We were worried about Dad waking up in an unfamiliar room, for the first time in YEARS, but he took it in stride, ‘whew. He sleeps about 20 hours of the day; nevertheless, when the light dawns he insists on getting up and dressed. He was SO inspired, he actually managed to sit himself up on the edge of the bed. UH-OH! The bed is too high for him, and he was trying to put his stockinged feet on Caryn’s hardwood floor! Miracles continuing, he neither toppled back onto the bed nor slid off it!
My brother Geoff, his girlfriend Caryn, and their dog Ellie on our Dad’s back deck after Dad’s celebration of life March 8th.
I was almost dressed and packed by then, so Geoff watched over Dad until I arrived to change and dress him. Geoff, Caryn, and I lifted his wheelchair down the steps to the icy walkway. Geoff was a little late for work, (sorry) so he could wrestle Dad into the Subaru again, which was heating but not heated. Caryn sent me off with banana bread, banana, a bottle of water and driving instructions for a low-stress route back to the freeway. (Bless her extra!)
I put my jacket over shivering Dad’s legs, and off we went on another gorgeous driving adventure. The morning sun was shining gloriously on the snowy Front Range all the way north to Boulder. We got to town half an hour early for McDonalds French fries. I had a good book to read and offered to wait at McDonalds for Dad’s very favorite food. (He would nap, of course.) He must have been extremely exhausted, even by his standards, because he wanted to go straight home. Okay, works for me, Tuesday is my FREE day!
Tuesday is my day for errands and fun in Boulder. Shannon, a neighbor of Kathy’s who works for a home-healthcare support-provider, Home Instead, comes to watch and feed Dad. She has been taking care of Dad for three years or so, now. Shannon not only takes care of Dad but also the floors, bless her heart. AND, she not only does all the work; she does it the way I would do it!
From the left, Suzanne and Shannon, local caregivers from Home Instead. Shannon worked with Dad for three years, Sue for two.
Late Tuesday afternoons, another neighbor across town who works for Home Instead, Suzanne, comes to relieve Shannon, so I can continue to gallivant around Boulder in my free time, woo hoo. Sue is a youngish widow whose day-job involves taking care of physically handicapped teenagers. She has helped prepare me for and cope with the emotional roller coaster and physical challenges of caring for Dad as his abilities fade. She can put Dad to bed without trouble; she taught me how to do it, although I am not so comfortable with it yet.
Suzanne has been taking warm care of Dad for two years. She replaced my meditation mentor Carole, when Carole developed health needs of her own. Sue also brings her big teddy-bear-like dog, Forrest, on my insistence. He could hire out as a therapy dog! Even Dad’s neighbors are familiar with and fond of Forrest.
My big event today was my goodbye dinner with my best friend/ spiritual buddy/ and sister. Kathy leaves for Spain Thursday morning. We met in our favorite, special-occasion “happy place” of Rincon del Sol in Boulder. We were there almost three hours, talking about EVERYthing. The owner, Sr. Froy, and his senior waiter helped Kathy practice her Spanish and asked about the Camino de Santiago. The waiter knew something about the hard-earned Compostela (certificate of pilgrimage) from St. James Cathedral in Santiago. The margaritas and food are worth celebrating, too!