I’ve taken a bit of a breather, and it feels good. I did however go visit my 92 yr. old neighbor who I’ve loved dearly for twenty years in the nursing home that her family put her in after a fall. I must say, it was so sad, to say the least. She now has Alzheimer’s and I firmly believe that it is because the family took everything familiar to her away. It went on for a very long time, even though she had been so active, alert as a 60 year old and good at what she did. I saw her go downhill from there, every time they took something away that she loved and loved doing. When I got to the nursing home, I found that the family had gotten rid of her hearing aids. WHY??? I know how it feels being partially deaf. She depended on them. Now, she is in a strange place, and totally useless. It’s a travesty as far as I’m concerned. No, she doesn’t remember me. BUT, she does remember the song, “I love you a bushel and a peck” that we used to sing, and we sang it many times during my visit. She always ended it with the words, “Bet your bottom dollar I do”… but then also remembered I’d finish with, “Talking in my sleep about you.” I saw glimmers of her remembering for a few minutes. Everyone had told me she had died months ago, when I saw her being taken out with a sheet over her. Then when I called them on it, they copped to the fact she indeed was in nursing home. Yet her one daughter must have been desperate, since two days ago asked me if it would be possible to visit my dear Buddy. So I fully intend on going back. I did tell a head nurse about her hearing aids. I also asked not to relay what I said to the family, which undoubtedly it will be. I don’t care. I was the one that was with my Buddy every single day. They would come visit, until they decided to take items and activities that she loved to do away from her, including telling her things about me that were not true. She started to down slide. She didn’t believe them, and that was good. But NOW they need me? Hmmm…I’ll no doubt be banned from visiting since I said something about her hearing aids, but hopefully not. I took care of my Papa for years and well… the nurse did say that basically I was my Buddy’s care giver when the family wasn’t there. I’m not taking glory as a caregiver. I was only watching out and being a friend to the best friend I’ve ever had.
