Y2/D287- No longer plague house...

Another beautiful sunny day. I'm grateful for this extended time in Hilton Head - because I got to see my Dad. He hugged me today, and kissed me - or rather my arm. And I saw him - he was there. As he put it - "it comes and goes, the intellect comes and goes." That's Alzheimer's folks.

Dad: How are you handling all these changes?
Me: I'm going with the flow.
Dad: That's a good, I suppose.
Me: Yeah my boss asked. I said treading water. He asked if I could swim or float. That it was better to float then tread water, less exhausting.
Dad: I feel as if I just died from a bad case of metaphors.

Mother was highly amused. And told everyone.

Dad: No one seems to believe anything I say.
Bro: It's not as if we did before, Dad.
Dad bursts out laughing.

His sense of humor was back. He has a very dry wit, as does my brother - mine isn't quite as dry and biting as theirs.

***

He was more lucid today than previously. Last week -was horrid. He didn't recognize me at all and didn't want me there, and was babbling. This week, he was himself, I saw him. And we were able to chat outside in the warm courtyard. Mother called my brother both times, partly to give us all something to talk about.
But I felt he knew me today. When before he didn't. That's the most painful thing about watching someone with Alzheimer's - watching as the disease slowly takes them from you bit by bit. My father is immobile now, he can no longer get his legs to do what he wants them to do - and needs help with most everything. Which is why he's now in a long-term facility. He needs help shaving, cutting his toenails, bathing, going to the bathroom, and sometimes eating, not to mention getting around - he does wander the halls though in his wheelchair and they allow him to do so, also they have a lounge with a television, and a dining area, and a courtyard. All of which are quite nice - and decorated for Christmas. But my father seldom watches television, and has lost all interest in sports. I also realized with his inability to make sense of objects in space - putting pictures on his walls or on his windowsill made no sense. They'd only confuse him, or he wouldn't be able to make them out.

**
Besides seeing my father, we went out for lunch at the Beach Club. (An outdoor restaurant next to the Beach.) We were both feeling much better. No coughing or sneezing. Sat in the sun, under an umbrella, had hamburgers, french fries, and iced tea. Then I went for a brief walk on the beach. Not a long one - since the beach was rather crowed with people, and not conducive for walking. It was in the 70s today, quite warm, but oddly no one was in the water - I'm guessing it was too cold from the past several weeks? People were just sunbathing. Not a mask in sight. As if the pandemic didn't exist.

I passed two little kids playing in the sand near the boardwalk.

Little boy: Do you like McDonalds?
Me: No.
Cheers.
Little girl: with good reason.
Little boy: Do you like Chick-a-file?
Me: No.
Confusion. They look at each other.
Little boy: Why not?
Me: I don't like fast food restaurants?
Little boy: So you like slow food restaurants?
Me: No, I just don't like the franchises -
Little Girl: That makes sense actually, I totally get that.
Me: Oh good, you explain it to him.

They move on to the next person to come off the boardwalk.

A smattering of folks had masks on indoors. A couple of the waitstaff, our waitress for example, wore them outdoors.

I wore it indoors, and if close to folks. I stayed a good distance away on the beach. Where we were eating we were more than six feet away, the tables were well separated. And they'd changed it slightly from what I remembered - no coaches or chairs with fire pits between them or heat lamps (not needed today, obviously), just tables, umbrellas, and chairs. And a healthy crowd of young folks.

***

Assisted mother with various and sundry tasks - such as taking down the Christmas tree, removing decorations, changing out her summer and winter clothes from her trunk. Some of that was yesterday - after we had a mini-power outtage. The power went out for no apparent reason for about twenty minutes. We went outside and talked to a guy riding a wheelchair bicycle who came up our drive to talk to me, and the work men next door. (No one had masks on outside - so I tried to stay a ways apart.) When it came back on, we had to fiddle with the cable for a bit to get it working.

I'm grateful for these moments with my parents, since I know they are limited and temporary ones. And I'm grateful for the beautiful weather, and the sunshine. This second week has been a gift of sorts or a reward for all that came before it. A Christmas Gift, if you will.

Just hoping I make it home without any issues on Friday. Fingers and toes crossed. Also knock on wood.

***

Last night we watched Encanto on Disney Plus, it was better than expected. We both enjoyed it. And I highly recommend. It's about a young girl in Mexico (Brain fog - it's Columbia, I couldn't remember last night - thanks to conuly for pointing it out.), with a magical family, who figures out how to fit in and save their village, with a lot of Spanish songs written by Lin Manuel-Miranda.