Letter To Clifford, 2
Due to apparent fatigue or March Madness I am, instead of my usual drivel, posting letters I wrote to my mother last year. My mom died recently, just two weeks after me and my siblings took her from her home and put her in an assisted living facility.
Dear Mom, 3-24-05
I hope everything is going well for you, but as I have heard you say, even if everything is not going well, there's not a heck of a lot you can do about it.
After visiting with you in January and seeing the ease with which you make and carry out doctors appointments*, I decided to make one for myself today because I haven't had a check-up in 10 years and they say you should get checkups more often than that. It took me most of the day to get up the courage to make the call. There are only two doctors in this town and only one of them was recommended to me and predictably that one is booked clear into the next century. But his receptionist allowed me to go onto a waiting list, from which maybe they would call me, she said as long as two months from now. I told her if I had waited ten years I could wait another two months, but I'll probably look into making another appointment in one of the larger nearby towns, like Front Royal, or Culpeper, or Warrenton.
This property I live on is a weekend property and is owned by my old childhood buddy from down the street, JF, and he and his wife and three boys (ages 5, 8, and 10) come out when they can, or not at all in the winter, and maybe every other weekend during the summer.
The property is forty acres on the edge of the quaint Virginia town of Washington (population 300) and is named for the 17 year old surveyor, George Washington, before he became a revolutionary, and first president of the US. It is the first town to use the name Washington in the United States. And there aren't many or any facts about this town much more interesting than that, which is to say the town itself is not that interesting. But it is a nice, quiet, scenic place to live. Manassas, the place where the Civil War began, is about 35 miles away so in the area there is some interesting history.
There are deer and fox and wild geese out here. And black bears, but I have only seen one of those, once.
There is a local guy who makes hats from road kill, like foxes and squirrels and such. If this guy sees a dead animal on the road, he is thinking--hat. While this seems like a peculiar avocation, the hats, the few I have seen, are actually pretty nice looking. Not that you will ever see me wearing one.
I heard that Sar*h came to visit you in February so I hope you two had some fun.
I am writing this letter on a computer. I now have to print it out, put it in an envelope with a stamp, address it, and take it a block away to my Post Office. If you receive this letter it will be proof that minor miracles do occur.
Take care,
from your youngest 45 year old son, Jim Louis
*denotes sarcasm
I am sorry for your loss. I lost my Dad to Alzheimer's 2 years ago. He was in advanced stages & in an assited living facility that specialized in dementia care. I think your letters to your Mother are a gift to many. Thanks for sharing.
Oh... and about March Madness: GEAUX TIGERS! I'm living in Austin currently so it would be great if LSU could kick some longhorn hide!
D's sister is in a dementia unit. She shares a room with a woman who is minimally aware, and has few visitors. Sad.
I don't sense the level of enthusiasm from the staff that I would like to see. The folks that took care of me this past summer when I had menigitis were much more attentive. But I had an advocate there for me every day. And whenever the dilaudid started to wear off, I was doing some advocating on my own behalf.
D's upset at the quality of care, and we've been trying to visit every month or so. I think her father, who visits almost daily, may become more vocal based on D's example.
There's no good answer to some of these issues, other than having the Dick Cheney health care plan.
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Due to apparent fatigue or March Madness I am, instead of my usual drivel, posting letters I wrote to my mother last year. My mom died recently, just two weeks after me and my siblings took her from her home and put her in an assisted living facility.
Dear Mom, 3-24-05
I hope everything is going well for you, but as I have heard you say, even if everything is not going well, there's not a heck of a lot you can do about it.
After visiting with you in January and seeing the ease with which you make and carry out doctors appointments*, I decided to make one for myself today because I haven't had a check-up in 10 years and they say you should get checkups more often than that. It took me most of the day to get up the courage to make the call. There are only two doctors in this town and only one of them was recommended to me and predictably that one is booked clear into the next century. But his receptionist allowed me to go onto a waiting list, from which maybe they would call me, she said as long as two months from now. I told her if I had waited ten years I could wait another two months, but I'll probably look into making another appointment in one of the larger nearby towns, like Front Royal, or Culpeper, or Warrenton.
This property I live on is a weekend property and is owned by my old childhood buddy from down the street, JF, and he and his wife and three boys (ages 5, 8, and 10) come out when they can, or not at all in the winter, and maybe every other weekend during the summer.
The property is forty acres on the edge of the quaint Virginia town of Washington (population 300) and is named for the 17 year old surveyor, George Washington, before he became a revolutionary, and first president of the US. It is the first town to use the name Washington in the United States. And there aren't many or any facts about this town much more interesting than that, which is to say the town itself is not that interesting. But it is a nice, quiet, scenic place to live. Manassas, the place where the Civil War began, is about 35 miles away so in the area there is some interesting history.
There are deer and fox and wild geese out here. And black bears, but I have only seen one of those, once.
There is a local guy who makes hats from road kill, like foxes and squirrels and such. If this guy sees a dead animal on the road, he is thinking--hat. While this seems like a peculiar avocation, the hats, the few I have seen, are actually pretty nice looking. Not that you will ever see me wearing one.
I heard that Sar*h came to visit you in February so I hope you two had some fun.
I am writing this letter on a computer. I now have to print it out, put it in an envelope with a stamp, address it, and take it a block away to my Post Office. If you receive this letter it will be proof that minor miracles do occur.
Take care,
from your youngest 45 year old son, Jim Louis
*denotes sarcasm
- jimlouis 3-24-2006 2:51 pm
I am sorry for your loss. I lost my Dad to Alzheimer's 2 years ago. He was in advanced stages & in an assited living facility that specialized in dementia care. I think your letters to your Mother are a gift to many. Thanks for sharing.
Oh... and about March Madness: GEAUX TIGERS! I'm living in Austin currently so it would be great if LSU could kick some longhorn hide!
- anonymous (guest) 3-24-2006 10:07 pm [add a comment]
D's sister is in a dementia unit. She shares a room with a woman who is minimally aware, and has few visitors. Sad.
I don't sense the level of enthusiasm from the staff that I would like to see. The folks that took care of me this past summer when I had menigitis were much more attentive. But I had an advocate there for me every day. And whenever the dilaudid started to wear off, I was doing some advocating on my own behalf.
D's upset at the quality of care, and we've been trying to visit every month or so. I think her father, who visits almost daily, may become more vocal based on D's example.
There's no good answer to some of these issues, other than having the Dick Cheney health care plan.
- mark 3-25-2006 12:24 pm [add a comment]