My Dad and Alzheimers

Celebrating Pa's 80th Birthday

I've been neglecting my blog. I haven't posted in like over a week! It's just been so dang busy. I knew that going into this week this past weekend it was going to busy, and then you get thrown a couple of curve balls.

I recieved a call first thing Monday morning. My dad was taken to the hospital. He was vomiting blood and my mother used his lifeline to contact the paramedics. My dad was admitted and they've been doing tests on him. Ultimately we found out he has a tear in his esophagus. He is on a liquid diet now and once he can consume solids and keep in down, he'll be discharged to go home.



My dad is 80 years old and has Alzheimer's. What an awful disease. My mom and I have been taking turns watching him and keeping him company at the hospital. This morning when I arrived, my mom left to go back to their house to take care of their cats and pick up some things for my dad. Once she left, my dad launched into a series of questions:

Where am I?
Where do I live?
- and whereabouts is that?
I have a house don't I?
I have a wife right?
How many of us are there here? (referring to family here in town)
We're in Westmont right? (this one is interesting...he hasn't lived in Westmont since he was a child.....)

For 2 hours, these questions were repeated. Constantly. He was definitely a Chatty Cathy. But he recognized that he couldn't remember and you could tell it was frustrating for him. But I have to admit, it was the first time in awhile where he was friendly and did not get agitated. He was just happy to be talking. My dad has had Alzheimer's for a little over 5 years and it just gets progressively worse. Yesterday in the Emergency room he was trying to escape out of his bed. Fortunately he was so weak, that he didn't get far.

My dad is a little guy and the nurses fell in love with him He would come up with wisecrack answers, to their simple questions.....and then laugh at himself.

Alzheimer's is just such a challenge and my mother just loves my father like crazy to put up with these antics. I joke with my husband John and ask him if he'll be patient like my mother and take care of me. I also tell the boys to be prepared for John and I to grow old like my mom and dad.

I just got off of the phone with my mother and she is home alone and dang happy. She told me she left the hospital when my dad starting messing with his IV and told the nurses he was their problem now. (she cracks me up!) But just talking to her, I can tell she is savoring her time alone at home with no interruptions.



Ma and Pa AND Paul and Paulette

Alright, I've typed enough. This week is homecoming week at Orange Glen High School. So exciting for those kids. Kevin and some of his friends are doing dinner together and then off to the dance. And of course, Friday night is Football night and a chance for Orange Glen to go 4 and 0. So exciting! Thursday night I will have the Varsity football team here for team dinner. I love those kids. Every single one of them is great.