Today for a little bit of a change we decided to eat in the Residence Dining Room..we do this on an average of once every second week..I have found that Mac seems to enjoy having all the people he kind of knows - sistting at the various tables. We usually sit with a 92 year old woman and her friend who is in her late 80's the 92 year old is in great shape - always helps a couple of people with early A. - one espcially who often forgets the way back to her apartment, this 92 yr old checks out if this lady wants to be taken back to her apt. always saying the same thing...she can't remember where she lives...so i take her to her home. There are others in the same position as this lady, Mac for sure never remembers where we live, has a vague idea but is dependent on me - and often when i go to do the wash - the laundry room is right across the hall, he'll say - don't get lost, a kind of serious joke...Soooo
When he was eating dinner his fork was right on his plate...he started to pick up a spoon to eat...the 92 year old said arnt you going to use your fork?? mac answered 'where is my fork"? This is not uncommon for him, he can't seem to see a spoon or fork in his plate..and it's almost as if he is joking, but he is not. His visual perception is off - plus his memory of if he had a spoon or fork is also off base. He also is not able to write at all, I used to kind of encourage his visitor from CLSC to kind of have mac write his name or try to follow lines...now tonight at dinner - when he said where is my fork...a kind of light went on in my head...that is probably why he had such a hard time with his visitor last time, and also with our friend who often stays with him when i go out. They have been trying to get him to write, or just draw a line, or tell them about pictures, give the name of our cat etc.
These are now all impossible, so i'm going to really have to put a new program in motion for his visitors (as I call his care givers) and that is- to put cd's on, talk about music, let him listen is the music loud enough - too loud etc. and have the person just talk about himself or herself and perhaps ask his opinion on simple things, i.e. which do you like cats or dogs...discuss sports they may like - also try to go for a walk in the little park in back...i had been wondering why he has been saying 'i am useless, I'm a dud' this also happened after we went to our lawyer's office Wednesday, there the lawyer kept insisting that he write his name...again this is impossible - mac cannot do this.
So we see mac's memory,and his perception certainly are disappearing but his sense of humour remains; and when he couldn't find his fork, he managed to joke about it, when he couldn't follow the conversation and comments he said, ' so many words, but how much wisdom" this really set us laughing...although..
in a phone calls for example with Les - les asked to speak to Janet...mac said she is not here..that set me back in my tracks.as i was right there...and even tonight, he said 'i wonder where janet is"...i put up my hand...'i'm here,' He looked at me and laughed and said, "are you sure you are Janet'...when i answered, think i'll look in the mirror and check, this made him laugh..so the laughing, the humour and best of all, his love are still there, so i'm going to concentrate on that and not think about tomorrow but enjoy the now...a tall order but i'm going to have to do it ...so g'nite
No comments:
Post a Comment