Just thought I would mention that I had a little phone visit with Joyce and grandpa today. I talked to Joyce for 20 minutes or so and got a little update on how dad is doing.
She said that they had been to see the doctor this week, and it appears that he is in very good health. His heart is good, and there are no physical problems other than the Parkinson's.
He is still having some difficulty with halucinations. She says the hard part about that is that he is aware that some of these things are not really there, but they seem so real he gets confused. She says recently he has been seeing army men, and it seems that he is seeing construction going on in the gully behind the house. She assured me that there is not. He is also confusing TV with reality a little so she is careful about what they watch, and he gets up in the night and goes from room to room with a flashlight (Angela) looking for people.
After she put him on the phone he told me quite a story about some small buffalo like animals that are in the house. He says he came up the stairs the other day and there were 3 of them sitting up, human like, on the couch. He apparently scolds them and tells them to get out of his damn house. A couple of them have taken up a position on a bookcase where they sleep. One of them is, as he says, an ugly bugger and dad is a little bit afraid to get after him. He says he is afraid that one will burn the house down. He also mentioned the construction in the gully. Apparently they are widening a road? But there was no mention of the army men.
He calls himself crazy, but I told him maybe he is just able to see beyond the veil things that the rest of us can't. If it is true that heaven is all around us, it doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility to me that all those animals and people are there. Who knows? I do think it is rude of the buffalo to come in the house though. They are definitely an outside pet!
Joyce is as patient and understanding as ever and is more concerned for dad than for herself. I hope she is not wearing herself out. They have Karen and the kids staying with them, and she says the kids are a nice diversion for dad. Jeremy is still in Nevada closing the sale on their house. He has bought a practice in Tooele (I never can remember how to spell it) and they will be moving out there soon. I'm sure they would love a phone call or a visit if anyone has the time or the inclination.
10 comments:
It's good to know that his health is improving even if the hallucinations are not. I was enjoying the story about the small buffalo until I came to the part where he is afraid that the ugly one will burn down the house. That is a bit disturbing, and I would not want to have an arsonist buffalo in my house either.
Oh great, so this is what I have to look forward to! I remember that feeling all to well of needing to see every room in the house, my heart would pound and I would just feel sick to my stomach sometimes. Every once in awhile I will feel like I am on the verge of it, it is almost like music or something is playing in my ears and my heart will start to beat faster, I freeze up and get afraid to look around. YIKES!!!
I will wish for kind friendly buffalo pets. The non-arsonist kind as well.
Joyce is amazing, how great it is to see such compassion and unconditional love for someone.
Thanks for the update Sheryl. I am glad that he is doing better and it sounds like he has a lot of support.
Y'all should give him a call. It is extremely entertaining. I just say "wow" a few times while he is telling it. It's something you just roll with because there is really nothing else you can do, and he enjoys visiting.
How funny about the buffalo, but how sad too. That reminds me of the little people Bruce's dad was seeing and he too was afraid of them. I remember when I heard that thinking I hope when I am dillusional I am atleast not afraid.
Joyce is truly amazing and the amount of time it takes especially when he likes to be up at night would wear anyone out.
I agree, Joyce is a Saint if there ever was one. I keep offering to stay with him so she can get out. She finally told Dan the reason she doesn't call is because she doesn't want me to have to change his diapers. Now that's a Saint!!!
I talk to dad at least every two weeks and I must say it is difficult to hear him go in and out of reality. You have to laugh it off. Its the only way you can deal with it. Joyce is a truly wonderful person. Thank god that Joyce was brought to him.
Although it is sad that he is hallucinating, I never get tired of hearing his stories! And I will never forget when my mom and I went to visit him at the care center and we found him watching the spanish channel! We were utterly confused, and my mom kindly asked if he knows spanish... He replied no, and we continued to watch tv in spanish for another hour or so...
LOLOLOL, oh Alyssa! I had not heard that story before. That is priceless, and I am not surprised! He never ceases to amaze me with the sense of humor that he has developed.
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