JUST ANOTHER DAY

I had received a call from Saratoga Hospital about a room. There was a gentleman who could no longer live alone and wanted to meet me. I told Laura I would be there the following morning. I had recently remodeled and now had 5 bedrooms and five bathrooms, which sure made it a lot easier. The carpenter was almost finished so I thought I would be ok with getting another resident.
When I arrived at the hospital the next day I met Don. Don had Dementia (beginning stages) and was a very quiet gentleman. He had been married but his wife had died many years before so he tried to live by himself. The report said he had lived in one room for years, sleeping on a couch and eating TV dinners most of the time. His hair was down to his shoulders and so matted- you knew he hadn’t combed it in a looooong time! When I saw his toe nails I just could not believe it. They hadn’t been trimmed in months and were so long they curled.
I took him home and it was really interesting. The first thing I did was try to get him in a shower and what a battle that was.
“No woman was going to see him naked let alone give him a shower”!!I tried talking very quietly but after 15 minutes of that I got forceful. Melanie and I managed to get him undressed and in the shower. I had called Fran, my hairdresser, and she came to the house. When we got out of the shower she cut his hair. He was so mad at us he wouldn’t talk!! He looked about 10 years younger when we got through. Then I left him in his room saying his dinner would be ready in a little while. He never answered me so I knew we could have a big problem.
It was about a half hour later I went to the room to call him for dinner. What a surprise I got. He had turned on the TV and found the NYMETS playing and was so happy. I ended up fixing him a plate and letting him eat in his room and watch the game.
I always liked to have everyone together for meals but sometimes you bend the rules. This was one of those times. When the game was over and I wanted to get him ready for bed I expected a huge argument but he was great. Did not want to brush his teeth (found out he only had about six) otherwise he was fine. When his brother came to visit him the following week he couldn’t believe the change in him. He said he had tried for a long time to get him out of the apartment but Don wouldn’t leave. He was sure happy to see him being cared for. The only thing we had to wait for was Dr. Finger to come and trim his nails. He came the following week and Don was happy to get that done.
One of the most interesting things was that he couldn’t figure out where he was. When he got up the next morning he had forgotten completely where he was. He didn’t remember the shower, haircut or anything. That is the way dementia works which at times made our work easier. However it could also be the other way around.
If someone with dementia asked for a pain pill and you gave it to them, an hour later they didn’t remember and wanted another. It just kept us on our toes all the time.
Sometimes I swear I was getting forgetful so I would tell anyone who noticed” I am just rehearsing for Alzheimer’s so when I get it I will know how to act”!!
Keep smiling, dear reader, it always helps lighten the load.
Love Red