Monday, October 22, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Happy Octoberfest from Kathy, Jeannette and Bill. A quick note to add to previous couple this month. We stopped in and had lunch with mom on Sunday, October 15th. It was a full house and you all know mom does not like lines. We basically waited until everyone else was done eating. Food was very good and Kathy ate. The picture above shows her eating a nectorine and this was after a full plate of turkey, potatoes, gravy, vegetables, sausage and saurkraut and salad. Did I forget three types of desert and a sip of beer, some decaf coffee and three glasses of water. A lady named Helen stopped by our table. Helen's mom, Laura, has been at Aegis for only four months. I had the enjoyment two weeks ago of speaking with Laura who is 95 years young and was very talkative. She is originally from Indiana and her parents and subsequently her owned a couple of grocery stores. Laura's husband (Helen's father) served in the Air Corps during WW II and was shot down. Helen and her husband run a 19 year old Italian Restaurant around the corner that we might check out. It is good to know our fellow roomies..
Gotta Run...
Friday, October 12, 2012
Good Friday to all,
My last 'blog posting' garnered some feedback. Some good, some funny and some retrospective. I felt personal guilt with whether to post it like that or not. I decided a little levity and humour were needed after the quick event. Trust me, for an hour and half on that day, I was once again searching for my mom and searching for my sanity. Most folks already know that some two years ago, on a visit from mom, she got herself lost and Jeannette and I spent over four hours searching for mom. That day I will never forget until my last. The other day brought back all the emotions of that fateful day two years ago. Once mom was safe, I thought some fun was in order.
Jim and can't relay the personal toll this is having on us on every posting, it would simply depress and wear us and the readers down. The simple fact is we are losing our mother almost daily. If not for the medication and arond the clock supervision, this situation would be un-manageable. Her memory, in my opinion, is getting worse at every visit, albeit only a little at a time. If someone who has not seen her for say 6 months or more vistits her, I believe they would stand aback at the deterioration of mom's condition. I just don't see it visiting twice a week.
As we get closer to the Holiday Season, we will try have mom over and post some more pictures. I have found another relatively flat train that we will be taking her too this Sunday.
Thank you for all the feedback. As I emailed Carol Halter, 'it will make me do a better a job'.
Bill and Jim...
My last 'blog posting' garnered some feedback. Some good, some funny and some retrospective. I felt personal guilt with whether to post it like that or not. I decided a little levity and humour were needed after the quick event. Trust me, for an hour and half on that day, I was once again searching for my mom and searching for my sanity. Most folks already know that some two years ago, on a visit from mom, she got herself lost and Jeannette and I spent over four hours searching for mom. That day I will never forget until my last. The other day brought back all the emotions of that fateful day two years ago. Once mom was safe, I thought some fun was in order.
Jim and can't relay the personal toll this is having on us on every posting, it would simply depress and wear us and the readers down. The simple fact is we are losing our mother almost daily. If not for the medication and arond the clock supervision, this situation would be un-manageable. Her memory, in my opinion, is getting worse at every visit, albeit only a little at a time. If someone who has not seen her for say 6 months or more vistits her, I believe they would stand aback at the deterioration of mom's condition. I just don't see it visiting twice a week.
As we get closer to the Holiday Season, we will try have mom over and post some more pictures. I have found another relatively flat train that we will be taking her too this Sunday.
Thank you for all the feedback. As I emailed Carol Halter, 'it will make me do a better a job'.
Bill and Jim...
Friday, October 5, 2012
October 5th, 2012
Southern California is searching for 'gas' and stations are closing by the hour; out of gas... However, mom is resting comfortably at Aegis. Weather conditions have turned in our favor, with daytime highs around 84 and mom stays even more comfortable in her air conditioned/heated room. The week has not been that easy and many of you have received an email regarding an incident earlier in the week. I will add a bit of comedy to what started and a real terror threat.
A Terror Threat Averted
It had been a long week already and it was about to get longer with Kathy's help. Our protagonist rose from a slumber and was dressed around 6:45 on the last hot day; to date, on Wednesday. As the Aegis staff prepared the other guests, mom took it upon herself to get her morning exercise by walking around the controlled 'memory care unit'. At around 7:15 an Aegis staff member looking to 'round up' the group for breakfast, noticed that Kathy was unaccounted. The staff checked her room and then the remaining 20 or so rooms. An air of confusion and mysticism entered the staff members hearts. Where could Kathy have gone?
Meanwhile, Bill, her son, arrived at Harrington Industrial Plastics, his place of employment around 7:30 in the Van Nuys area. The work day began routinely with Bill shouting orders at his staff and demanding total allegiance or the threat of death to any subverts. His staff was petrified and hoping he would be called out of the office and get off their asses so they could continue to drink coffee and play video games on one of many of their electronic contraptions. To their bewilderment their prayers were answered at 8:15 when the phone rang on Bill's I-Phone.
"Good morning Bill, its Carolyni" (or Carolinia or Carolina.. Does anybody have a normal damn name anymore?) from Aegis "and I wanted to let you know that we can't find your mother". She said it so calmly Bill thought he had done something wrong. 'What", he said. She reiterated the tail above and told him that two crack, specially trained Aegis associates were searching the sourrounding areas for mom. Carolina (sp)wanted to know if Bill wanted Aegis to call the police. Bill responded absolutely. What if mom was accosted by some Modern Family who would find out how much she is worth, kid-nap her and hold her for a month. Some backward's ass California Law would then make mom part of their family and then they would become her heirs. Bill would not hear of this. "Call the Police" he demanded, "I am on my way".
It was roughly 8:30 when Bill arrived in the area of Aegis. He decided to stop in the local shopping mall accross the street. Mom, in the past, had a propensity for going into CVS Pharmacy and having her way with anything she felt she needed. He searched the store and spoke with the manager and no sign of Kathy. There is a local high school close to the mall area and high school kids were running, walking, skateboarding and biking in all directions. Bill could not continue to drive and look for mom with all this pedestrian traffic. He immediately headed for Aegis after walking all the stores in the strip mall.
LAPD was on the scene. Four cars and five officers. All Bill could think of was 'wow' what a slow day at the Devenshire Police Station. He met with Officer Somebodyoranother, in the lobby at Aegis. The Officer said they were dispatching a helicopter to assist in the search. 'Really', Bill responded, we better find her fast, and they better not charge us for the helicopter. How much does a helipcopter cost, Bill digressed. Holy sh__, I hope Jim some Genentech stock to sell. Bill walked, actually waddled, down to mom's room and indeed it was empty. He was assured that all the rooms were checked.
One problem, they forgot the check the BATHROOMS.
As the search began, another resident at Aegis had to take a crap or a pee or simply find a quiet place to collect their thoughts. What a suprise to see our Protagonist sitting on their 'throne' unable to stand up. We must back up a bit and tell the reader that Kathy had this happen on her own 'crapper' a few months ago and Bill (and Jim) purchased her an elevated toilet assist. Back then Aegis found her sitting on her 'pot' stating her legs were asleep and she could not stand up. Back to the story.... This Aegis resident, whose name will remain anonomys for security reasons, alerted staff members and Kathy was assisted off the toilet and led back to her room.
Bill was driving all over Northridge when the phone rang. It was Aegis and Kathy was safe.... Bill returned to work to harass his associates.
Southern California is searching for 'gas' and stations are closing by the hour; out of gas... However, mom is resting comfortably at Aegis. Weather conditions have turned in our favor, with daytime highs around 84 and mom stays even more comfortable in her air conditioned/heated room. The week has not been that easy and many of you have received an email regarding an incident earlier in the week. I will add a bit of comedy to what started and a real terror threat.
A Terror Threat Averted
It had been a long week already and it was about to get longer with Kathy's help. Our protagonist rose from a slumber and was dressed around 6:45 on the last hot day; to date, on Wednesday. As the Aegis staff prepared the other guests, mom took it upon herself to get her morning exercise by walking around the controlled 'memory care unit'. At around 7:15 an Aegis staff member looking to 'round up' the group for breakfast, noticed that Kathy was unaccounted. The staff checked her room and then the remaining 20 or so rooms. An air of confusion and mysticism entered the staff members hearts. Where could Kathy have gone?
Meanwhile, Bill, her son, arrived at Harrington Industrial Plastics, his place of employment around 7:30 in the Van Nuys area. The work day began routinely with Bill shouting orders at his staff and demanding total allegiance or the threat of death to any subverts. His staff was petrified and hoping he would be called out of the office and get off their asses so they could continue to drink coffee and play video games on one of many of their electronic contraptions. To their bewilderment their prayers were answered at 8:15 when the phone rang on Bill's I-Phone.
"Good morning Bill, its Carolyni" (or Carolinia or Carolina.. Does anybody have a normal damn name anymore?) from Aegis "and I wanted to let you know that we can't find your mother". She said it so calmly Bill thought he had done something wrong. 'What", he said. She reiterated the tail above and told him that two crack, specially trained Aegis associates were searching the sourrounding areas for mom. Carolina (sp)wanted to know if Bill wanted Aegis to call the police. Bill responded absolutely. What if mom was accosted by some Modern Family who would find out how much she is worth, kid-nap her and hold her for a month. Some backward's ass California Law would then make mom part of their family and then they would become her heirs. Bill would not hear of this. "Call the Police" he demanded, "I am on my way".
It was roughly 8:30 when Bill arrived in the area of Aegis. He decided to stop in the local shopping mall accross the street. Mom, in the past, had a propensity for going into CVS Pharmacy and having her way with anything she felt she needed. He searched the store and spoke with the manager and no sign of Kathy. There is a local high school close to the mall area and high school kids were running, walking, skateboarding and biking in all directions. Bill could not continue to drive and look for mom with all this pedestrian traffic. He immediately headed for Aegis after walking all the stores in the strip mall.
LAPD was on the scene. Four cars and five officers. All Bill could think of was 'wow' what a slow day at the Devenshire Police Station. He met with Officer Somebodyoranother, in the lobby at Aegis. The Officer said they were dispatching a helicopter to assist in the search. 'Really', Bill responded, we better find her fast, and they better not charge us for the helicopter. How much does a helipcopter cost, Bill digressed. Holy sh__, I hope Jim some Genentech stock to sell. Bill walked, actually waddled, down to mom's room and indeed it was empty. He was assured that all the rooms were checked.
One problem, they forgot the check the BATHROOMS.
As the search began, another resident at Aegis had to take a crap or a pee or simply find a quiet place to collect their thoughts. What a suprise to see our Protagonist sitting on their 'throne' unable to stand up. We must back up a bit and tell the reader that Kathy had this happen on her own 'crapper' a few months ago and Bill (and Jim) purchased her an elevated toilet assist. Back then Aegis found her sitting on her 'pot' stating her legs were asleep and she could not stand up. Back to the story.... This Aegis resident, whose name will remain anonomys for security reasons, alerted staff members and Kathy was assisted off the toilet and led back to her room.
Bill was driving all over Northridge when the phone rang. It was Aegis and Kathy was safe.... Bill returned to work to harass his associates.
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