Cookie and I have been pretty much home bound the last couple weeks, as luck would have it. We’ve been waiting for said Cookie to recover from a sinus infection and all the joys that go with it. Cookie’s pattern when getting a bug is to pretty much ignore it for a week to ten days. By then she’s sick as a dog, and has to pretty much crawl to our Physician Assistant, Maurice, and get an antibiotic. The antibiotic eventually kills the bug, but the nasty cough takes its time leaving her system. I have learned over many married years, that resistance to her behavior is futile.
Since I rarely drive anymore, Cookie being sick means no traveling until the bug runs its course. Thankfully, she’s finally healed up so we’re driving to Abilene tomorrow for my former student and friend Karen’s ordination as a Deacon!
I’ve been biding my time the last couple weeks by working on our 2017 tax return. Having worked for a number of years for H & R Block, back in the day, I kind of look forward each year to doing my own. There’s a few complications this year, retiring and selling a house and a lot of medical expenses, but nothing to write home about. A routine return back in the day, with one major difference; I’m having plenty of senior moments.
Now most people I know have occasional senior moments. You know how they go: You’re looking at something and can’t remember it’s name; or even more embarrassing, you run into someone you know pretty well and can’t remember his or her name. We all have senior moments as we age; the problem with Alzheimer’s and Dementia is the frequency of how often we have them.
For example, I can be talking with a family member on the phone and can’t remember their name. I can see them clearly in my mind’s eye, but I can’t remember their name. Its the weirdest thing, like having something on the tip of my tongue, but not being able to retrieve it. When it happens at home, its not such a big deal, since there’s time to get a handle on it. Unfortunately, I’ve had it happen in visits to the Dr. and over the phone, and the details get all mushed together.
I’ve been training myself to always stay in the moment. Distractions seem to cause more distractions, and more senior moments. I have found my prayer time to be more relaxing, as I’ve gotten accustomed to this particular technique.
Still life is a challenge. I spent some time on the phone with a nice man from the Marriott, trying to update my member card. In the midst of updating my email address from a former e-mail address (from the stone age), it took me five times to correctly communicate my current email address. Five times! I’m sure the guy was doing his very best to control his laughter, or perhaps rolling his eyes as he waited so patiently!
Blessings,
Fr Dave
Reflections on Dementia 