The heat of summer has arrived in York, Maine. We have had lots of 90°F weather and not much rain. A customer called from Boston on Tuesday and declared it was 106°F sitting in traffic. Ouch!
My sister called yesterday and told me my Father had fallen out of his bed early in the morning and then fallen while walking around 10 am. He seemed to have no bruises. The staff at Sentry Hill had placed him in a recliner for the day.
I went over to see him around 4pm. And sure enough he was still in the recliner. He was awake and as usual in pretty good spirits. I brought him 2 milk chocolate caramels from our chocolate shop, Divine Chocolate. He ate them with a fervor. It was nice to see him enjoy them. He asked me if I had been over to see Evelyn's grave (his oldest sister). I told him no, but last memorial day he and I and my kids went over to rake and clean up the graveyard. He couldn't remember.
I sat with him quietly as we watched the staff prepare the residents for supper. Most of the residents require assistance to get seated so there is a lot of effort made. The whole endeavor begins around 4pm and lasts until 5pm. Moments before 5 I said goodbye and headed home.
Showing posts with label father. Show all posts
Showing posts with label father. Show all posts
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Saturday, May 16, 2009
May 16, 2009
My father called me up on Wednesday (May 13) evening and asked me to come and pick him up and take him to a place which he could not describe. I asked him if it was home and he couldn't be sure. I was busy with work and told him I couldn't come over at the time. He became more anxious and pleaded with me.
I drove over to Sentry Hill not being able to figure out what he was talking about. When I got there he was ready to go and grabbed a photo that my sister had recently taken and framed of him and myself. I asked why he was taking the photo and he said he couldn't leave it there. I began to feel like he thought he was leaving permanently. I reminded him that I couldn't take him home and leave him there and that if we went to his house I would have to bring him back in a short while.
Still being leery of the situation I agreed to take him for a drive. I asked if he were hungry and he said not really. We drove from Sentry Hill up to the hospital and through the parking lot near the cafeteria that he is very familiar with. I asked him if this is where he has in mind. He said no and asked me to keep on driving and he would show me the way. We drove into the center of York Village and he said go left and then right. We drove for a few miles up Old Post Road and he eventually said we have gone to far. He asked me to turn around and explained how we needed to go back to Woodbridge Road and turn right after about a half mile.
He had just described directions to Sentry Hill. I did feel relieved that his home wasn't his destination but had never experienced anything so bizarre either. We drove up to the back entrance and I thought I would try driving on to make sure he meant it. When I didn't slow down to make the turn into the parking lot he asked where I was going. I turned in. He didn't waste a second getting out of my truck and into the building.
He seemed so relieved to be back to where we had just come from. He placed the photo he had taken back on his night table. Technorati Tags: dimentia, strange
I drove over to Sentry Hill not being able to figure out what he was talking about. When I got there he was ready to go and grabbed a photo that my sister had recently taken and framed of him and myself. I asked why he was taking the photo and he said he couldn't leave it there. I began to feel like he thought he was leaving permanently. I reminded him that I couldn't take him home and leave him there and that if we went to his house I would have to bring him back in a short while.
Still being leery of the situation I agreed to take him for a drive. I asked if he were hungry and he said not really. We drove from Sentry Hill up to the hospital and through the parking lot near the cafeteria that he is very familiar with. I asked him if this is where he has in mind. He said no and asked me to keep on driving and he would show me the way. We drove into the center of York Village and he said go left and then right. We drove for a few miles up Old Post Road and he eventually said we have gone to far. He asked me to turn around and explained how we needed to go back to Woodbridge Road and turn right after about a half mile.
He had just described directions to Sentry Hill. I did feel relieved that his home wasn't his destination but had never experienced anything so bizarre either. We drove up to the back entrance and I thought I would try driving on to make sure he meant it. When I didn't slow down to make the turn into the parking lot he asked where I was going. I turned in. He didn't waste a second getting out of my truck and into the building.
He seemed so relieved to be back to where we had just come from. He placed the photo he had taken back on his night table. Technorati Tags: dimentia, strange
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
May 12, 2009
I have just talked with my friend who is at the psychiatric hospital in Concord, NH and is praying he doesn't wake up in the morning. I told he I would pray harder that he does wake up. He has been stripped of everything that he may use as a tool to harm himself, including pencils.
I also spoke with my friends wife and his son who are not dealing very well with the situation. My friend, Mike has become much more despondent than when I talked with him on Saturday and Sunday. His family has not talked with a doctor and really have no idea of why the situation is deteriorating. yuk.
His son Matthew said when he went to visit his father today his father was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall, sobbing. An attendant went to get Mike and was told by him that he wasn't in the shape to see anyone. His son sat for over 20 minutes waiting to no avail.
I met with my father's social worker, head nurse, nutritionist and daughter today. For some reason my father wasn't invited. We all thought keeping him in the Browning unit, which is locked, would be the safest thing for him. Although they did offer to allow him to move upstairs into Tennyson which is assisted living. I was quite surprised.
After my sister and I left the meeting we met with my father and told him what had transpired. He was very upset and insisted he couldn't stand being locked up any longer and wanted to go home. At that point I realized he should have been included in the meeting.
Now, we will re explore the possibility of him moving to a section of the building that is not locked and where he will have the opportunity to come and go at will. I do feel it will be dangerous if he wanders off and gets lost but cannot say it is better to break his heart.
Although my dad is still responsible for his actions he has made no attempt to go home. He certainly has told us that is where he would prefer to be.
Mid afternoon, realizing I wouldn't be able to find time to go back over to Sentry Hill for a second time today I called my oldest son Nathaniel and asked him if he could go over and visit his grandfather. He declined saying that he was just out the door going for a run. He said that he would like to go over though and added that he is uncomfortable seeing his grandfather in such a condition.
I am glad he told me this. He also added that he will go see him but today was untimely.
I called my father later in the day, before super. I told him that my sister and I would make an effort to get him into and area of the building where he would be free to come and go outside. He was pleased and asked me to visit him tonight three times. I told him I had to work late and wouldn't have dinner til after seven at which time I would be very tired and didn't think I would be able to. He asked again and said he hoped to see me.
I have though about him a lot today. He is still so very much alive and still wanting and hoping though more often than not is in despair. Some of his brain is faltering and some is still as much in survival mode as ever. I am a huge admirer of his determination and have told him many so many times.Technorati Tags: psychiatric hospital, suicide, nutrionist, Tennyson,
I also spoke with my friends wife and his son who are not dealing very well with the situation. My friend, Mike has become much more despondent than when I talked with him on Saturday and Sunday. His family has not talked with a doctor and really have no idea of why the situation is deteriorating. yuk.
His son Matthew said when he went to visit his father today his father was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall, sobbing. An attendant went to get Mike and was told by him that he wasn't in the shape to see anyone. His son sat for over 20 minutes waiting to no avail.
I met with my father's social worker, head nurse, nutritionist and daughter today. For some reason my father wasn't invited. We all thought keeping him in the Browning unit, which is locked, would be the safest thing for him. Although they did offer to allow him to move upstairs into Tennyson which is assisted living. I was quite surprised.
After my sister and I left the meeting we met with my father and told him what had transpired. He was very upset and insisted he couldn't stand being locked up any longer and wanted to go home. At that point I realized he should have been included in the meeting.
Now, we will re explore the possibility of him moving to a section of the building that is not locked and where he will have the opportunity to come and go at will. I do feel it will be dangerous if he wanders off and gets lost but cannot say it is better to break his heart.
Although my dad is still responsible for his actions he has made no attempt to go home. He certainly has told us that is where he would prefer to be.
Mid afternoon, realizing I wouldn't be able to find time to go back over to Sentry Hill for a second time today I called my oldest son Nathaniel and asked him if he could go over and visit his grandfather. He declined saying that he was just out the door going for a run. He said that he would like to go over though and added that he is uncomfortable seeing his grandfather in such a condition.
I am glad he told me this. He also added that he will go see him but today was untimely.
I called my father later in the day, before super. I told him that my sister and I would make an effort to get him into and area of the building where he would be free to come and go outside. He was pleased and asked me to visit him tonight three times. I told him I had to work late and wouldn't have dinner til after seven at which time I would be very tired and didn't think I would be able to. He asked again and said he hoped to see me.
I have though about him a lot today. He is still so very much alive and still wanting and hoping though more often than not is in despair. Some of his brain is faltering and some is still as much in survival mode as ever. I am a huge admirer of his determination and have told him many so many times.Technorati Tags: psychiatric hospital, suicide, nutrionist, Tennyson,
Saturday, March 28, 2009
3/38/2009
I went to visit my father this afternoon around 3:30pm. He was sitting near the door waiting with a paper in hand that had my sister Karen's and my phone number on it. He was very frustrated as he wanted to call us and said the nurses made him dial a nine first. To dial the phone number as written is a challange for him..to add a nine was impossible. Evidently the nurses weren't helping him and he said he would die if this kept up.
I suggested that we leave, go for a ride and he quickly agreed. As we were departing a lady who was also leaving and had been sitting next to a different resident said she would like to tell me that the nurses weren't helpful to my father and she felt like he wasn't getting respect. She added that he had been very frustrated. It was sad to see him in such a state of despair.
I drove us along the beach and up to Ogunquit and finally up the backway to his home. We stopped in and walked around his yard. He asked me if the truck in the driveway was his. I told him yes it was and a nice one at that. After we left his house we stopped by the chocolate shop where my wife Sandra was working. He was very happy to see her, she gave him a shortbread cocoa cookie which he liked very much. We then left and I drove him back to Sentry Hill where my sister was waiting and they drove off to York Hospital for dinner. They had arranged to meet a lady friend of my dad's and her 98 year old dad for dinner.
I suggested that we leave, go for a ride and he quickly agreed. As we were departing a lady who was also leaving and had been sitting next to a different resident said she would like to tell me that the nurses weren't helpful to my father and she felt like he wasn't getting respect. She added that he had been very frustrated. It was sad to see him in such a state of despair.
I drove us along the beach and up to Ogunquit and finally up the backway to his home. We stopped in and walked around his yard. He asked me if the truck in the driveway was his. I told him yes it was and a nice one at that. After we left his house we stopped by the chocolate shop where my wife Sandra was working. He was very happy to see her, she gave him a shortbread cocoa cookie which he liked very much. We then left and I drove him back to Sentry Hill where my sister was waiting and they drove off to York Hospital for dinner. They had arranged to meet a lady friend of my dad's and her 98 year old dad for dinner.
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