Posted 11-21-19
Today is a short post, mainly because I get a bonus visit with mom today to celebrate Thanksgiving. 🙂 Last year’s event was pretty stressful, as I briefly outlined (with some smoothing out grace) here and here. The event at the nursing home, while well-meaning, made everyone pretty anxious. It scrambled up the resident’s routines like I scramble for my shoes in the morning, in the dark, with no coffee/caffeine, with eye cakes clouding my already hindered vision….except far worse. If you have a chance, read the articles the next week after the Thanksgiving article from last year too. Ohhh the importance of routine!
Here is one clip I would like to reprint because it is a recurring theme in this blog:
“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.”
I just have one little random thought I had from yesterday’s great visit with mom. (BTW…she had a good day. She has a little bit of a cough and threw up, for some reason, the night before…but all seemed ok enough by the time I arrived): I am super thankful for humor to break tension. When mom is leaning toward getting nervous, there is always something available to lighten the mood. This hasn’t always been the case. Nowadays, however, a well-placed raspberry, a rolled tongue face, an eye roll or a face gesture is all I have to do to redirect mom back into her happy place.
Mom still gets humor even though she struggles with words and comprehension. Yesterday, her roomie said “Hay!!!” as she is wont to do when I enter the room. “You are her son!”. “Yup” I replied and smiled, as always. But, yesterday she added “How old are you?”. I told her 48 and she said “I thought you were thirty something”. Then paused…then she belly laughed. Then mom belly laughed too. I find no humor in thinking I am thirty-something. Maybe I am thirty-eighteen, but at least I feel 80. Regardless, it broke the ice. Oh, the little things like humor that we forget to be thankful for.
I am thankful for each of you and will make up for this dinky little piece tomorrow! Happy early Thanksgiving! 🙂
#EndALZ #EndAlzheimers #Walk2EndAlz #AlzAssociation #GoPurple #Dementia #Thanksgiving