Posted 11/15/18
Thanksgiving luncheon
with mom today was a hoot. There were 15 or so (?) relatives and friends
visiting the Sweet 17, which both brightened days and added a heapin’ helping
of angst. A tad over half struck the visitor Powerball while some sadly matched
no numbered balls.
🙁 The most sad
part to me was a couple of my very favorites, who have a lot to give by any
standard, ate alone. Mrs. B, one of the cutest and funniest ladies there didn’t
have guests. I hugged her as I came in and as I left. All of those ladies are
loved by God and are valued. These ladies are a deep well of joy if you crank
down your bucket long enough…some just take more cranking.
Mom seemed a tad anxious, even more than normal, but that is completely to be
expected when schedules change and routines are misordered. She saw a few
mystery flying bugs again today, but I am relatively certain they are eye
floaters or the like left over from her eye procedure.
Brains yearn for rest.
We develop habits, both good and bad, because our brains like to be in a rested
but ready state. We drive the same route, get ready the same ways in the
morning, we brush our teeth with the same hand so we can partially remain on
autopilot, ready to accommodate a split-second decision if needed. Call it
fight or flight if you like, it is the hardwired brain program we are all
unboxed with. All need deep sleep too so our brains can completely autopilot
and recharge. Coffee is a temporary and unsatisfactory substitute. The Sweet 17
needs routine to settle bent brains. Today was both awesome and challenging for
them in that way. The piano was moved to the hall. Chairs moved who knows
where. The relaxed ordinary was gone, replaced with tables and visitors.
Everything was moved from their normal spots. Reference point landmarks, even
for those losing to the brain bandit, are still very useful for finding your
way around, and moving them is challenging not unlike moving landmarks from a
vision-impaired person. If you are caring for a loved one at home with this
disease, redecorating and/or moving furniture can wait.
Thanksgiving meals make me sentimental.
I am so very thankful for Lord and Savior, for my awesome family and their patience with me gone a lot and being melancholy when I am home (Thank you Suz Duz), for my super-sis Pam, for my prayer warrior brother Steve and his wife Connie, for John (my stepdad and her 24/7 caregiver for a very long time), for my Dad and stepmom Fay who I haven’t got to see as much as I would like and who have helped me in an infinite number of ways, for my colleagues at SeniorAge who tend to get my mental leftovers sometimes these days (but who are warriors advocating and helping seniors everywhere in the Ozarks in 10,000 ways), for lots of prayer warrior friends at church and elsewhere, for the Alzheimer’s Association, for my extended family and Facebook friends and certainly for my loving mom and the rest of the Sweet 17. I am taking a Master’s level course on adulting with an often grade school level character and maturity acumen.
The last 2 things I am thankful for are all thanks in advance: for a cure someday for Alzheimer’s and all under the Dementia Umbrella and for an Eternal home that has neither tears nor an end.
#EndALZ
