I should post...

It's been a while. I have sat down to post numerous times and haven't had the energy to do it. My life has changed somewhat dramatically in the past six weeks. The last week of January I was finding it difficult to get going in the morning. I would talk myself out of bed and be ready by the time my Dad came. His care was getting harder and harder. His dementia had progressed and he was requiring a ramp up of the constant supervision he has needed this past year. A friend had told me last fall of an adult day care center her mother-in-law attended that she highly recommended. One day as I was sitting quietly realizing my strength was going I remembered that recommendation and decided to look into it. It proved to be sent from Heaven and none too soon because within a few days I was flat on my back in bed. Everything just stopped. Willpower was no longer enough to get me up and at it. The side benefit was my Dad loved the daycare center. It is run out of the Community Church in Orem by a group of saintly people who seem to exude love for the elderly dementia patients they care for. It's small with 7-8 drop ins. My sister would bring my Dad there at 10:00 and I arranged for my children to pick him up at 5:00 and drive him for an hour before returning him to my sister's place for dinner and bed. (At first I thought I would be able to do the pick-ups but nope - it wasn't to be.)

To make a long story short as my sister was not far behind me in not being able to maintain care for my Dad at her house, we have now found a permanent place for my Dad. He and his black Stetson (his pride and joy since last Father's Day - it's the most well-used present he's ever received!) seem to be adjusting well with a few minor hitches here and there. I am now on my sixth week of not being able to do much. Some days are better than others. I've always been go, go, go and now it's slow, slow, slow if I'm going at all. Yes, I've been to the doctor. The first one was a bust. I think I've now found someone who can really help. I'll know more next week upon my return visit. In the mean time I'm getting some reading and sleeping done. I'm pretty much living in pj's and slippers - getting dressed to go out maybe once or twice a week. There's nice things about not being on the run - like sitting and looking out the window at the magnificent clouds and flitting birds from tree to tree. I thought I would have turned around by now but not so. I see some glimmers so hope still springs eternal - it's just the spring part comes in it's own due time.