2011 Summer Holiday Week 1

Beth arrived in Kansas City on Saturday, July 30, 2011.

She traveled alone, with support from the airline. The trip was from Columbus to Milwaukee, where she had to change planes, and then catch another flight to Kansas City. She left very early from Columbus.

She was the last one off the plane, looking tired and downcast, a little befuddled. She stood swaying, eyes down, next to an airline employee who was looking for -- me. I was frantically waving at them from outside the secure area.

Finally the airline worker saw me, and after a brief check of my ID, turned Beth over to me. She hugged me, but it took a couple of minutes to really recognize me.

We collected luggage and headed for home. I cooked Bethie a nice omelet for breakfast. We got her unpacked and chattered a bit before running errands -- to the farmer's market, the grocery, the bank, the post office. We tried to make it to Curves, but we were too late.

We had dinner at home and turned in early.

Sunday, July 31

Up early, I help her clean up and dress, then a nice breakfast -- omlet, toast, peaches.

I enlisted her help in sweeping, then it was time for swimming. She was slow to enter the water and slow to exit, but happy in the water. She didn't remember how to dive and was frightened to try. She was also frightened by the pool sweeper, even when it was off and away from her.

At some point, she went upstairs and packed to go home.

We had family dinner at our house that evening: Erin and Drew, their kids Graham, Lily, Poppy and Margo; and Patsy. We had a vegetarian lasagne, mac & cheese for the little ones, a Ceasar salad, fresh Italian bread and I made two Key Lime Pies for dessert. After dinner, we played with the kids. (Inside only, it was very hot.)

After everybody left, Beth goes up for a shower and getting ready for bed. I'm with her at every step, as she forgets from moment to moment what she's doing. But she goes to bed happy.

Monday, Aug. 1
Momentous day -- Nancy has to go to work early, and Beth is discouraged and very confused. I wrote out notes for her, gave her a calendar, and made some worksheets for her. She read the information but didn't absorb it and remained confused.

She again packed to go home -- everything mashed into the suitcase. She is not functioning on her own at all, she just wanders from room to room talking to herself.

I came home early to help Tom go to rehab; we then went to get set up at Curves. The owner remembered her and welcomed her with a big hug. Beth responded, but uncertainly. She showed no interest in working out. That's OK, as it was hot and we had to get back to Tom, but it was surprising.

We had dinner at home, and I helped Beth get ready for bed again. Trying to establish a routine.

Tuesday, Aug. 2
Again, I have to go to work and she is completely dismayed. She forgets about Tom because he has to rest more and isn't always right in the room with her. She is talking about some "other people" all the time, not clear at all. She rarely uses the correct words to explain what she wants.

Today, Tom takes her to lunch with some of his friends. They go to one of Beth's favorite restaurants, and she's happy while eating but afterwards is dazed. Later, Tom goes to the doctor for his post-surgery wound check, they remove the staples and authorize him to drive. Yay! That should help.

Later, Beth and I go to the hospital to a farewell party for a friend there. Beth is pleasant to everyone and enjoys some cake.

We have dinner at home -- today it's salmon burgers, with Tzatziki sauce and my Asian cole slaw on it, on skinny buns. She is really impressed and really, really enjoys it.

Again I unpack her suitcase. I have hidden it in a closet in the other room. We've posted a sign with her return travel date and practice saying the date, hoping to help her remember it. We look at the calendar.

Wednesday, Aug. 3
Same routine as yesterday -- I get her up early, cleaned and dressed and downstairs for breakfast and some time together before I go to work. She is disappointed, even with notes and worksheets and chores to do. She shows no interest in her art work or in playing music. She eats well and then just wanders from room to room.

Tom took her swimming but it took her an extremely long time to figure out her swimsuit and change clothes. She finally came down and loved the pool.

They went on some errands and then to Tom's rehab session. Beth was listless and unresponsive, even when people tried to engage her. It was discouraging.

After work, we all went to Aixois for dinner. I had to go to the Apple store (I drowned my iPhone by accident) so left them at dinner early. They had a wonderful time; she loved dinner and all the attention and dessert!

Back home, the nightly routine and reinforcements. (She had found the suitcase and packed again.) (I hid it better this time.)

Thursday, Aug. 4
Beth up early in the routine, starting to get accustomed to it but not happy. "It's not supposed to be like this," she said once. She does do her chores when prompted enough -- she sweeps the kitchen floor -- but not on her own, even with the list.

Tom tried to get her to come to his workroom with him, they could both work and listen to music together. She wouldn't, instead just wandered from room to room.

After work, we went out to Aixois again to meet some friends, Sally and John. When she is prompted, she will say hello and welcome a hug from Sally. When I point to John, she says, yes I know JohnDonnelly (she says it like it's all one word). She enjoys being out and chatters along.

Dinner at home, left overs, but she loves it. Nightime routine again. (She didn't find the suitcase but did pile everything together -- all her stuff from the bathroom, clothes off hangers, etc. ) Before bed, I remind her about Rotary tomorrow morning and she seems excited about it.

Friday, Aug. 5
She remembers that it's Rotary day when I go to get her up. That's a good sign. She's excited and gets ready quickly. We practice how to say "Good Morning!" bright and cheerfully and shaking hands. She's a big hit at Rotary, where everybody knows her and greets her by name. She's a little overwhelmed but she really likes it.

When she's introduced during the program, she solemnly stands up and waves at the crowd, to great applause!

She seems OK when I go to work, since we're going to meet for lunch in just a couple of hours. She and Tom come to visit me at the office, and then we all go across the street to the art gallery. There's a full house at the gallery, it's the closing days of a rare exhibit of all three panels of Monet's Water Lilies. We get to see it, and then run over to Winstead's for lunch, a favorite spot.

After work, again we go to Aixois, this time to meet Jason. She's happy there. Back at home, we order a pizza and get ready for bed in the usual routine.

Saturday, Aug. 6
She gets up early, same as most days. I let her do as much on her own as she can this morning, taking her time. She calls for me every few minutes, uncertain of what to do.

We have breakfast and I do some work in the kitchen. She gets her art work out but doesn't do anything -- she wanders from room to room. I bring her back and give her tasks -- worksheets, writing, ask her to play music. It doesn't work much.

We go on chores -- bank, post office, shopping and grocery. Then I help her get ready for the pool. She loves that, she's cheering and chattering nonstop in the water. Not much swimming, but a little. She's having fun and laughing and joking.

Late afternoon, we go to visit our friend Max at his house. She likes that because he has snacks around the house and homemade lemonade. She's comfortable there and really likes Max's tiny black kitty named Audrey.

Back at home, I make dinner and then it's upstairs for the nighttime routine.