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 |  I've maxed out. Closed this blog. |
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This is a way of making myself write something coherent and grammatically correct almost every day. I'm opinionated and need an outlet. I'm also prone to flights of fancy. Thanks for stopping by. |
| It's hard to watch someone close to you growing old. At first it might be just balance or getting up and down from a chair. Or maybe they need more naps. Of course, everyone is different. I have a friend in her 90's who cuts her own grass, rakes her own leaves, and pulls her own weeds. She doesn't do her artwork any more or play piano because of her vision. But she still goes on hikes with the senior group. Most of my older friends just don't drive at night. Some have given up their country homes and moved to condos in town. A few have hearing problems, but quite a few hear better than I do at a generation younger. But there are some who are slowing down quite a bit with walking problems, mastering stairs, and reaching for things. My father is finally realizing he shouldn't drive at night if possible. He doesn't drive out of town any more. He has one of the kids help him fill out forms and carry his mail out. He reconciles his own bank accounts, but sometimes he needs our help figuring things out. His hands are arthritic, and he drops things--mostly food. His chair has to be cleaned daily; the floor at his spot in the kitchen has to be mopped daily. Before he goes out, we have to brush him off for food he's dropped on his clothes but doesn't see. He misses the trash can even when he stands beside it and bends over to drop stuff in. He falls asleep all day long for short naps; I don't know how he manages a part-time job. I have to sit beside him in church to elbow him before he starts snoring. The main reason I don't want him to retire is that I know he'll sit around too much and nap. Then he'll toss all night and won't feel good. At least while he's working, he's seeing people and keeping up with news around town. He does yard work, but he's slowing down. He can't do the strenuous stuff any more, and leaves his tools out and about. I check him when he's napping to be sure he's still breathing. On hot days, I make sure he's not overdoing it. I check on him when he's shoveling snow. He does just a little at a time now. I go with him to the doctor's when I can get off, just so I can hear what they say instead of his watered down version. We try not to be bossy with him. He's always been the strong one. It's still his house, his life. But we let him know what we think, and he doesn't argue. I hope he feels cared for and respected. Still this is the man who took care of his wife and children, was the strong one for his mother, his sister and his in-laws. He was the one everyone else leaned on. Now he has to lean on others. |
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