "making a comment." Oh brother!
I follow him back in his bedroom and lo and behold he sure figured out which remote it was and read POWER and pushed it. Now it takes a second for it to come on but Dad has no patience and says it doesn't work. LMAO.
Then it comes on and OMG, what a big grin on his face !! Then he wants to know how to change the channels and how to do this and that. hahaha Oh please, yeah, I shouldn't have bought it....uh huh.
Then comes," That screen is twice as big!" Next thing I know, he is laying on the bed. I leave and come back later....and please NOTE where the remote control is NOW.

More photos at the fair

Fun at the State Fair...October 3, 2010

We spent the early afternoon until 10:30pm at the State Fair. Dad was wide awake for the whole thing....he was eating all the stuff we were doing taste tests on....we got the Krispy Kreme Donut HAMBURGER everyone was talking about on TV.....it was so so....EIGHT BUCKS if you wanted bacon and cheese on it. We got corn dogs, chili fries and sweet potato fries which were really good....oh and we were sharing chocolate dipped frozen cheesecake and corn on the cob. I forgot to get my usual sno cone but there's always next year. Besides that, we were stuffed!!

We went all over the fairgrounds but missed the QT building where the decorated cakes were....I needed to stay with Dad so we could get a good seat for the Roy Clark Show. Rod did take photos of the cakes for me.

It was cold outside but DAD wanted to stay out there to see Roy and Leroy Van Dyke. He was cold but he said he was going to stay and see them. Leroy was first and the show was an hour....after 9pm I told Dad that when Roy came on and I got some photos and he got cold we could leave anytime he liked....Roy comes on and Dad is clearly enjoying it....at 9:30pm I asked him if he wanted to go and to my surprise he said no, since he had stayed out there this long...even though he was a frozen popsicle he said. LOL
Dad said he was going to tell his friends that he got to see Roy and show him the photo I print out.
He called his gal friend tonight, but she wasn't impressed. LOL WOMEN!

A Day at the ATT Company Picnic

We all went to Chris's Company picnic out at Mohawk Park, next to the Zoo.
We had a little trouble finding the exact pavillion but at last we did and we all had a good time.
Dad had plenty to eat. HAMBURGER, HUGE HOT DOG, POPCORN, SNO CONE, COOKIES GALORE, which were really really good. POP....and CHIPS!
So while he was eating he was dropping food as usual. He laughs and says he can't hang onto food...it slips through his fingers. I told him that I am surprised the critters just don't sit under him to get treats. If we had a dog they would be in heaven sitting by Dad's feet while he eats. So Dad was laughing at the food on the ground that I pointed out. I had to take a photo cause it was funny. The kids were laughing at me for taking photos of such things....but HEY, it's a story.

Scootin' Right Along....

Rod and I picked Dad up from the Senior Center yesterday. Right away he is talking about the day's events. He mentioned this retired nurse who he thinks is flirting with him. I told him that he needs to get a gal friend to play games with here but we might have to look out of the Senior Center to find one. Oh he says he is not interested but then laughs abit.
He said "I almost had one today." {smiling} This gal sit down next to me and put her hand on my knee. I got the idea that she wanted me to hold her hand....and I didn't want to do that. I got up and started to move my walker and I got entangled up with another walker and had a time getting loose. I got loose finally and went a scootin."

NO MAIL!

When you get old you don't have a lot on the agenda some days....you are lucky you get up and get dressed. So Dad was enjoying getting cards in the mail and such when he first came down here. He has recieved two cards from his gal friend and his sister since he has been here.....and I rather think that is a little disappointing to him. So if anyone is reading this and they know the address, send him something once a week maybe....once a month would be good too. Even a postcard which is 28 cents would be nice.
I read his postcards he just wrote to his sis and his gal friend and I KNOW he misses them....naturally...and he wishes he could be on his own but he knows he can't so a few cards might be encouraging to him right now.
I want him to get a gal friend down here....someone to go visit and play games or watch tv with but so far he won't hear of it....

Another day at the Hitchin' Post....

Dad has had a couple days of dementia during the night...the usual water on the floor and alligators all over the room and around his head. He is not yelling in the middle of the night but he has been talking to himself outloud, every twenty minutes as he says. Surprisingly he is still getting up and going to the Senior Center. He got up this morning at 4 am with Rod and sat at the table. He told Rod about how he had bought this race car that cost $20,000 and he was worried about how that all came about. Rod got me up and I had Dad go back to bed and get some sleep before he had to get up and head out to the Senior Ctr.
So the day goes on and time to get Dad....he gets in the car telling me everything went fine at the center. I asked him if he saw any alligators. His response.... "Nope, wasn't looking for any."

We get home and he was tired as usual. Sleeps on the couch for a couple hours until dinner. Rod wakes him up to get ready for dinner. Dad can't figure out how it's time for dinner....he was in the bathroom getting ready for bed. He starts laughing a bit trying to be convinced that it's only 6:30pm. Finally Rod helps him get his housecoat on and he gets out to the dinner table.

He is confused about the time still and where he is. So I tell him that his cousin called him today and had he been awake earlier I would have had him call him back. So I told him when he got done with dinner he could call him. Still confused and laughing about his confusion, he says, " I think I will go jump in the lake." So with that I responded in jest...."Is that BEFORE or AFTER you talk to Bob?" Dad laughs and says, "BEFORE."
So we finally are eating dinner and Dad is slurping his soup and he says,"We going out to eat?" I looked at him with my brow down and remarked....."Out to eat? When? Who? WHAT???" He shakes his head at me because apparently I am not getting it....I tried to explain that he didn't give me a complete sentence....he is still grinning and trying to get out what he meant. I said Lord only knows what you meant....with that his words were, "YES, ONLY the LORD DOES know what I meant. LOL

Cowboy Day at the Senior Center

The second photo is from the Day of Caring celebration at the Center today....they made these frames in a group. Dad brings it home and says he brought home his school project. I asked him if he wanted me to display it proudly on the fridge. He laughed. That's just where it is.

Dad got all dressed up for the Cowboy Day at the Senior Center. Before he left the house he wanted to make sure that is WAS TODAY before he went out in that cowboy hat. He didn't want to be the only one.

As I dropped him off I couldn't help but think about King of Queens show with Arthur going to the Senior Center in different costumes...that's about my favorite show and little did I know we were going to be living it one day. It's just as funny here sometimes as it is on the show.

You will notice Dad's t-shirt...one of several that I bought with funny sayings on them. The people at the center love to see what he has on next. So keep that in mind when you are looking for something to send him. I found 5 at JC Penneys for just $5 each. Always in good taste though, LOL Dad won't wear anything to offend or suggestive.

HOME AT LAST from Indiana to Oklahoma!

First story after returning home to Oklahoma last night. Dad was awake most of the trip home. He rode in front with Rod to make sure he drove right. Dad's suggestion. ha  Dad went to bed about 9:30pm last night after returning at about 8:30pm. I think he was glad to be here again. He went right to his bed to rest before he got up to do his routine for the final bedtime. He told me I did a fine job of rearranging his furniture. He said he liked it....although I had done that before we left last June. It's never too late to be thanked though. ;-) 

Dad slept in until 11am. He got up and got a shower and then ate oatmeal for breakfast. He was glad to have that for a change he said. I had asked him last night if he wanted to go to the Senior Center for a few hours, maybe 2-3 or would he rather go on Thursday and he said Thursday. 

He had a card from all of them at the center who signed it saying Welcome Back Odie! Along with it were photos of some of them especially his friend, John, who I have heard has missed Dad a lot. Dad went to the sofa to sit with his feet up most of the day....although he said he was awake but had his eyes closed. He did do his exercises somewhat. He got up to use the bathroom at 6pm...he comes down the hall. Rod is behind him and tells me that Dad had a question for me.

He asked me where his pants were.....Pants?, I said....Well, if you mean shorts you have them on.....He said, No, I don't.....then he pulls his shirt up and says, Well, I'll be darned. They weren't there a minute ago. lol 

So here we go with the stories. I do have some to post from our vacation but they will come one at a time soon as I can. So at about 8:30 Dad gets ready for bed....teeth out and clothes off....I helped him put on a tshirt and then I took his watch off....I asked him if he wanted to watch a DVD and he said sure. Then I helped him get situated in the bed and I looked down at his arm and THERE WAS A WATCH! I said, "Didn't I just take that off?" He says, "Yeah, but it was the one on the other arm." LMAO...I just looked at him.....laughing....and was ready to ask the expected question....and before I could, he says, I DO NOT KNOW. LOL