It's Friday. I'd like to be doing anything else, anywhere else. I'm at CV where my dear old dad is residing. He's been here about 14 months. He walked out his long driveway to pick up his newspaper and fell down in the gutter November 30, 2009. That was the beginning of the end.
My wonderful brothers and sisters all come and visit Dad. When we talk to each other, it's always, "How was Dad?" Today, I'll have to say, "Not so good." I've been here about an hour and a half. He hasn't spoken very much. I gave him a banana and he said he'd like some pomelo. I brought a huge pomelo with me today. He was in the activities/dining room with many of the other residents when I arrived. The pomelo was admired all around. I allowed Patsy, blind from diabetes, to feel it. Linda, a young-looking stroke victim, unable to speak, asked for a piece. Patsy wanted a piece. I gave the first piece to Dad, that was an hour ago. It is still sitting in front of him.
So, Dad is not too well today. His poor right hand is very swollen. What can be done about it?He turned 96 on November 2, 2010. That is a very long time to live if you haven't taken good care of yourself. Dad used to live on ice cream, hot dogs, canned spaghetti, bologna and white bread. If he's on the wagon, he would drink Coke and coffee, otherwise whiskey and beer.
How long will he live like this? He has lost so much weight over this last year. Right now he weighs less than I do. Sorry to say that I've gained as much as he's lost, so I'm probably over 135 pounds and he's for sure less than that.
He still has moments where he's the good conversationalist, the compassionate humanist, the literary quote meister, and delightful friend that we remember. He always had the appropriate quotation to help you through a situation. Dad could always make us feel better. He's an armchair philosopher and a satirist. He gave us pride when we were dirt poor. Just to be one of our family seemed like a great stroke of luck. We thought our family was the best.
He still has moments where he's the good conversationalist, the compassionate humanist, the literary quote meister, and delightful friend that we remember. He always had the appropriate quotation to help you through a situation. Dad could always make us feel better. He's an armchair philosopher and a satirist. He gave us pride when we were dirt poor. Just to be one of our family seemed like a great stroke of luck. We thought our family was the best.
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