Sunday, June 24, 2007

Friday, June 22, 2007

Mark called me at work to tell me that Dad had only eaten about a quarter of his lunch and was saying things that didn't make sense. I told him that had been going on for awhile...he says things...sometimes a few words make sense but then the rest of it doesn't follow any rational thought pattern. I thanked him for the update, finished up my work and then headed over to the nursing home. Along the way I stopped to pick up a couple of milkshakes...chocolate and blackberry. I knew that Dad's favorite flavor was chocolate...so I had a pretty good chance of getting him to drink it down. I moved his wheelchair into the area where they have a big screen TV and got us set up to spend some time together.

The shake was so thick that Dad had trouble pulling it up the straw. I went and found a spoon and fed it to him that way while he and I watched a biography of Cal Ripkin Jr. on TV. He seemed to enjoy the shake and finished it completely. After we both finished and the show was over he said he wanted to go back and lay down for awhile. Once he was in bed and comfortable I kissed him, told him I loved him and went home.

Once I got there I threw his clothes in the wash and took it easy for awhile. While I was folding his clothes I noticed that his name was inside the waistband. I vaguely remember the laundry person at Anderson House doing this so she could keep all the clothes in order. Looking at that waistband made me think that Dad was at some crazy summer camp...because that is what your Mom did to your clothes before you went off to camp. I finished folding everything and putting his shirts on hangers..put everything by the door and tried to relax the rest of the evening.

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