Saturday, January 29, 2011

A Good Day with Mom & Dad

Today, Dad picked me up at 9:30 and we went to Roy Carlson's visitation. It was sad to be there with out mom & see so many of her friends that are functioning on their own still. We just stayed for a bit and then headed to Spooner to visit mom. On the way, Dad mentioned that he thought it would be good not to tell mom that Roy had died. I agreed and I am very proud of Dad for understanding mom's illness and that for her hearing Roy died would just be upsetting and not worth the sadness or it might not mean anything to her but why take the chance.
A couple weeks ago, mom asked dad for the first time, "What kind of place is this and Where did I used to be?" He said he told her, "Your on vacation and this is a nice place with good food and a good bed." She was content with that answer & I am very proud of dad for responding like he did.
Today, mom was in the activity room exercising with others in a circle. When she saw me, she said, "Donna." Yep, that really made my day. I finished the exercises with her and then we went to sit with dad in the birdroom. We looked at books and photos and had coffee. Later, we had lunch & I said I was going to buy groceries but I would come back.
Dad was still encouraging mom to eat. She stayed with him for awhile but then she told him, "I'm going to look for that girl." He said she walked down the hall and then came back and went to the adjoining room where she likes to sit in the recliner. She calls it the living room. He could see her through the window that connects the rooms. She was looking at a magazine and had forgotten he was there visiting. We went and visited mom for a bit more & I told dad that I was glad to see that mom was looking at magazines and at least she seems calm and not worried.

When we left she was cuddling her baby doll. It's funny how as time has passed, I can look at a day like this with my mom and call it a good day. We enjoyed a meal together. We hugged and said, "I love you." I told her about a trip to Oklahoma that her and I went on & she said,"We should do that again." and I told her that we would.
I would love to have had mom's life turn out different, but I believe that God has a plan for all of us and my mom is a blessing to the people that interact with her now and some how this is all part of the plan. I thank God that mom is getting amazing care and dad is dealing with the changes of his wife with amazing love. God's in control...

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