I was surprised when I approached Eldervilla today to see two
police cars parked out in front. As I got out of the car, one of the
residents was being led by one of the police officers into the police car.
She stopped and waved at me.
Sandy came over and told me she had decompensated and had
been attacking people for the past several days and he finally had to call
911, which sent the police to take her to the emergency room.
I went into the house and was pleased that Sandy stayed
outside with the police and that my mother was lying in her bed in her room,
which meant I might actually have a visit with HER and not with Sandy.
I had brought a Mothers Day package -- a small balloon, a
card, a little planter with roses in it and a box of cinnamon rolls.
She, of course, didn't relate to "Mothers Day" but thought the card was
pretty, though she struggled to read it.
Before long there was a knock on the door and there was
Sandy, and my "visit," such as it was, with my mother was over.
I really like Sandy and I love his reports on how she is
doing, but he just won't ever go away. On the other
hand, since my mother has such a difficult time with conversation, having
Sandy there is a nice way to be with her and not try to get her to visit
(which Ned and Jeri seem to do quite well!)
There is a new resident in the home now, a guy named John,
who has been there a week. My mother is doing so well that she's no
longer Sandy's #1 concern and he has been concentrating on John and the
woman who was just sent off to the emergency room.
Even when my mother was showing me her card and talking about
it, I had to divide my time between her and the video Sandy was trying to
show me (which, actually was kind of cool--showing my mother sweeping the
kitchen floor. She has definitely found her "home" at Eldervilla!).
He says that her aggression is completely gone she she almost always makes
it to either the bathroom or the commode in her room. She obviously
cares about him, as she holds his arm and puts her head on his shoulder, as
she used to do to her "boyfriend" at Atria.
I time my arrivals to get there after lunch, but they ate
lunch late today, after 1 p.m., and invited me to join them, so I had lunch
at Eldervilla...some nice fried fish with corn and green beans, and
chocolate covered blueberries, which Sandy passed out to those of us at the
table. It's not the restaurant type food from Atria, but more home
cooking, and kind of nice.
Of the people there, Jeannie is my mother's "best friend" and
the two of them like to sing together.
Jeannie was dressed up today because she had just gone out
with her family. Sandy tells me that she has no stomach and so they
have to watch what she eats, but doctors said that people like her can't
gain weight, and she has gained weight at Eldervilla.
Just like newcomer John, who could not walk when he moved in and is now
walking fine. Sandy definitely has the magic touch.
It wasn't like the Mothers Days of old, but we had a nice
time together and I told Sandy I would be back next week. He said that
the affection my mother and I have for each other was helpful to her, and
that the family of one of the other residents caused problems whenever they
showed up, and he had to ask them to come less frequently.
For my own mother's day, Walt gave me a nice card and fixed
breakfast for me. I had a nice long chat with Jeri, Ned (who is
working all day at the University's Whole Earth Festival) posted a greeting
on Facebook, and Tom called from Brianna's softball game. No chance to
chat with the girls, but I had a nice conversation with Tom. Walt is
taking me out to dinner so I don't have to cook on Mothers Day.
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