Come Out With Your Hands UP!...(and Letting it Go!)

My brother E____ visited Pops (E's nickname for Dad) yesterday.  He found him "counting sheep" in his bed in his room.

Pickles brought in Dad's lunch to him in bed.  When Dad woke up and saw E____, Dad laughed and said E____ was his best friend and he loved him...

Apparently Dad had thrown up earlier and he wanted a fruit plate to eat...my brother helped him eat it with a spoon as Dad was sitting up in bed.  Dad laughed as he saw blood on his napkin, from the sore on his upper lip, after wiping his mouth...

After he finished his food he told my brother how happy he was, several times.  He was very jovial and smiling ear to ear.  Dad told him he likes it when he gets sick because it gets rid of what is making him feel so bad...

E____ took Dad's picture....happy and smiling as usual....

Dad chatted away for about twenty more minutes, laughing and telling my brother how happy he is...my brother laughed with him, but couldn't really get a word in edgewise as Dad was talking non stop...

E____ had to return to work as they hugged and kissed good bye... Dad was ready for another snooze. E____ thought the visit was better than he expected....

The nursing home is in the middle of a residential area...usually very pleasant and quiet.  As my brother walked out the front door, he heard a helicopter hovering above announcing,

 "COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!"  

My brother noticed a police officer about 100 yards away....

E____  was quite happy and relieved when he realized the police did not mean him....he began to see more police and found out later they were looking for some thug...

I called the nursing home yesterday trying to talk with Dad...having the usual problems...and after reading my brother's email, I called them again this morning.  I asked the male nurse why I was not being informed about Dad's vomiting.  He told me they do not call if he vomits one time after a meal, because he may have eaten too much or too fast... If he throws up several times or it is a dark color, then they call....(Sorry if this is too much information....)

I asked if I could speak with Dad and he told me he would call me when Dad was finished with lunch....(that's what they told me yesterday too....and they didn't call.)  I know they are busy, so I called again at 1pm and was able to chat with Dad for about fifteen minutes...

"Hel-loooo  Donna"

Hi Papa Doots!

(Dad laughs....)

I love you Dad....

"I love you too...."

How are you?  

"I am just fine.  I threw up but now I feel so much better...."

You threw up after lunch?

"Yes I did...I knew I was going to get sick and so I vomited and I feel much better...."

Did you eat too much?

"I had a good lunch.  They have good food..."

Try to eat slower Dad...

"Oh yeah, I eat slow, but if you get sick, you gotta' let it go!"

(We both laughed....)  "They clean it up good too!" ( Laughs again...)

(Dad continued to discuss his getting sick...so I changed the subject....)

Did you visit with E_____ yesterday?

"YES I DID!  HE LOOKS SO GOOD! He's such a great guy...."

(Dad talked non stop, sounding very happy, but it was very difficult to make any sense of what he was saying...but it was good visit with my brother...)

Have you seen K_____ ? (my second to the oldest brother)

"Yes, he came too but he is not here now...he is working outside and taking care of Brutus..." (my brother K____owns a trucking company and Brutus was Dad's favorite dog who died over forty years ago...)

Jerry and I send lots of love and hugs to you Dad...

"Oh good....and I'd like to come visit you again...we have lots of fun..."

Yes we do!  I think we better wait until it is cooler because it is 112 here now....

"Yeah, that's a bit hot....I better let you go...I know you are busy..."

I'm not too busy for you Dad...we can talk as long as you want....

"I think I want to go back to sleep if I can..."

OK...have some sweet dreams Papa Doots...I love you...God Bless you...

"God Bless you too...."

Talk with you soon...

"OK...bye bye..."

I feel relieved....I hate it when I can't hear his voice....no matter how short the phone call....