Ice Cream Party

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

"You're pretty."

I had been sitting at the table with dad in the activities room... also at the table was an older woman, "U", with whom I had been "chatting"!  She had been telling be about moving to Australia from Germany when she was a schoolgirl, and attending a boarding school in Neutral Bay that was "horrid"!  Getting up from the table, she was right in my personal space, staring at me.  That's when she said that I was pretty, and was that red hair I had?  I had the biggest smile on my face, as five minutes prior, when I was showing her something... she said she couldn't see very well, all she saw was shapes.  Ahhh... the whole world is pretty through a soft-focus lens ;)

I've spent zero time with old people prior to dad going into hospital.  I have to say, like children, they crack me up with the things they say.  I find myself hanging out with dad in the activity room purely for entertainment!  Today when I was there, it was "ice-cream party" time.  The aides were handing out chocolate cones to all.  When dad's table-mate was handed the chocolate ice cream cone, she turned her nose up and it, and wrinkled her face while eating it.  She got up from the table and told me she was going to the balcony to eat it.  One of the aides saw her and came over... she told me that "U" had a habit of going out to the balcony and throwing her cone over the side.  We watched her, and sure enough, that's where she was headed.  The aide went to rescue the cone before it ended upside down in the front entry way.  What a laugh!

All this afternoon hilarity was unforeseen at 10.30 this morning.  I had a call from the home to say that dad fell out of bed again last night... bed rails and all.  He wormed his way down to the end of the bed between the rails and got out somehow.  He was unhurt this time.  What we do not need is another hospital visit.  Pleeeeeaaase, can we make it through Christmas intact?! What ARE we going to do with him?!  Wrap him in a cocoon and suspend him in a hammock?

Upon arriving at the home this afternoon, one of the aides came up to me to talk to me about dad.  Her words were, "That man is determined."

My response, "Don't I know it!"

They have him up and walking with a frame.  When he gets tired, he sits down for a rest, and when he's ready to go, he tells them, "Right.  Let's go."  Apparently they have to coax others to do their physio.

She said to me... "He always has to have the final say."

Yep.  Try being his kid.  Growing up was fun!  No doubt with whom they are working.  Dad is strong and determined... yet I always hear from them that he is very polite... please, thank you, sorry.  Guess of all the human traits to have, these ones aren't so bad!

PS... Have been meaning to post a photo on this blog update.... click here to see...