The Pendulum Swings

It was one week ago, Thursday, August 23, 2007, that Dad rather suddenly recovered enough to become ambulatory again. It was in the afternoon that he improved so much and so quickly. The hospice nurse had already come and gone. She and I had talked about his increasing need for sleep and how it was probably due to the steady encroachment of the disease. I told her he hadn't been up much all week and I had been having to bring his meals up to his room and he was not eating very much.

Each day since he has improved. Tuesday, August 28th, was the high point. He went down to the basement for the first time since last year. He was even talkative - at least to an extent - to the hospice volunteer. She remarked that it was the first time he had ever spoken to her.

She was just so happy and excited. I've noticed that reaction before in people and I still find it somewhat puzzling.

He let me bathe him and let the hospice aide shave him. Was that Tuesday or Monday? I don't remember. He had a ballpoint pen, a comb, and a mechanical pencil that he carried everywhere with him. He would not release them. He fought me a few times on changing.

Dad's shadowing also increased. Tuesday when the hospice volunteer came he tried to go with me but I hurried away. That's when he visited with the aide. My son and I watched part of the documentary Malcolm and Barbara: Love's Farewell. Then we went to Starbucks and sat on the patio and drank our Blueberry Frappuccinos®. I had a nice time. I was pretty screwed up really.

Tuesday night was the most extreme and we were up almost all night. It wasn't for any particular reason. He just didn't want to go to sleep away from me. So I'd sit with him and he'd fall asleep and I'd slip across the hall into my own bed. Then I'd hear him and he'd be up and hunting me and we'd start all over.

About 8 AM Wednesday morning I went into his room. He was sound asleep so I exercised. I returned and he woke up but would not get up. So I exercised some more. I took a couple of phone calls and answered some email.

Finally about 11 he was awake but combative. I applied the ABHR. Later he was not so combative but he told me he couldn't get up. I went down to fix some juice for him. He came down the stairs while I was fixing it!

I took him back up to change his pants and by the time we arrived in his room he was exhausted. I managed to get him changed but he went right to his bed. Said he had to. So weak to have just been so strong.

When we go up the stairs together he gets to the top step and reaches with his right arm to grasp the post. He pulls himself up then that last step or two.

So for lunch I fixed some yogurt and fruit. He fed himself just fine. He was recovered but would only sit on the side of his bed.

He's sleeping away and I'm trying to do the same this Wednesday afternoon.

He managed to come downstairs for supper and did fine. While he was eating he handed me something. It was a crown from his mouth. He hardly paused. I kept it. I don't know why.

We're back upstairs now. If I leave he hunts me. If I stay then he sleeps. He wants to sleep but he wants me to be here.

If I go to sleep or have my eyes closed and he awakens then he hollers at me "Hey Hey Hey" pretty loudly.

Sometimes I feel like I am in a vise.

Now it is past midnight on Thursday, August 30. I tried to come to my room about 10 pm the first time. It's been a repeat of last night so far. I'm going to try one more time to sleep in my room and if he still tries to get up and hunt me I'm going back in there to sleep in the recliner.

He's having a lot of trouble walking. His leg kind of crumples and then he catches it and straightens. Still the shuffle but with the added crumple. I bet they don't make an Alzheimer's commercial like that.