LICENSE EXPIRATION – January 17, 2008
Today, Jack nearly had a cow. He spent
a couple of hours studying his Driving License. He wrote some notes
on a piece of paper. I was very busy and didn’t try to see what he
was doing. After Crystal left he told me he either needed my help or
I needed to tell him who to call to get his License reinstated,
“because it has expired.” With desperation written all over his
face he showed me the license. It stated very clearly that his
license would expire December 11, 2008. Obviously, he has no clue
what year, month or day it is.
But, he did have some hope that I would
be able to make arrangements for him to get it reinstated because:
“I have an excellent report from the eye doctor and they just
called from the clinic and Dr. Chappell says I’m in PERFECT
HEALTH.” When he was at the clinic Monday, January 14th,
they drew blood and checked it for several things: sugar level,
cholesterol, etc. This morning there was a call from the clinic and
they asked to speak to him. They told him that his “labs” all
looked good. As a result of that call, “I am in perfect health.”
I asked him if he remembered what Dr.
Chappell said. He said, “Yes, but he doesn’t know what he’s
talking about.” It was a very convoluted conversation. Finally,
he said he wanted a four-wheeler like Taylor’s. I reminded him
that he’d probably have a hard time getting his leg over it. “You
let me worry about getting my leg over it.” I said, “It would be
much easier to climb into a golf cart and you can probably get one
with a top on it so you won’t be sitting in the sun while you
ride.” I also, reminded him that we need to get rid of the
truck---that it is just sitting there costing us money---that I won’t
drive it and if he can’t drive it, what’s the use of keeping it?
He finally agreed that we should get rid of it (so at least for now,
he is agreeable---but who knows how long he will remember what he
said). We’d better let Bret know quickly. “But, I won’t just
give it away.” I asked him if “Blue Book” price would do. He
wanted to know how much that might be and I suggested $2,000.00, give
or take. “Well, the turbo cost more than that.” I suggested
that “the turbo” probably won’t be taken into consideration
with “Blue Book,” but that, if he sells the truck, at least he’d
have enough money to pay for a Golf Cart.
He mulled that over for a few hours and
then said, “Well, we’d better be able to get a golf cart with
four-wheel drive.” I asked him why and he said, “So I can drive
us to Church in the winter when there is snow on the ground.” I
asked him why we’d want to drive to Church in the winter when there
is snow on the ground when we have two perfectly good vehicles with
heaters in them and protection from the elements and that just
because he can’t drive them, I can and that I would be happy to
drive us to Church. He hadn’t wrapped his mind around that
concept.
Now, he wants to know where his
$6,000.00 is that was put in the safe. I told him he didn’t have
$6,000.00 in the safe. “Well, I knew I shouldn’t put that money
in the safe because I knew I’d lose it if I did.” I asked him
where he got $6,000.00. “From the stuff I sold,” he said. I
queried him about what “stuff”? He didn’t know.
I’m reasonably sure that I will see
nothing of the money that comes from the truck. He will undoubtedly
order the horribly expensive “Big Boy” train engine he has wanted
for so long (if he can figure out how to order it). However, after
we get a golf cart, there may not be enough left for a Big Boy.
Let’s hope not.
Today, Thursday, I practiced the choir
music. He asked what I was practicing. I told him. He asked when
the choir is singing, I said, “This Sunday.” He said, “When is
Sunday?”
January 19th, 2008
Jack has been asking for pancakes for
several weeks so today, finally, I took the time to make pancakes
from scratch. I cooked bacon and eggs, as well. I had fixed him a
pear and a slice of sharp cheese to eat while he was waiting for me
to get the cats fed, the laundry started and the pancakes going. I
put the pills he is supposed to take in the morning in a cup (it’s
how he wants them) and put the cup in front of him. When I got
things going on the stove I put silverware in front of him and the
cup with the pills was still there. I put them in front of him again
and said, “Take these pills, now.” Then I went back to the stove
to keep everything going. Now, mind you, he doesn’t want cold
syrup on his pancakes so I had heated the syrup, made sure the butter
was soft, cooked the bacon, eggs and pancakes. I put the food on a
plate I had warmed in the oven and put it in front of him, all hot.
Next, I proceeded to fix food for me. (If I fix my food at the same
time I fix his, I run the risk of his food not being “hot”
enough. I ate my food, gathered up my dishes and put them in the
dishwasher; then went to get his plate and utensils for the
dishwasher and guess what!---the pills were still in the cup in front
of him (but he had moved them over to the side, out of his way).
I picked up the cup and put it firmly
in front of him, raised my voice and said, “Why do you think I put
these in front of you an hour ago?” His answer: “So you could
yell at me.” Makes no sense!
January 31, 2008
This morning Jack woke up and wanted to
know if today is Saturday (it’s Thursday). I told him “no”.
Then he asked if tomorrow is Saturday. I told him “no”.
Finally, I told him, “today is Thursday and Crystal will be here to
clean the house.” Yesterday, I told him at least four times that,
“tomorrow is Thursday and Crystal will be here to clean the house.”
Jack was in his chair after Crystal
left and he looked like a “thunder cloud.” I said, “Are you
mad.” He said, “YES.” I asked him why and he shouted at me
and said, “I’m going to figure out a way to get my driver’s
license back.” I asked him where he needed to drive. He said,
“Any where I want to. I am not going to live the rest of my life
without driving.”
A few minutes later he said, “I
thought you said I could have some left-over tamale loaf for lunch.
Where is it?” I had fixed his breakfast so he could eat but I
didn’t have time to fix my breakfast before Crystal came. After
she left I had just sat down to eat a small bowl of wholewheat I had
cooked last night. I reminded him that I had not had any breakfast
and wondered if it was okay for me to eat before I fixed his lunch.
“I want some lunch.” I fixed it and then finished my bowl of
wheat. A few minutes later he said, “I want to read the Harry
Potter books we haven’t read. If you’re not going to read them
to me then I’ll read them myself.” As much as I always enjoyed
reading to him (when he was capable of understanding) I think I will
let him read them himself. Even when he seemed to be okay, he still
got confused and would stop me and I would have to retell the story
and try to get him straightened out. He will get confused and want
me to straighten things out for him and I won’t be able to because
I haven’t read the books. I do intend to read the books but it
might be more fun to read them to myself these days.
Now that I think of things, I think
this fog Jack is in has been coming on for about 10 years. There are
many instances of confusion years ago but I didn’t think too much
of it because there was quite a bit of time between the episodes. I
was also, undoubtedly, in denial.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
I got up this morning and got my
shower. I asked Jack if he wanted to get his shower while the
bathroom was warm. He said he’d get it later. This afternoon,
after he had watched President Hinckley’s funeral and the specials
KSL presented following the funeral, he said, “Well, I guess it’s
time to feed the cats and I guess I’d better shave.” He
mentioned that he wanted to “shave with a razor.” I asked him
whether he was going to use his electric razor or a regular razor.
He said, “A regular razor.” I asked him if he was going to get a
shower (I don’t like him to wait until Sunday morning to get his
shower because it’s too hard to get him ready and get my shower and
get myself ready). He indicated he would get a shower (hallelujah!).
I knew the bathroom would be cool because I have had a fire in the
wood stove to try to keep him warm and when I keep a fire going, the
furnace doesn’t turn on much. (I like the rest of the house to be
cooler so I can work without sweating.)
He was in the bathroom quite a while
and I kept busy, close by, so if he needed help, I’d hear him.
Finally I heard him moaning and groaning over and over so I hurried
into the bathroom to see why. He had the shower running and he said,
“It’s too cold in here and there’s no hot water.” I checked
the shower and he had it turned all the way to cold. I told him what
was wrong, turned the tap to warm and sure enough, there was plenty
of hot water. He kept telling me he turned it the way I showed him
last time. But wouldn’t you think that since he had been using hot
water to shave that he’d have turned the tap the other way if only
cold water came out? After he was through showering and we got him
dried off, I had to help him put his clothes on because he wanted to
put them on backward. If I don’t stay by him and help him, he will
put his underwear on backward (top and bottom) and he will put his
shirt on inside-out. Sometimes he puts his pants on backward. No
problem the last three or four days. He won’t get undressed to go
to bed at night. He just crawls into bed fully dressed. At least I
don’t have to take the time to get him dressed in the morning. AND
HE THINKS HE SHOULD BE DRIVING?
He has hurt his knees, again, so he is
using the wheelchair part of the time. When he walks, he moans and
groans, loudly, and I wonder whether or not he’ll make it to
wherever he is going. As I mentioned earlier, he said he was going
to feed the cats. It didn’t happen. I fed them, as usual. He
makes a lot of noise about taking care of the cats but I do it most
of the time. I don’t mind. It really doesn’t take that much
time and at least I don’t have to worry about him falling off the
edge of the porch.
