Library Visits

Feeling bad, being away for a week and missing my guys. Last Wednesday I took my guy to the VA library, where they are always glad to see him. This time he was particularly warmly greeted by a fellow Vietnam Vet from his same branch of the service. He loves seaplanes and the librarian dug […]

Easter Bingo

On Easter Sunday I took my guy out for a tunnel trip and we found that Bingo does goes ahead on Easter. He was never a Bingo fan, but it is a great social event. After we got back, my Jewish vet wanted a ride, so I took him as well. One Easter ride, one […]

Wooden Nickels

Sunday The first thing is that you need to use a numeric code pad to enter or exit the ward. The sign reminds you that there is a “risk of elopement”, which I think is not a reference to impulsive marriages. So when I arrived and let myself in, right inside the door was the […]

Warm Greetings

Sunday Took my guy to the Bingo Room, which is always busy on Sunday. Two women who had taken care of him when he was in their ward were both happy to see him and greeted him with much warmth and affection. He responded and remembered both of them with smiles. In the photo, processed […]

Take Me!

We had a sort of special occasion on Sunday. My friend Steve, who knows my vet buddy, went with me on the visit. I gave Steve a little pre-visit orientation so he would be a bit prepared to see whole lot of people in advanced stages of dementia. As soon as we walked in, my […]

Rainy Wednesday

A rainy Wednesday at the VA Dementia Ward After a good visit Sunday, both of my guys were in worse shape today: each was barely able to speak. On Sunday, I left each with my standard parting advice, “Don’t take any wooden nickels.” And through all the gauzy layers of illness, they each gave me […]

Alive

As I arrive, my guy is about to be wheeled off to a dentist appointment. I offer to take him and the aide says yes, but the head nurse says the aide must take him. So I go along with them. My guy is very quiet these day, stoic, dignified, as the disease closes in […]

Salerno

My guy seems to be sinking a bit further. Still able to smile and laugh, but only when the situation really is funny, which is not frequent. We went for our tunnel “walk” and he was warmly greeted again at the Library and the Activity Center. Then we went to Building 4, where we usually […]

Jacket Jacket Jacket

My guy seems to be increasingly in the grip of Parkinsons: his face is frozen and he is talking less. He now gets into many of rhythmic repeats, such as jacket-jacket-jacket-jacket-jacket, when he is cold. He rises to the occasion when people greet him, and smiles, talks a bit, but between these moments he recedes […]

Sunday Was Difficult

Sunday was difficult. My guy was sick in bed so no exploring the basement tunnels for us. At one point he asked out loud why he doesn’t just die and get it over with. I suggested that spring will come; we will go outside and feel the warm sun and hear the birds sing. He […]