private blog

Due to a breach of privacy I am making this blog temporarily private. This means that if you receive this blog through e-mail you will still be able to get regular updates and photos of Bob. If you do not receive this blog through e-mail you may no longer be able to find the blog and get updates.

This hopefully will just be temporary. We are having to do this due to someone trying to get information about the Chipley/Macauley family. In order to keep children and Bob safe we are making this information private. We are confidant that this person will be taken care of by authorities and life will presume again as normal in just a short while.

There is a live feed on the blog that allows me to see who and where people are that view the blog. There are some people that read this blog currently that do not subscribe to it (meaning they do not receive it in an e-mail) We do apologize to those people and ask that you pass this information to family and friends of Bob.

Again we are sure this is only temporary.

He Did It!

Graduation

Rob walked for his graduation yesterday. For the last week, the family tried to come up with solutions on how to make the day enjoyable for Bob. Finally, after many different ideas, we decided to just bite the bullet and do the day as best we could.

Friday, we made sure that Bob got lots of exercise, rest, and was ready mentally for the big day. Saturday, we started the day at 5:30 and everyone got up, dressed, and out the door. I actually packed a suit case for Bob with everything I could think of that might be needed on the big day. Bob did great for the ride over to Melbourne, a large breakfast, and getting settled for the ceremony.

Before the ceremony, he got a little concerned about the crowd of people, and bathroom issues. We assured him that he would be fine, and we wouldn’t leave him. He was fine for the ceremony and afterwards with lots of photos. Then it was the trip home. We wanted to get back to Orlando and eat at a nice restaurant ending the day with a family dinner. Bob got himself worked up and wanted to go home. Pooh!

Well, at least he lasted half the day. We really couldn’t ask more than that. Even though I got a little miffed with the situation, I got over it as the night wore on. I thought, “Why can’t you just give your son one day?” Rob, talked to me that night and explained that his dad gave all he could and I knew he was probably right.

We dropped Sarah and Bob off at the house and Pat, Tina, Rob and I went to have a nice dinner. Then Pat and Tina surprised us with a new fire pit for the back yard. How cool was that? We sat by the fire pit, made smores, and enjoyed the last of the evening. Bob even came out and sat by the fire. It was the perfect ending to an almost perfect day!

Bob recovered from his busy day and spent Sunday watching football, his favorite pastime thing to do. We are thankful he got to attend his son’s graduation and we got some great photos and memories that will stay with us forever.

Christmas is right around the corner. We hope you all are getting your shopping done. Happy Hanukkah to everyone! May the light of God shine through each and every one of you, just like it burned for eight days in the temple.

It's been awhile!

Well, it’s been a month since I have posted about Bob’s progress. I do apologize for that. To be honest, it’s been hard dealing with things and then sitting down writing something nice about them. Oh, it hasn’t all been bad, but I won’t lie and tell you that it has all been easy.

Bob has been put on some new medications. We have paid for some, and then had to turn around and throw them in the trash because they haven’t agreed with him. That is never fun to do. Especially when they cost about $300.00 a pop, but they have finally found some that do seem to agree with him, and by luck they are generic.

He is walking better, and he is talking better. He can carry on a pretty decent conversation with you now. He still doesn’t know names very well, and struggles with remembering things. I have to watch him more because he just LOVES the bed and I catch him more and more in it these days. I told him this afternoon that I guess the new rule is going to have to be that he can’t be in his room during the day time, because he keeps getting in the bed. Sigh!

Pat and Tina are finally settled in the new house, and it is a wonderful place. They are now enjoying making it a home with all of the little touches that makes a place unique. I know that they are now starting to wind down a little and enjoy their new place.

Bob had a few surprises over the Thanksgiving holiday with a visit from his granddaughter, Nancie and his old friend Charlie. Nancie came with her husband and new baby for a short visit. Bob at first didn’t know who she was, but it didn’t take long before his memory sparked and he told everyone the next day and Nancie had stopped by. He got to hold his great-grandson, Nathan. That really made his day.

The next day, Charlie stopped in to say hello for an hour. Bob was thrilled and when he saw him outside got all excited. He sat on the couch and talked and Harold even called while Charlie was here. It would be nice some day to get the three of them together for a short while, but with money, health, and distance that is hard to do.

Bob has had a rough month with the medications not agreeing with him. He has been sick, and not agreeable. The new medication has helped a lot with this. Although, he still gets worked up if his schedule is changed. He also has to drink juice three times a day. His blood pressure is low and he dehydrates very quickly, so the Doctor prescribed the juice to help eliminate this problem. He fussed at the Doctor when she prescribed it and told her he didn’t like juice. She told him to just look at all the different tastes he was going to get to experience.

He fights me on the juice, but he has been drinking it. I have tried all different kinds and combinations with ginger ale, smoothies, and watering them down. It just boils down to the fact that he doesn’t like fruit and he has to drink it. Blah!

He occasionally, likes to get up at 3AM and be confused. He doesn’t know where he is and I have to get him back into bed. Of course he goes back to sleep; while I am up the rest of the night listening to every little creek, and sound a house makes at night. I am amazed at how many sounds there are at night. I am thankful that this is only an occasional thing and not all the time.

So overall, Bob is doing well. His blood work came back good, and he is healthy for the most part. He misses everyone and asks about you all often. Think of him this holiday season and send him a photo in a card. We have photos all over his room of friends and family and point to them often talking about names and old times. I will try and post more and keep you all informed.

Trip Out West

Sarah is Home

Sarah came home earlier this week! She came bouncing in the house and went straight back to Pop’s room. He matched her level of excitement and beamed with joy to see her. She shared pictures, her rock collection, brochures, and memories of her trip with us. It is so nice to have her home.

Last Wednesday, we went to the VA and he received his flu shot. At least that is out of the way. With everyone getting sick and Florida having one of the highest numbers for the flu, we don’t want him getting sick.

This week we went to get his blood work done. That took forever! We were at the lab for over an hour waiting to be called. There weren’t a lot of people there, they were just very slow.

Hopefully, we will be back at Pat and Tina’s this next week; helping them move into the new house. The light construction work is finished and now it is time to start moving in boxes. Bob will be a great supervisor for that job.

Enjoy a few of Sarah’s pictures of Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, and the Bad Lands.

Helping at the New House

Another week

Well, it’s been a good week for Bob talking to family and friends. He got to talk to all of Tina’s girls this week and that really made him feel good. Any time he gets to talk with his grandchildren always make Bob feel happy. He also was able to talk to his brothers and some friends this week.

Pat and Tina have bought a new house. They are getting it ready to move in. Painting, cleaning, and some light construction work. Bob and I have been going over to help with the painting. He has enjoyed getting out of the house and actually helping. He’s done a great job and is looking forward to us returning this week for more help.

Sarah will return home in two weeks, so the house is still very quiet with her gone. Bob gets confused with a quiet house and will come out of his room ‘looking’ for people. When she returns home he will be confused because there will be noise in the house. We miss her and can’t wait for her return home. She has had a fabulous trip.

Bob is on a new medication from the neurologist for his Parkinson’s. It appears to be working great. He doesn’t like taking it. It is a large pill and I have to cut it in half for him. He still doesn’t like it even though I cut it in half. Oh well, at least the medication is working.

Tomorrow he will get a treat seeing his granddaughter, Christina. She is coming down for a week to visit with Pat and Tina and see the new house. I know he will love visiting with her.

Wednesday, we return to the VA for a regular podiatry appointment. He always likes going to the VA.

We hope to hear from you all soon.

The New Master of the House

Busy Week

It has been a busy and exciting week for Bob. Thursday, I had to take Bob with me to the eye doctor. The appointment was for me and normally, I would have left him home with Sarah, but seeing she is in Tennessee, I took him with me. He didn’t like waiting in the waiting room while I had my appointment.

We left the eye doctor and went to Lowes to buy a few odds and ends and I called Pat and Tina and asked if they would like to join us for lunch. We all met up at Steak n’ Shake, one of Bob’s favorite restaurants. Bob got a large chocolate shake and had it finished before his hamburger and fries ever reached the table. Tina asked, “Daddy, how do you drink that so fast without getting a brain freeze?” He looked at her, thought for a minute, and then replied, “I don’t know.” We all laughed.

That night Rob came home with his diploma from college. He got a kick out of showing it to his father. Bob was very proud of his son.

Friday, Rob and I had some running around to do and we dragged Bob with us. We wound up eating lunch at Sonny’s BBQ. That was another nice outing he had.

I have had trouble keeping Bob out of the bed. He seems to think that he can just lie down any time he wants now. I have told him over and over to not get in the bed unless he is sick or sleeping. He isn’t active enough to lie down all the time. He must sit up in the chair to watch TV in his room. It’s bad enough that he goes to bed at 8 PM and gets up at 9 AM. I am now constantly going back to check on him to make sure he isn’t in the bed. He is still doing his exercises, but that isn’t enough activity to keep him from getting pneumonia from lying down.

Try and give him a call this weekend. Encourage him to sit in the chair and get off his behind once in a while.

Be Very Afraid

two week update

It was a busy week for us. Bob’s granddaughter, Sarah, got her driver’s permit and left for a month visit with my parents in Tennessee. We had a lot of last minute running around to get done before Sarah left on Thursday.

Sarah did pass her written test and can now practice driving this next year. Beware if you are planning a trip to Florida. Keep your eyes out for a red head behind the wheel and a panicked Mom sitting beside her. Bob I think was a little sad with Sarah getting her license because he can’t drive anymore. I just keep telling him to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Sarah left for Tennessee and the house is very quiet with her gone. He was a little confused for a few days, but he seems to be back to normal now. He got to talk with a few friends this week and that made him very happy.

Pat and Tina have been over and shared a photo of his new great-grandson, Nathan. Bob is always happy to get photos. He told me the other day that it is hard to keep all the grand kids straight. I told him not to worry because I had the same problem.

We went to the neurologist on Monday. She increased his medication again. He is doing better, but still not quit there yet. We have him on a strict workout routine. He gets on the bike for 45 minutes and then works out with weights for another 15 minutes. He does this at least six days a week. This way we at least keep him moving.

Try giving him a call this week; he loves hearing from all of you.

Shopping!

great report from the Doctor

A good report from the regular Doctor! She was pleased and nothing was changed. He returns in three months and has to have blood work done at that time. Other than that he received a clean bill of health.

He has had his moments during the last two weeks. We finally had a melt down on getting him to move his body. Rob stepped in and informed his father that he would exercise and not complain about it. That has helped some. He had gotten to the point where he only sat in the chair, in front of the TV all day long. The only time he would get up is to go to the restroom.

Rob has changed that now and he is back on an exercise program. He rides the bike for 40-45 minutes per day and then he works out with a 5 pound ball for another 10-15 minutes. He is normally zapped after that. We are trying to slowly increase his time on the bike and add a minute or two longer on the ball. He is also bowling on the Wii some.

This last Saturday, Pat and Tina came over and we took him shopping at the mall. Sarah is getting ready for a trip to Yellow Stone with her grandparents. She needed good hiking shoes. So we all went to the mall and walked around. Bob wheeled himself, we only steered. He was really worn out after that outing. He did enjoy it though.

He received a letter from his high school friend Doris last week. He got the news on some friends. He had me put the letter in his drawer and told me he needed to send one back, but don’t count on it. He doesn’t write much at all anymore. We found out that is most likely due to the Parkinson’s. The joints in his hands get stiff and his hand writing has changed. He still enjoys getting cards and letters though.

Give the old stiff one a call this week! Talk about the old days, and the new days ahead.

Another Fabulous Week!

Good report from the Doctor

Bob had a great report from the neurologist. His medication was increased because he is still stooped when he walks, and doesn’t have much facial expressions. The doctor was pleased with the way Bob can stand from a chair and walk across the room. He is doing very well. Now if I can just get him to get out of the chair and move some that would be fabulous.

Sarah had a birthday this last weekend. We had fun celebrating it with her. Lesa, Bob’s niece, sent presents for Bob as well. So Sarah and Bob opened presents together. It was like Christmas. Bob got some new shorts. He needed them. Thanks Lesa for thinking of your Uncle.

Tina came over this week and cut her Father’s hair. We brought him outside and gave him chocolate donut holes while Tina cut his hair. At that moment life just couldn’t get much better. After his haircut, I told him to go shave and get cleaned up. After it was all done he looked polished once again.

Last night Pat and Tina brought Pat’s homemade lasagna over for dinner. After dinner we went outside and sat on the back porch. Bob was sharing stories about fishing on the lake, old neighbors who have long moved away, and the time he went down the river in a canoe with his buddies. They were all stories we have heard a hundred times before, but we sat, listened, smiled, and filled in the blanks when he needed help, which wasn’t that often.

Give him a shout this week. He misses you all and speaks of you all often.

Another Family Cookout!

A Busy week

Another busy week has come and gone. Bob became a great-grandfather and Christina came to visit all in one week. It was a lot for Bob to deal with this week.

Saturday we had a cookout with the family and a few close friends. Fireworks ended the evening with a loud bang. It was a great time for everyone. The funniest moment of the evening was when Tina and I were sitting inside having some alone, quiet time together and we looked out the window and saw Bob getting up to come inside. He had four people all crowded around him like a cocoon helping him stand and walk to the house. Tina and I about busted a gut laughing at how he had everyone fooled. He was taking baby steps and slowly walking toward the house holding onto hands that were extended helping him walk.

Now granted, Tina and I both agree he needs assistance, but FOUR people to help him inside? He was eating up the attention. It was priceless. Tina looked at me, grinned, and said, “Oh Dee does he have them all fooled or what?” I totally agreed with her. Here is a guy who just this last week was hopping up into a very large truck with almost no assistance and now he had four people helping him walk across the yard. HA!

Give the great one a ring this week. We return to the neurologist on Thursday. I am looking forward to some good news from the doctor.

Great-Grandpop

Bowling on the Wii

Shhhhh, Don't tell Bob

SHHHH….Don’t tell Bob, but he is getting better! The new medication for Parkinson’s is working. It has taken three weeks to get into his system, but we are seeing improvements. Of course Bob can’t see any improvements and if you ask him he will tell you he is still the same.

The other night Pat and Tina bought tickets for Rob and Sarah to go and see a concert of their favorite band. It was an early birthday gift for Sarah and a graduation gift for Rob. (He now has a Master’s degree) Anyways, while they went to the concert, Pat, Tina, Bob and I went to dinner. Bob got to ride in the new truck which is very high and very large. Bob stepped up and climbed into that truck without any problems at all. Tina and I both dropped our lower jaw and stared at each other.

He is also standing much better. He used to have to rock three or four times in order to stand; and now he is grabbing the bars and pulling himself up with the first try. He still has tremors and is slow moving, but he is moving a lot better. Exercise helps him a lot, but Bob doesn’t like to exercise at all. He will if we make him come out and do them, but volunteer….no way! I find that after he has been on the recumbent bike, worked with his weights, and played a few games of bowling on the Wii, that he is able to walk and stand a lot better.

He doesn’t see the improvements like the rest of us do. He wants to be healed immediately. He wants to run around the block like he did in his 20’s. That unfortunately, isn’t going to happen. He does sometimes uses that dirty word, “can’t” while we are trying to exercise. I have told him for now on, that word isn’t allowed. He has to come up with some other kind of vocabulary to express himself other than the word ‘can’t’.

We have started to slowly take him off one of the Alzheimer’s medication and it hasn’t made a bit of difference. I think one of the reasons he was having so much trouble is one of the medications the doctor’s prescribed was making him nutty. Once we took him off of that, he has slowly gotten it out of his system and is so much better now.

Christina, one of his granddaughters is coming this week for a visit from Louisiana, and his other granddaughter, Nancie, is having her first child this week. It will be an exciting week as Bob waits for photos of Nathan his great-grandson, and seeing the rest of the family for a cookout this coming weekend. Bob still had cards coming in this last week from his birthday. He so enjoyed each and every one of them.

A Great Birthday!

Bob had a great birthday! Thank you all so much for sending him so many cards. He really enjoyed sitting and reading them all.

I spent most of the day in the kitchen preparing for the afternoon event. I made three pounds of pizza dough, and a cake. Pat, Tina, and their daughter Helen came over and we all started making pizza and celebrating. Bob had so much fun hanging out with two of his grand-daughters Helen and Sarah. After everyone had left and he was getting in bed he told me over and over how much he enjoyed sharing the day with his family. It really was the best gift we could give him.

Pat and Tina got him a new bed. He really needed one since his bed was over 30 years old and was falling apart. He hadn't been sleeping well, so they decided it was time. A new bed with matress and box springs. That meant all new sheets and comforter also. He was all set up when it was all said and done. It is a beautiful bed that will last him a long, long while. What a great gift.

Dave, Lois, and Lesa came down and spent a few days with Bob and spent the day at Sea World with him. That was the best gift ever! He loved spending time with them and told me how much fun he had at the theme park with his family. What a special gift.

The cards everyone sent were fabulous. As Bob opened all of his cards and read each one we all laughed and made jokes after each one. And then he opened a card from an old friend from high school. Doris had sent him a card. He opened the envelope, read the front, and then opened the card. Silence. Tina and Rob both leaned toward their father. Pat and I both asked, “What does it say?” Silence. And then Tina spoke, “There’s a lot of writing, from all kinds of people. Here Daddy, let me help you with the names,” and she began reading messages from friends far away.

We all stood in awe and silence for a brief moment, touched that he has a network of love from near and far and that network spreads out further than we can imagine. It takes a small moment like that to make you smile. We smiled for Bob because he was happy, we smiled for his friends who were thinking of him, and we smiled for ourselves because we knew it was a good moment.

Enjoy his highlights from his birthday! We had a great time and sure wish you all could have been with us.

The One that Got Away

Send a Birthday card

Send Bob a Birthday Card! His 79th birthday is July 17, 2009. We would love for him to receive lots of cards in the mail. He loves funny cards. The funnier the better! If you need an address shoot me an e-mail and I will be happy to send it to you. If you add a photo in the card that would be awesome! Dchipley1@yahoo.com

Bob has had a great time with his brother, Dave, and his family this weekend. I give you photos of, “The one that got away,”

Enjoy!

It's not Alzheimer's

It’s Parkinson’s disease! He was misdiagnosed all of this time. We went to the neurologist on Thursday and she had him diagnosed within an hour. We were amazed at what she pointed out to us.

He has NOT been having mini strokes, NOR does he have Alzheimer’s disease. He does have a loss of memory and has trouble with speech. That is all symptoms of Parkinson’s.

So the treatment now is that he has to be slowly weaned off of the Alzheimer’s medication. He has started a new medication and been removed from one of the Alzheimer’s medication. The others will be removed over the next few months.

He is also having home therapy. This will help him with walking, eating, and daily things like getting dressed. We have been told that once the new medication gets in his system we will start to see a big change in him.

Parkinson’s is a very touchy disease and while it is treatable there is no cure for it. Stress and change in schedule will agitate the disease. So we are still asking for no bad news to be shared with Bob. Each time he has bad news there is a decline in his condition and that is a classic symptom of Parkinson’s disease.

The disease is not hereditary and they are not sure what brings the disease out, but the trauma from his neck injury is most likely what brought this on.

Bob has been in a much better mood since the doctor visit. While he still is not sure what is wrong with him, he knows that Rob and I were thrilled with the news and so that made him feel so much better. As a caregiver to Bob I am so happy to finally have some answers. I now know why he is having trouble walking, and I can stop fussing at him, and start helping him. There are a lot of things that make sense now and finally a light is at the end of the long tunnel.

Rob and I both know that the tunnel is a long one and at Bob’s age this recovery is not going to be easy. With prayer and a lot of hard work I know that Bob will have a good road ahead.

Hanging out with Family

Driving

Bob had to sign the truck over to Rob this week. It has been in his name all this time. We have tried to switch insurance from Bob to Rob, but we couldn’t do that because of the title. We have avoided this because we knew Bob would not take this well. We were right.

Bob’s birthday is fast approaching on July 17 and the tags are due on the truck. Rob finally said enough time had passed we needed to transfer the title. After filling out the paper work the last thing we needed was Bob’s signature. Rob handed me the form and told me to go get his signature. I took the form, rolled my eyes, and told him to at least come stand in the doorway to help support what I was about to explain to Bob.

I reluctantly, carried the form back to Bob’s room and started the explanation. I asked him if he drove anymore and he told me no, but he felt like he could still drive. He told me that he didn’t think he would have any trouble behind the wheel of a car. I sighed. “Well, that might be true, and you might be right in how you feel, but the doctor’s have told us that you can’t drive anymore. The doctors have all written on your medical files that you shouldn’t drive, and we have to honor what they are telling us,” I told him. He agreed that the doctors had told him he shouldn’t drive.

He finally agreed to sign the truck over to Rob and signed the form. I told him he was welcome to gift the truck to any of his children or grandchildren, but the truck would leave the house if he did that. He told me no, he wanted the truck to go to his son. “My boy has the truck, and drives it, and I still get to see it every day,” he told me.

After the form was signed, Rob sighed with relief, we left Bob in his room. It wasn’t long before he came out to find me to talk. He told me he felt old and worn out. I laughed and turned to look at him. “Pop, do you remember the last time you drove a car?” I asked.

“No, I don’t remember,” he said. “I know it has been a long time.”
“Well, I remember the last time you drove,” I told him.
“You do? When?” He asked.
“It was when Sarah was in the eighth grade and needed to take a test at the middle school. I was working and couldn’t get her there. You took her to the school and went back to pick her up. The school is less than two miles from the house. And that was almost two years ago now. That was the last time you drove anywhere.”
He stood there thinking, nodding his head in agreement.
“Pop, even though you may want to drive, there really isn’t a reason for you to drive. Where is it that you would like to go that Rob and I can’t or won’t take you?” I asked.
“Kentucky,” he answered. “I would like to return to Kentucky.”

Home, I thought. He wants to go home. Home; the place that is rooted in our hearts, the place that we can smell in our dreams. We all want to return to that place we know as home. I sighed and told him that I thought he would have some visitors soon from Kentucky. His brother, Dave is coming soon.

Wish us luck at the doctors this next week. Give Bob a shout this week and tell him driving isn’t all that great anymore. Too many cars on the road; and all those other drivers drive like idiots.

A Great Father's Day

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father’s Day! Bob had a great Father’s day. It started out that he slept in till almost noon. I got him up and out on the exercise bike. We put in Dick Tracy and Rob sat on the couch while his father peddled. They watched the serial together and talked about the actors, the old cars, and the show. It was a nice time for father and son to spend a few hours.

That afternoon Pat and Tina came by for a visit. Pat’s Mother, Matti, had made a quilt for Bob. It is a beautiful piece of art. The workmanship in this quilt is beyond words. It truly was a labor of love. Bob opened it and we put it on his bed. He didn’t leave it there though. When it was time for bed he carefully folded it and laid it aside so nothing would happen to it. I put it in one of his drawers for safe keeping. I am thinking about getting a quilt hanger to display it in his room. That way he will get to enjoy it year round.

After the gifts were given we all went outside and sat by the lake to talk. Bob came outside on his own, to sit with us. It was nice having him there. We talked about anything and everything. Johnny and his family showed up to do some fishing and we sat and watched his family row around the lake pulling in fish after fish. I guess we watched them pull in about fifteen all together. They didn’t keep any of them, they threw them all back. Each time they threw one back I yelled, “That one was big enough for my frying pan! Don’t throw that one back in the lake.”

Around eight that evening Pat and Tina took off and it wasn’t too much latter that Johnny and his family left also. Bob had a great time watching the guys fish and visiting with his son and daughter. I can’t think of a better way to spend Father’s day.

I hope the rest of the Father’s out there got to spend some time with your children or at least got the hear from a few of them. Give him a shout this week and ask him about fishing.

This week in pictures

Finally, an appointment with a specialist

Bob has an appointment with a neurologist on July 2nd. We are so happy we finally have an appointment with a specialist.

The new medication did not work well at all. For four nights we tried it and had the same results each night. He wasn’t sleeping, he turned ugly and mean, and was not very pleasant. So that medication was given a large “X” on the lid and set aside.

I made him go outside and sit for a few hours this week. At first he told me he didn’t want to go outside, but I told him if he wanted his lunch he was to eat it outside. “We’re having a picnic.” I told him.

After he ate his sandwich I handed him a small bowl of peanuts and told him to open them. He told me he didn’t like nuts. “That’s alright. You don’t have to eat them. I want you to open them and then throw them on the ground for the squirrels to eat.” I told him he needed to do things with his hands and this would be good for him. He started throwing the peanuts on the ground without opening them and I had to pick them up and hand them back to him. He fussed that they were too hard to open. I showed him how to press on the seam of the peanut to get it open. Well, he finally sat there and opened the rest of the peanuts and threw them on the ground. It was worth feeding the squirrels just to have him doing something with his hands.

He “fell” again this week. I wouldn’t call it a fall really, but more of a kneel. He went to sit in his chair and sat in it sideways, and more or less kneeled to the floor. He came out of his room telling me that he was hurt. I looked him all over and told him I saw nothing. He told me to hang on a moment and he would go back to his room and get some blood.

I followed him back to his room, looked him over, talked about how he “fell”, and then suggested he get cleaned up. After he got cleaned up he felt better. The next morning he tried and tried to find a bruise somewhere from his fall, but try as he might, alas there wasn’t a single bruise that appeared. Every bruise he tried to point out I sadly had to tell him it was old. I do think he was a little disappointed in not having any battle scars.

Rob and I went to the medical supply store and bought a few more hand rails, and a rail for his bed. That way he can hold on to something to pull himself up and support himself when he sits down. He was all confused when we installed them on Saturday, but he will get the hang of them in a few days.

Tina, Bob’s daughter, and her husband Pat bought a new truck this week. They brought it over for us all to see. It sure is perrrrty. It has that nice ‘new car’ smell. It has so many buttons and gadgets on it, I couldn’t begin to tell you what they were all for. Before long they will have a car that you sit in, state your destination, and the vehicle will drive you where you want to go.

Well, Bob may think that his driving days are over, but I am here to inform you all, that he does just fine with driving us nuts daily. Give him a ring this week and ask him how the magic are playing….the first game with the Lakers wasn’t very good.

Information for upcoming visitors

This is a small note since the summer is here. There are many people that are planning their summer trips and want to come and visit with Bob. Rob and I are delighted that he is going to have so many visitors this summer. Please remember that I work three days a week and our daughter stays with her Grandfather those days. We ask that there be no visitors those three days of the week. Bob calls me the warden because he says I make the rules for him, but honestly, this request, is more for the safety of our daughter than it is a rule for Bob.

Also, Bob has a very hard time with days and the sense of time. So if you tell him you are planning on paying a visit, like a small child he can’t remember when that date is and worries that it is very near, when it is weeks away. He remembers you are coming and he is excited about your visit, but he can’t comprehend when your visit may be. On a good day, he has no problems with dates, on a bad day, it is every twenty minutes he is asking when an appointment is coming up.

Bob has a one week calendar in his room that we write on when something important is coming up. That way we can mark the days off so he can see when the event is near. Please let Rob and I know when you get your vacation plans finalized and we will mark them on our calendar and then the week before your visit we will mark it on Bob’s calendar. That way he will not be confused to when and who is coming to visit.

We look forward to seeing so many of you this summer, and hope you all have a safe trip down.

Burdens

Doctor Visit

Bob went to the doctor Friday. When I explained that we were having trouble with sun downing and night issues she looked at me and said, “Well, I think it is time for a nursing home.” I looked at her and said, “That is not an option.” She looked at me and said, “Then what about assisted living?”

“He already lives in assisted living,” I replied. She looked at me blankly. She then looked back at his chart. “He lives at home with his son, my daughter, and me. We provide his meals, baths, medicine, help him get dressed, and take him to appointments. He already lives in assisted living.” I answered calmly. “May I ask you why you think he needs a nursing home?” I asked.

She looked at me and replied, “Well, it is apparent that he is a burden to your family.”

Now, this is when I about came off the chair. How dare this woman speak about Pop in front of him like he was a rag doll that needed to be recycled. In a society that throws everything away and gets everything new, I believe we have lost the regard for human life.

I took a deep breath, looked the doctor straight into her eyes, and replied, “Was not his son a burden to this man when he was young? Did he not have to work extra hours to pay for things for his son? Did he not have to give certain things up for his family as they grew? Was that not a burden to him as a young man? He has earned my respect and devotion because without this man I would not have a husband. He is not a burden to me, but a life that deserves my attention.”

I then went on to inform the good doctor that I wanted a referral to a neurologist. She was reluctant, but knew I would not give up until she gave it to me. I do not have that appointment yet, hopefully I will be able to make the appointment Monday.

She did give him a new prescription for sun downing. It seemed to work the first night. The second night we had problems again. So it is a hit and miss with this medication. I don’t think we will get it straight until we see the specialist.

This current doctor wants to see him in August for another regular appointment. Part of me says ‘phooey’ on this doctor. I wouldn’t want him to be a burden to her. The other part says, she is a doctor and needs to see him and to just wait till we see the specialist and go from there.

This week I give you a collection of photos of all the ‘burdens’ Bob has had throughout his life. Isn’t it wonderful that he never gave up on any of them? When Bob needs 24 hour ‘nursing care’ we will know, and he will be placed in a facility that will care for him, that time is a long ways off.

Sea World May 2009

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Bob has taken another downward turn. The first week after his Mother’s death he seemed to handle the news well. Although it bothered me that he really showed no emotion. He only twice got a little tearful while talking with his brother, Dave, or his niece, Lesa. Other than that he really did not show any feelings at all. The second week is another story though.

Bob started acting out on the weekend telling us that the pipes in his room were leaking; there was water on the floor, he was seeing people again, the list goes on and on. These all happen in the evening after 4PM. On one occasion I was talking with Tina, Bob’s daughter, on the phone when he had such an episode. She listened as I talked Bob through the event. She couldn’t really do much, but asked me to call her if I needed anything.

The days went on and on Monday Sarah had issues with him while I was at work, and then that night he really acted out with me. I had finally hit my breaking point and stayed home from work Tuesday and phoned the Doctor. They told me his regular doctor was of course on vacation and I wouldn’t be able to get him in for a week. I asked to speak to the case worker and explained to her my situation. She has been following Bob’s case since before he broke his neck. She spoke to the doctor on call and told me to try increasing one of his medications. I did.

Wednesday morning I get up, get ready for work, go to tell Sarah bye, and look down the hall at Bob’s room. I always check on him before I leave. It is like a Mother checking to make sure the children are still in bed. Bob wasn’t in bed. Instead he was up, bed made, sitting in his chair, TV blaring, looking at me standing in the doorway stunned. “Hey, what’s on the agenda?” he asked me.

Holy Toledo, I thought to myself. Normally, this man sleeps till 10:00 and then you have to go and wake him up. Here it is 6:30 and he is wired. I walked in, sat on his bed, and started talking to him. I asked him how he was, what was he watching, what would he like to do today, simple questions. Normally, he would not be able to answer these questions. He would stumble and trip over his own words. Not this morning! He answered every question and even asked me some questions to go along with mine. It was great!

I got his coffee, called my work, told them I needed the day off. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving Sarah with him when he was totally out of character. She is very good with him, but when he is unpredictable, that is not good at all.

As the morning progressed he was more and more alert. I asked if he would like to go to Sea World for the day. His eyes sparkled and he told me yes. I got him ready, called Pat and Tina and asked if they would like to join us. They started to say yes, but remembered they had other priorities they needed to fulfill and told me to be very careful and if I need them they were a phone call away.

Sea World was a hit and miss. We only stayed a few hours. We had good experiences and some bad ones. We left after a few hours, picked up lunch, and came home. After arriving home I called Tina to let her know how the day was progressing and telling her I was glad I stayed home from work today because I didn’t feel right about leaving him with Sarah. Right at that moment Sarah yelled for me to come that Pop had fallen. I threw the phone to Sarah and ran back to Bob’s room. He was lying on his left side propped up with his elbow looking at me. I yelled down the hall to Sarah telling her to tell Aunt Tina and Uncle Pat to get to the house. Tina and Pat were at the house in less than five minutes.

Bob was embarrassed and told me he didn’t need Pat and Tina. I explained to him that it was either them or 911. I could not get him off the floor without help and I need people who would be able to tell if something was broken. He could easily have a hairline fracture in his hip and not know it till we started moving him.

Pat and Tina got there, came straight back to the room and the language of love started flowing. Pat squatted down so that he was on the same level with Bob. For about fifteen minutes he stayed in that position talking to Pop and asking him questions. Pat was in a horrible motorcycle accident the same time that Bob last year broke his neck. They two accidents actually happened on the same day. Pat has extreme vertigo as a result from that accident. He has gone through endless therapy sessions learning how to deal with his condition.

After Pat felt that Bob was alright to get up off the floor, Pat and Tina lifted him up while I checked him over. He had a scrape on his elbow and a small scrape on his knee. Other than that he seemed fine. Pat then worked with Pop for another ½ hour teaching him how to walk without getting dizzy. One thing Pat did point out is that Bob had too many patterns in the room. His bed spread and rugs were too busy. We changed the bedspread to a solid and today we are going to change the rugs in his room.

Bob has a doctor appointment this next Wed. in the morning. I am hoping that we can straighten out his medication and hopefully get him into a specialist at that time. I can’t thank Pat and Tina enough for their help this week. I don’t think I could have done it without them.

Since Bob does not handle stress well these days we are asking people to only share happy things with Bob. Please no news of death, sickness, fights in the family, etc. etc. It is apparent that these things bother him on a level that we can not help him on. Please feel free to pass important news on to Rob, Tina, Pat and I and we will choose to share the information with Bob or hold it for a future date.

A small report

There isn’t a whole lot to report on with Bob. He went to the dentist this last Thursday. He had a filling that needed fixing. The dentist told me that Bob doesn’t brush his teeth well and he doesn’t clean his dentures. I knew this, but besides brushing his teeth for him, I really don’t know what to do. The dentist told me that as long as we get him in every three months for a deep cleaning he should be alright. We just don’t want to have to pay for a new set of dentures.

Bob doesn’t do much of anything anymore. It is getting harder and harder for me to take him places. Because of that I have to wait for Rob to help me take him places.

Rob has been playing with Johnny and this last week the band played at the Harley Davidson dealership here in Orlando. Pat and Tina, Rob’s sister, came out and joined in on the festivities. They had some BBQ and some great hot weather. It sure seems a lot hotter this year from last.

Bob is wearing gloves on his hands now. The gloves cover his hands up so that he doesn’t pick at age spots and cause sores. He tells me that he actually like the gloves because they keep his hands warm and his fingers poke out so he can still use his hands. I was a little afraid he would take them off, but he says he likes them and keeps them on all the time. They were very inexpensive and I bought a dozen pairs so I keep them changed out quite a lot.

I don't have any new pictures to post this week. It has been hard without my computer. We are hopeful to have my computer back and running in a week or two.

Thanks to everyone who sent Bob sympathy cards this last week. He enjoyed getting mail. I have them set around his room.

Leaving behind a legacy

Bob’s mother passed away this morning. She was 97 years old. I had to tell him the sad news. I went back and told him it was time to get up, opened his curtains and let the light in his room. He got up, helped me make his bed, and sat in his chair with his coffee.

“Pop, I got a phone call from Kentucky this morning,” I said.
“Oh? Was it bad news?” He asked.
“Well, MaMaw passed away this morning around three o’clock. She went in her sleep, and Dave, Lois and Lesa were all with her.” I told him.

He sat in silence. I let him sit for a few moments taking in what I had just told him. No matter how old you are, you never want to hear the words that the one who brought you into this world and loved you unconditionally has passed away.

After awhile I filled him in on details how she went peacefully in her sleep, and the funeral would be fast. I then suggested he call some friends and family to let them know.

I could tell you some funny storied about Bob’s Mother. I could tell you how she made the best snicker doodle cookies and was famous for her pecan pie. I could tell you stories about how Lesa, her granddaughter would find her asleep in her chair with her open Bible across her lap and under the Bible was an open romance novel.

I could tell you how her brother would visit and she would insist that there was orange juice in the house because her brother loved orange juice, but the rest of the family knew the orange juice was spiked. She outlived all of her siblings and she was the eldest of them all.

But the one thing in my opinion that this woman leaves behind is her legacy of faith. She was a woman of great faith. When ever MaMaw came to visit things got cleaned up. It wasn’t just about taking the vacuum out and dusting off the furniture. It went beyond the house; people would start cleaning their own lives out. Language was cleaned up, dress was more conservative, and things you ate and drank were even changed.

How could one small woman have such an impact on such a large group of people? It was her faith in God that mattered. She had such a faith that could never be altered. You could never convince MaMaw that beer was actually good for you in moderation. She would never believe you because the scriptures taught in Ephesians 5:18 “be not drunk in wine”. You couldn’t budge her faith in God’s word.

Because of her strong faith, people would change around her. They acted better, dressed better, and talked better. Her faith reached beyond her small world and influenced other lives. It was her faith in Jesus Christ being the son of God that took her through her daily walk in this world. When she was able to get around, you knew that every Sunday she could be found at the Baptist church because her faith told her to worship.

I am happy to tell you that she died this morning in faith. What a legacy she has left us all with. At the age of 97 she carried her faith with her and there is no doubt that she is right now in the presence of her blessed Lord. Margaret Chipley influence more people than she will ever know. The mere knowledge of her coming visit had an impact on people’s lives. And that impact did not stay within the family circle. If you had someone visit the home while she was there, you would warn them ahead of time to clean up their act.

We need more Margaret Chipley’s in the world. We will miss her dearly; I hope that you all think of her often and remember her faith.

Parks are great!

Pie Festival

It was a trip to the Doctor last week. Bob got a very good report. He is physically fine. His weight, blood, and over all physical health is great.

He was assigned a new Doctor. The office has experienced a few set backs and have lost a few doctors. We were having trouble getting some of his medications filled. Everything was resolved and we are currently pleased with his new doctor. Let’s hope it remains this way.

On Sunday, we went to the park to fellowship with some friends. When people started greeting everyone they of course doted over him. They asked him how he was doing and Bob waved his hand side to side to indicate fair. They told him that he looked great and asked him if we were taking good care of him? He replied, “Yeah, for the most part.”

I cracked up laughing. Rob looked at his father and asked, “Did you just say ‘for the most part’?” How funny. Out of the mouths of babes, I believe is the old saying. You just never know what will be said next.

Rob had a gig with weekend in North Florida with Johnny Bulford. He was off to a fantastic county music festival for four days. Sarah and I stayed home with Bob. I took Bob and Sarah to the great American Pie Festival that is held here in Celebration, Florida. I was looking forward to it.

Bob started out with the typical “woe is me” attitude. We stopped for lunch at Denny’s and he wasn’t any better. I fussed like I normally do telling him to embrace life, blah, blah, blah.
We get to the festival and Bob refuses to try any pie and doesn’t want to even look at the pies. The main event is a long road full of booths on both sides of the road. For one price you may go down the road and get free samples of pies. It can’t get much better than that. The thing is you can’t get into the event unless you have a wrist band on.

Bob refused to eat anything. He informed me he didn’t like pie. I told him they had chocolate pie and he still told me no. I told him they had peanut butter pie and he still said no. Well there was no way I was going to pay for him to just be pushed down the isle and so we left and walked around the park there in town.

When we walked back to the car I turned and looked one last time towards the tents holding all the different kinds of pies. I smelled the air and looked towards heaven, “Lord?” I asked, “I know you’re telling me I don’t need the pie, but did I have to drive all the way here for you to tell me that?” Sigh, well at least we had a nice walk around the park.

Give the grumpy one a call this week, and for heavens sake don’t ask him about the pie festival……

The day the Tree Fell Down

Nancie's Visit

What a Week!

Whew! What a week! It started with a special visit from Bob’s granddaughter, Nancie. She was only down for one day, but we were very thankful she came by to see us for a few hours. She came with great news, SHE’S PREGNANT! Bob is going to be a Great-grandfather. How exciting.

There was more news, IT’S A BOY! With all girls in the family it will be nice to spoil a boy for a change. And she is due right around Bob’s birthday in July. Who knows, maybe Bob will get a special birthday gift this year.

Nancie couldn’t stay long and this is the last time she was allowed to travel so we won’t get to see her for a long time. We pray that she has a happy and healthy boy this summer.

Tuesday, we couldn’t let the week go by without more excitement. The neighbor across the street had a very large oak tree in her front yard. Half of it fell and landed in front of our house. What a mess. All the power and cable lines came down. Sarah was great and called 911 to report it. The fire department was there right away. Bob couldn’t figure out what had happened, Sarah told him the tree had fallen.

They called me and told me to bring home dinner since I couldn’t cook anything. When I got home Bob was sitting on the couch watching all the excitement out the window. I knew we would be sitting in the dark soon so I quickly fed everyone. The power company told us we would be without power for quite a while so I had Bob call everyone so he would have something to do.

Bob told everyone we had a storm that made the tree fall. Not really. It didn’t even rain. It was a little windy that day, but not enough to push a large oak down. The tree was just old and had some rot in it. It was just one of those things. After Bob called everyone he kept asking to watch the game on TV. We had to keep telling him over and over that there wasn’t any electricity. He looked out the window and told us that there was a light on across the street because it kept blinking. That was the light on the power truck.

We tried to keep him talking about different things. He told us that Harold told him why he keeps forgetting things. We asked him what Harold had said, and he shared the following story with us.

“When I was young,” he said. “I used to have a blanket that my Mother gave me. I would take that blanket everywhere I went, and when ever I could, I would take it out and use it like a cape. I would yell ‘Shazam’ and pretend that I was Captain Marvel.

One day out on the playground, Harold and I were out playing ball. Harold was up to bat and I was catcher. I had my special cape on. Harold went to hit the ball and I stood up at the same time and he hit me in the head with the bat. He said that I got one step in before I went down, out cold.”

Rob and I laughed and laughed with the image of a small boy with his special blanket tied around his neck. I am sure Bob thought that blanket would protect him from everything. Rob told his dad that he thought that happened too long ago to affect him now. I told him maybe Harold was the one who knocked some sense into his head.

After we talked for a long time, Bob kept asking for the TV to be turned on. I suddenly, realized that we did have a radio and went for the batteries. I turned the ‘magic’ basketball game on and told Bob, he could listen to the game. Rob and I went and laid down, Sarah went to her room, and Bob was sitting on the couch.

Before we knew it, the lights came on. Rob and I had fallen fast asleep. It was way past 9:30 I woke up and jumped out of bed. I looked out in the living room and Bob was still sitting on the couch, in the exact same spot, still listening to the game. I told him it was time for bed and I could turn the TV on for him and he could finish the game in his room. He was very happy to hear that.

Christina got off to Louisiana without any problems on Wednesday. Bob sure is going to miss his grandchildren. He loved it when they would come by and visit him. They will have to call him regularly…hint….hint.....nudge…..nudge…..girls!

Our Perfect Family

Saying Goodbye to a Granddaughter

It really wasn’t a busy week, but it sure felt like it. Bob went to the VA on Friday, and we discovered that his VA doctor is leaving and he will be assigned a new doctor. So we are once again doing the waiting game on getting an appointment with the VA. He saw the podiatrist and he had a good report with no complications.

Saturday, we had the family over for a cook out. Bob’s granddaughter, Christina, is leaving for Louisiana on Wednesday. This cook out was a time for the family to sit, reflect, and cherish the moments we have with one another. It is times like these that we realize how fast time flies, and how we need to really cherish the time we have with friends and family.

Bob once again benefited from the visit of family. We all sat by the lake and enjoyed the great Florida weather. Bob was having a great day and shared stories, had some great comebacks from conversations going on around him. He had everyone laughing.

I think the highlight of the night was when he was tired and was ready for bed. Christina and I went in to give him his nightly medications and chocolate milk. Christiana was sitting on the bed with him, telling him she loved him and she promised to come back and see him soon. Bob looked at his granddaughter and said, “You better, because a Chesnick always keeps his promise.”

Christina and I looked at each other a little confused. I looked at Bob and asked, “What’s a Chesnick?”
He replied, "I am."
I looked confused. "You are?" I said.
Bob tugged at his shirt and said, “Me, Robert Chesnick.”
Christina and I started laughing, “Chipley, silly, your name is Chipley!” I said.
“Oh, yeah, right, Chipley.” he replied.

We had a good laugh.

I was glad Bob had a good day to spend with his granddaughter. I know he will miss her, and we wish her all the best in her new life.

So whether you wish to speak to Mr. Chipley, or Mr. Chisnick, give Bob a call this week, I am sure one of them will be available to talk.

Spending the day with Pooh!

Family is the best medicine

Bob got a treat from his daughter Tina this last weekend. Rob and I wanted to attend the bluegrass festival in Fort Christmas. Bob does not like country music at all and would have had a horrible time. Rob called his sister and asked if she would visit for the day while we went to the festival. She was delighted to help.

I told Bob that Tina was coming to visit Saturday evening when he was going to bed. He was happy to hear the news. He sat on the edge of the bed and said, “Tina Marie”. I said, “Yep, that’s her name.” He nodded his head yes, that was indeed her name. And he crawled into bed.

Pat and Tina arrived early in the morning with donuts and coffee. What a great treat for Bob. He came out all dressed and ready for the day and had donuts waiting for him. He was happy already. I ran through the typical dos and don’ts with Tina and then Sarah, Rob, and me got in the car and left.

I must confess I was a little nervous. I felt like a mother leaving her child for the first time. It was a silly feeling, but it was still there. Rob joked with me in the car.

At the festival the phone rang and I grabbed it after two rings. Pat and Tina wanted to take Pop to lunch.

“Do you have a spare key to they house anywhere?” Tina asked.
Silence, and then I started laughing. Of course there wasn’t a spare key to they house. Why would we think of such a thing?
“Leave the back door unlocked,” I said. “You won’t be gone long and no one ever goes to that door.”

I made a mental note…make a spare key for Tina.

It was a great day at the bluegrass festival. We heard great music, saw some crafts, and ate some scrumptious BBQ.

When we got home around 4:30 we entered a house that was full of happy people. Pat and Tina both said they couldn’t believe how fast the day went.

“It seemed to just fly by,” they both said. “We sat and talked all morning long about old times. We talked about Smokey, the cat, Rob playing his guitar in his room with all of his friends. We kept saying, ‘get out of my room’ which was a popular phrase when the kids were young.”

Bob sat on the couch with Christina grinning from ear to ear. He had been out of his room all day. They had lunch at Fire House Subs where Christina works. He had a full, fun day with family. It was the best medicine for him.

The funniest story Pat and Tina shared about the day was when they took him to lunch. Every time he eats his nose runs. His sinuses open up and it is like turning on a faucet. Tina handed him a napkin and told him to wipe his nose. He did wipe his nose and then he took the napkin, looked at it, gestured to Tina to look, and said, “Would you look at that, it looks like a man riding a horse.”

Bob had a full day and was in bed snoring by 9:00. Bob was in a great mood for the whole next week. Family really is the best medicine.

No Cavities!

Watching the game

Thursday, March 19, 2009


Bob can’t work the TV remote anymore. He is constantly changing the channel. He used to come out and ask us to find the ball game for him, but he doesn’t do that anymore. Now, he just keeps hitting different buttons until finally he stops and waits for someone to come to his room.

A few nights ago I entered his room to find him watching a drama. A lady was in a hospital bed hooked up to all kinds of tubes and she was clearly dying. A man was at her side and they were sharing her last moments together. I asked Bob, “What are you watching?”

“The ball game,” he relied.
“Really!” I answered, as I grabbed the remote to change the channel. “What is the score and what is going on?” I asked.
“Well, you see, that lady that you saw she had to guess the score of the game, and if she gets it right she wins all kinds of money.” He said.
“How cool is that?” I replied.
“Yeah, I thought it was good also.” He said, and at that moment the ball game came on the TV. “You see, there is the game now, they are starting to play again.”

Now remember, I just changed the channel to the sports network.

“Yeah, let’s see what the score is…” I told him.
He got up, moved closer to the TV and pointed to the score. “That 48 is one of the numbers that lady picked and I think she is going to win now.” He said.
“Maybe, it is only the third quarter, so she may loose her numbers, but who knows. Let’s hope she wins. She looked like she was in the hospital so she probably has a lot of bills.” I told him.
“You know, I think your right,” he said.

I left the room and went in our bedroom to see Rob, I told him we had a new game to play. We turned off the sound on the TV and clicked on different channels and linked all of the shows together into one story. The problem was that our story wasn’t as nice as Bob’s. Maybe we are too connected with the world still and can’t detach ourselves from it.

Sarah and I detached ourselves on Friday and went to Sea World for part of the day. Rob stayed home with his Father and let Sarah and I get away. We need some time without him.

Bob went to the dentist on Thursday. He has to return to see the doctor. He has a filling that needs fixing and a wire on his dentures needs adjusting. Other than that he had a good report.

Well with the government in the shape that it is I am glad Bob is detached from it. It seems with all the gloom from the news and the rest of the world I don’t know if I should look towards the heavens, or crouch to the ground waiting for God’s wrath to pour out. Maybe I am to do a little of both.

Whether you are standing tall or crouching down, give him a call this week end, he would love to hear from you all.

The Falling Leaves

march madness

March madness is in the air and we are feeling it. Bob is having a hard time keeping up with all of the games, and we are having a hard time keeping up with activities. Between festivals, and every day activities we are going strong.

Last week Rob played with the band at a Wing Festival. I took Bob so he could watch Rob play. He may tell you that Rob sang, but that isn’t true. Rob plays lead guitar and Johnny is the only singer. Bob enjoyed watching the band, eating hamburgers and getting out of the house.

A few days latter I took Bob to a Chocolate Festival. Sarah was studying time management and wasn’t able to go with us. She stayed home with her father and it was just Bob and I. Bob loves chocolate and I knew he would enjoy this festival. It wasn’t very big and was a little costly, but the main thing is that he saw, he ate, and he was happy. He even called his niece, Lesa to tell her where he was and share the news with her.

This week we have had fun raking the leaves in the back yard. We have a lot of oak trees and when the leaves fall they cover the whole yard. We have been raking and filling bags for a few days now. Bob has tried to keep up with us. It hasn’t been easy for him. We have had to make him stop a number of times and rest.

I took him shopping with me today and he got his hair cut. When the hairdresser made a comment about how hot the weather was he told her not to fear because it was getting down to the thirties tonight. Oh, how I wish. I think the cold weather is gone and it went straight from winter to summer in one night.

One symptom we have been battling with is Bob has developed Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or better known as OCD. This isn’t bad; it is just something we have to deal with. One example: he had a small place on the back of his hand. It was a place that you or I would never even bother with. Bob however, fixates on this spot and rubs or picks at it until it becomes a sore. Once it is a sore, then he has to continue to pick or rub it until it becomes bigger. So, I have to constantly tell him to leave it alone, or I have to find a way to cover it up while still letting it scab and heal properly.

Another example: It may take him an hour to make his bed in the morning because he can not have any wrinkles in the bed at all. If someone comes in and sits and the bed, that is fine, but as soon as you leave he will be up and straighten the bed again.

And last: he may brush his teeth four times in one day. It isn’t that he has forgotten he has brushed them; he isn’t sure he has done it right and wants to make sure he has cleaned them properly. The same goes for shaving.

A good article on this is at http://www.caregiver.com/channels/alz/articles/ocd_in_elderly.htm

Bob has had a good couple of weeks, full of activities, and work. Give him a ring this weekend and share with him some of the things you have been doing and try to get him to tell you about his activities as well.

Will Wheel for Sweets

Refused to Bowl

We went bowling this week. Well, we went there anyways. Bob refused to bowl with me. So he sat and watched the kids bowl. This always makes me mad when he does this. There isn’t any reason why he can’t get up and throw a ball down the lane.

When we left the bowling alley, I started fussing. I told him that I don’t get upset because he doesn’t write anymore. I know it is difficult for him to write. He has lost the thought process on how to write. I don’t fuss about him not working word searches. I know that is difficult for him to do. I don’t fuss about him not being able to get dressed, or button his shirt. It is hard for him to work buttons. However, I do get upset when he refuses to get up out the wheel chair and move his body. There is nothing wrong with his body, other than the fact that he doesn’t move it. He sits in a chair all day long, and we have to make him get up and get on the exercise bike.

So after I finished my rant of about fifteen minutes on how I am upset because he doesn’t move and how because of that he is getting closer and closer to a home facility because eventually he won’t be able to stand and I won’t be able to lift him…..I paused in my rant and he says to me, “You’re right, I do need to start writing again, but I have to sit to do it.”

Sarah snickered in the back seat, which I promptly, shot her a mommy look. I sat in silence for about two minutes and then said, “You really don’t get it and you will never get it again. It isn’t you who needs to get it, but rather me.” You see, his mind and body no longer work together. Oh, sure he can still walk, stand, eat, all those things, but his mind no longer will tell him to get up and move.

I can fuss all day long to him about getting up and moving, but he will just continue to sit. I have to stop fussing at him, but rather tell him or give him commands of what to do. The days of asking him if he wants to bowl are long gone. His mind will always say no. For now on it will be; stand up, walk to the line, and throw the ball.

So, with that new information we went to Walmart. And we walked the whole store. Bob wheeled himself around in the wheel chair as he followed Sarah and I. He started fussing telling me that he couldn’t get the wheel chair going once he had stopped. Sarah and I had to give him a starter push. That was fine, until we went to the check out counter.

Now, this is funny, the check out counter was empty of people so Bob was back behind Sarah and I. Sarah was unloading the cart. Bob all of a sudden starts the wheel chair moving on his own and heads towards a display unit. I went over to him and asked what he was looking at. He pointed to the CANDY and said, “I was just looking at some of this stuff here.”

“Would you like some candy?” I asked him.
“Can I have some?” he asked.
“If you can pick one out and get it over to the cash register without any help, then yes you may have some candy.” I told him.

He picked up the M&M’s wheeled himself over to the counter and dropped it on the belt. HA!!!! He will wheel for sweets!!!!!

The next day we went to the park and he wheeled himself around the park for chocolate cookies. I would walk ahead of him and stop. Then I would make some comment on how the weather was, how good the cookies were, the flowers were nice, and then say, “Oh, would you like a cookie?” Of course he did and he would wheel himself up to me and get a cookie. Then I would walk ahead of him again, stop, turn, and wait to offer another cookie.

He told me he felt great getting out and exercising.

He heard from some old friends this week. I am sure he shared with some of you his trip to the park. March is going to be a busy week for us with some fun activities coming up. We hope to hear from you all soon.