New life coming?
October 14, 2006 | 12:00am
Hi, is today my first day of class?" I asked politely. It was Tuesday.
"No," she said politely too, "tomorrow, Wednesday, is your first day. But next week you will begin on Tuesday."
"Okay, thank you," I said, but something in my mind got stalled. On Wednesday, I went to teach, then chatted with my friend in the company, had such a good time, I came home cheerful, not thinking of what day it was, or if anything was due that day. It felt like Tuesday.
The next morning I got a text from my section editor. Omigod, it was Wednesday last night and I did not write my column. I missed my deadline therefore no column last Saturday. To all my readers, I am so sorry. Time just slipped by. I was having too much fun.
Maybe I am beginning a new life, I like to think anyway. For one thing, I’m in a better mood, seem to feel happier, even if around me things are going right one day and wrong the next. Those things don’t bother me any more. That’s the way life is. In the back of my mind – or is it the bottom of my soul? – I have a feeling that things are changing for me. I don’t know in what direction, I don’t know if left or right or up or down, I just know that this time next year, life will be amazingly different and I will have my moments of awe, followed by moments of deep gratitude.
Why do I feel this way? I wonder too. Maybe this comes from the capsules and medicine from Beth Micaller that I have been taking faithfully. Maybe, maybe. Is it that I have gone to visit my mother and found her as well as she can be? Is it that I’ve recovered from the initial guilt I felt when I first brought her to the Alzheimer’s home?
I remember that time. I was so distressed taking care of my mother who was almost always depressed. She was fighting with all of her caregivers and I could not find new ones. I could not take care of her myself because both of us would become so unhappy. I decided to bring her to The Noli Center. Then I knew it to accept Alzheimer’s patients but had no idea that she would be happy there. That was in April of this year, six months ago. Now when I visit her I go home amused. She smiles a lot. She acts as some sort of hostess for people who come in to look at the place.
When she talks, she still complains about people saying all sorts of things about her. Her script has not changed. In the Alzheimer’s home, when patients get together, they speak in their own ways, retelling stories that are hard to understand but one feels their camaraderie. They are happy in their home, in each other’s company. That fills me with amazement always.
Also, she allows herself to be cared for. There the caregivers dress their patients up. If you allow my mother to dress by herself, she will wear three pairs of pants, a blouse, a long gown, a half-slip, a jacket, a hat, a bathrobe all at the same time. You tell her she will feel too hot, she gets upset and angry. She must wear all those clothes and try to put on more but at The Noli Center, she is dressed well all the time.
But it’s really hard to visit for more than half an hour because you cannot understand each other. Enough, however, can happen in the half-hour. You can see if she is happy or not and you can give her your love. That is fine. I am so profoundly grateful that I found this Alzheimer’s home and decided to take the risky decision of checking my mother in. It has saved both our lives.
If your parent/s have Alzheimer’s disease, you must consider checking them into an Alzheimer’s home. I have to say from experience that it really helps everyone out. It gives your parent the care he or she needs. It gives him or her the company he or she needs. It frees you up to take care of your own life, of earning the money you need to keep him or her there. In the end it makes the Alzheimer’s patient happy and it will lighten your life’s load. The Alzheimer’s home was the answer to my prayers. Now I can go and consider that I may have a new life and it is just about to start.
By the way, I think I need a directory of all the seniors homes in this country. If you know of one, send me the address and telephone number. I get so many inquiries and I know I have to do better than just The Noli Center. Thank you.
Please send your comments to lilypad@skyinet.net or secondwind.barbara@gmail.com or text 0917-8155570
"No," she said politely too, "tomorrow, Wednesday, is your first day. But next week you will begin on Tuesday."
"Okay, thank you," I said, but something in my mind got stalled. On Wednesday, I went to teach, then chatted with my friend in the company, had such a good time, I came home cheerful, not thinking of what day it was, or if anything was due that day. It felt like Tuesday.
The next morning I got a text from my section editor. Omigod, it was Wednesday last night and I did not write my column. I missed my deadline therefore no column last Saturday. To all my readers, I am so sorry. Time just slipped by. I was having too much fun.
Maybe I am beginning a new life, I like to think anyway. For one thing, I’m in a better mood, seem to feel happier, even if around me things are going right one day and wrong the next. Those things don’t bother me any more. That’s the way life is. In the back of my mind – or is it the bottom of my soul? – I have a feeling that things are changing for me. I don’t know in what direction, I don’t know if left or right or up or down, I just know that this time next year, life will be amazingly different and I will have my moments of awe, followed by moments of deep gratitude.
Why do I feel this way? I wonder too. Maybe this comes from the capsules and medicine from Beth Micaller that I have been taking faithfully. Maybe, maybe. Is it that I have gone to visit my mother and found her as well as she can be? Is it that I’ve recovered from the initial guilt I felt when I first brought her to the Alzheimer’s home?
I remember that time. I was so distressed taking care of my mother who was almost always depressed. She was fighting with all of her caregivers and I could not find new ones. I could not take care of her myself because both of us would become so unhappy. I decided to bring her to The Noli Center. Then I knew it to accept Alzheimer’s patients but had no idea that she would be happy there. That was in April of this year, six months ago. Now when I visit her I go home amused. She smiles a lot. She acts as some sort of hostess for people who come in to look at the place.
When she talks, she still complains about people saying all sorts of things about her. Her script has not changed. In the Alzheimer’s home, when patients get together, they speak in their own ways, retelling stories that are hard to understand but one feels their camaraderie. They are happy in their home, in each other’s company. That fills me with amazement always.
Also, she allows herself to be cared for. There the caregivers dress their patients up. If you allow my mother to dress by herself, she will wear three pairs of pants, a blouse, a long gown, a half-slip, a jacket, a hat, a bathrobe all at the same time. You tell her she will feel too hot, she gets upset and angry. She must wear all those clothes and try to put on more but at The Noli Center, she is dressed well all the time.
But it’s really hard to visit for more than half an hour because you cannot understand each other. Enough, however, can happen in the half-hour. You can see if she is happy or not and you can give her your love. That is fine. I am so profoundly grateful that I found this Alzheimer’s home and decided to take the risky decision of checking my mother in. It has saved both our lives.
If your parent/s have Alzheimer’s disease, you must consider checking them into an Alzheimer’s home. I have to say from experience that it really helps everyone out. It gives your parent the care he or she needs. It gives him or her the company he or she needs. It frees you up to take care of your own life, of earning the money you need to keep him or her there. In the end it makes the Alzheimer’s patient happy and it will lighten your life’s load. The Alzheimer’s home was the answer to my prayers. Now I can go and consider that I may have a new life and it is just about to start.
By the way, I think I need a directory of all the seniors homes in this country. If you know of one, send me the address and telephone number. I get so many inquiries and I know I have to do better than just The Noli Center. Thank you.
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