A man of few words...

Mom went to visit Dad.  Dad was in the dining room, finishing his lunch.  He had not finished his spaghetti and did not want anymore.  Mom helped him with his ice cream, but he stopped, telling her he had enough, because it was too cold.  She fed him his custard with no complaints and then watched him woof down a fruit plate.

She wheeled him down to the alcove and they visited for awhile.  Mom told him about her retirement luncheon, and the thank you card from his sister's granddaughter.  Mom had sent a small check for her college graduation from both of them.  Dad smiled and said it was nice.

Mom's job was abolished after fifteen and a half years.  She was in charge of attendance. She would call all the parents of the high school kids who missed classes.  She works for a second chance high school, for kids who became pregnant in school or caused trouble.  When school ends for the summer, Mom's job ceases.  I wonder who will take her place and follow up on the attendance? 

Or will they just stop checking?

Mom told Dad about her plans to do some things around the house and Dad asked, "Which house?" 

Mom repeated, "our" house.  He asked again, "Which one?"  Mom described their home by the street name. Dad asked what about his mother's home in Pasadena, where we lived when I was a child...  Mom told him that house was sold and Dad smiled and said he didn't think so.

Dad talked about his "friend" and what funny stories they told each other. Dad chuckled as he thought of it.  He started sliding down in the wheel chair and Mom asked if he was tired.  He agreed, and said he was ready for a nap. Mom told him she would put him down for a nap.  He asked her, "Where?" Mom explained she would get help to put him in his bed.

She wheeled him back to his room, stopping at the nurses station to find out who his nurse was.  Doctor-Doctor is off on Fridays, so the assigned nurse immediately helped Dad into bed.  The nurse told Mom Dad had been up since 9am. They had been helping him walk in the hallway, so he was probably tired.  Mom kissed Dad good-bye and left his room.

I finally got through to Dad later in the afternoon, around 4:15pm.  He sounded tired and weary. I asked about his visit with Mom.  He told me she looked glorious, as usual.  I was concerned about his confusion and was concerned about him not finishing two of his favorite foods...spaghetti and ice cream.  I keep wondering if that hole from the lost filling on his upper left side, will be a problem. Medi-Cal refuses to fill it.  They prefer to wait and pull it "if" it bothers him.  That is the dumbest treatment plan I have ever heard...

Dad cut our conversation off short.  He told me once again he was tired and wanted to go to sleep.

I worry about that bleed on his brain...is that why he seems to be sleeping so much? I still have

not heard back from his primary care physician....he has not answered my email or called me.  Tuesday, I will call the social worker to have an x-ray of that tooth to make sure it is not abscessed or decayed to the point of an exposed nerve; and call Dad's doctor about the monitoring.

I spoke with the charge nurse after speaking with Dad and left her a message to ask the social worker to call me, since she did not answer her page.  I also asked how often they check Dad's wander guard and she told me "daily".