Opa's place -Where an old rooster visits with friends

[EweSheep]

Yes, internet came a long ways...I'm thankful for it, been online user for since 1999 or just before it when I started on AOL. Many internet servers later, it has served me well in researching and reaching out to many more people. Without it, we would not have been well informed or up to the minute on the news of the day. We would not have met each other on here!

Lovely poem!

Another day on the green side so life is good. I constantly hear people lamenting the loss of the good old days but I am certain that the good days are now. The many advances in medicine alone are reason enough to make one appreciate what we now have. Not that many years ago Granny would have been relegated to a live of pain and immobility. Having a hip replacement is now a common procedure. She also would have been blind due to a ocular stroke that causes blood to leak into her retina. She receives a month injection into her eye and her vision is restored.

The internet is a wonderful advancement example of ow all of this new technology has changed our lifes. The front axle assembly on my lawn tractor broke Thursday while I was mowing the lawn. A simple web search located the necessary parts and they will be delivered in five business days.

However, one of the greatest things is the ability to communicate with people all over the world. A few years ago I would have never dreamed that I would discover a "darlin' daughter" on line and while she may be a virtual daughter I still consider myself lucky to have found her. Since I'm sure all of you know she has no appreciation for the beauty of waking up before the sun and witnessing the beauty of the sunrise, I thought you might enjoy this poem that sounds like it could have been written by our dear Thistle.

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

I still maintain there is no need to get up at stupid o'clock to see a sunrise when a sunset is just as beautiful and it happens at a reasonable time of day!

Some of us are greedy. We want both!

slacker

 

[Opa]

The older I get the more I cherish the opportunity to have both.

 

[EweSheep]

Yes and realizing we only have so much time on earth....mortality.....

 

[Opa]

It's amazing how different aging can be for different people. My father was 84 before he exhibited any lessening of his mental capabilities. He became aware of the loss and voluntarily quit driving rather than risk having an accident. While the ensuing year presented some difficulties he faced them with good humor. The following year it was as if he were slowly fading away but even that was made easier because he still possessed a good spirit. It was like the gentle soul that he had hidden from the world had come forth to show us the journey he was on was not to be feared. His last few weeks it was like he had stepped into the beyond. However, on his last day he came back across briefly to demonstrate to my mother the special bond they had shared for 61 years. That afternoon he stepped quietly over Jordan.

Granny, while sad that her life has changed so dramatically still has a zest for life. While her mobility is less than we would like she still stays active and ready to go and do anything. She is mentally still sharp and stays abreast of what is going on in the world around her. Even though arthritis has twisted and turned her fingers she still crochets and sews. Currently she is working on a cathedral window quilt large enough for a queen sized bed and I believe she only has 23 more blocks to complete.

Hope's stepfather, while only 78 its a very bitter and argumentative person. He is not accepting his fate with anything approaching grace and good spirits. He complains about everything and about half the time when Hope or I take his meals to him he'll look and it and exclaim "I'm not eating that slop, it's hog food". We can no longer place his medications in a weekly pill container as he will either not take them or take several days on the same day. To help insure he gets the appropriate dosage of one of the Alzheimer medications the doctors had prescribed a patch, but he keeps taking them off resulting in his becoming even more confused.

Recently he has changed from grumpy and ungrateful to argumentative. Yesterday when Hope went out in the morning to see that he took his medication she found him along side the road. He had taken one of his large tractors out and while returning home had run out of gas. When she approached asking what was wrong he started yelling and informing her of what a terrible job she was doing taking care of him. Then suddenly he attempted to strike her with his fist, narrowly missing her.

She let him walk the 1/4 mile to his house while following in her car. She called me crying and asking that I bring gas so we get the tractor back to his house. By the time I got there he was back to being semi rational and allowed her to replace his Alzheimer patch. This time she put in between his shoulder blades in hope that it will be to difficult to remove. She stayed for several more hours to do the laundry and prepare his supper. I was more than a little unnerved by her staying but she felt it was something she had to do.

This morning the first words out of his mouth was to complain that she didn't bring him anything to eat last night. She gave him his meds and convinced him to go with her to the cemetery to place flowers on her mother's grave. He has been continually gripping about the lack of flowers and didn't seem to understand that you don't plant flowers on snow covered ground.

When she got home this evening the first thing she did was to hug Granny and tell her how much she appreciated her. Since very little monies are available Hope is trying desperately to keep him in his home as long as possible.

I hope that all of you understand that this wasn't meant as a complaint. Merely and exercise to clear my mind and to allow me to continue to on this difficult journey with a good spirit and a kind heart.

 

[rrrmamma]

Opa, I can so understand the frustration. My Mom will ask for a particular dinner. After I prepare it she says she is not hungry.Please give Hope a hug for me. It isn't easy and at times I want to give up. I am going home next Saturday. She has improved enough that I feel I can leave her in the care of her home health aids. These two women have to be saints if she plays the same games with them that she tries to play with me. Have a good weekend all
.Deb

 

[1muttsfan]

Opa, it sounds like he is becoming a danger both to himself and others. A tractor is no joke on the road. It is not unusual for alzheimers victims to become combative, but it is difficult to watch. Has Hope considered placing him in a 24 hour care facility? As sad as it is, he is unlikely to be any less happy than he is now, and can be monitored by people trained to handle the kind of problems related to mental deterioration. I am so sorry to hear that you and Hope have to deal with such a difficult situation.

 

[Opa]

I'm going to be taking the batteries for the tractors today or tomorrow so he won't be able to start them and Hope has him scheduled for further evaluation later this week.

 

[1muttsfan]

Sounds like a good plan. An acquaintance of mine once had to search in the dark for his mother, who wandered out their door and got lost. It was fall, but fortunately not too cold, and they found her quickly, but they realized they could no longer watch after her and keep her safe.

 

[NotAFarm]

I'm going to be taking the batteries for the tractors today or tomorrow so he won't be able to start them and Hope has him scheduled for further evaluation later this week.

to Hope and you Sam......