As per normal I visited Mum today. I have noticed after the last few weeks, that she is starting to get the shakes, and isn't colouring in as well as she used to. Her memory hasn't changed, in that I mean she has random false memories mixed in with proper memories LOL.
Today we enjoyed our coffee and she had a caramel slice (heaven to her) and we were chatting as we always do. She asked me if I'd heard from her friend Nelda.
"Have you heard from Nelda at all?"
"No, I'm not in contact with her."
"Oh, I was wondering how she is going down in Emu Plains without Arthur."
"She isn't in Emu Plains Mum."
"Oh good, she did move then."
"She's never lived in Emu Plains Mum, when they sold the house they moved into assisted living in Springwood. They bought a 2 bedroom flat in Bucklands."
"Yes, now she lives there, but they lived in Emu Plains and that's where they were living when Arthur died. I remember going down and seeing him and then I had a look around to see if I wanted to move in there.It was just over I had that fall and hurt my shoulder. I drove there to see him one last time. It wasn't easy driving, with a broken shoulder."
For the record, Arthur passed away in Springwood, at the assisted living facility where they moved after they sold their house. Mum hasn't had a license for 3 years, and it was the hospitalisation after the fall when she broke her shoulder that let to her being transferred directly into the Nursing home. Also Arthur has been dead about 15 years I think lol.
"Oh really Mum."
"Yes, it really wasn't the place for me, too much fussing."
"Hmmmm."
For the record, she loves someone fussing over her lol.
"I need to let Nelda know that she could move up here now, there's so much room."
"I'm sure she's happy in her 2 bedroom apartment Mum. She'd have more room there than here."
"Oh no, over the back they have lovely apartments, I've been getting around and I know where everything is now."
Yep another for the record. Over the back of the Nursing Home, is a cliff. They'd be hard pressed to build apartments there and they'd never get approval lol.
I showed her a pic that Dale sent me of his gf Emma, down at the snow fields, she laughed and laughed, and then asked me if I'd heard from Nelda. Rather than go down that path again, I changed the subject lol.
We went down to her room to unpack the shopping I'd bought her. She starts fussing around, and tidying up. She had a whole pile of clothes on the chair, and I asked if they were to be washed.
"I don't know where they came from, they aren't mine."
She's obviously been shopping at the home shop again lol. But hey, it's all for a good cause, and it's an op shop so cheap as chips. I put her apples in her bowl.
"Oh that's great thanks, I take them down to the kitchen and they cut them up for me. Maybe you could bring me up a pen knife next time."
"Ummm, I'm not sure that's a good idea Mum. I don't think I like the idea of you in a Nursing Home walking around with a knife."
I had an image in my head of the shower scene in Psycho, but the shadow incorporated her walking frame lol.
Obviously she doesn't see why I have an issue, so I offered to bring her up a switch blade to distract her. It worked she started laughing and we created images of how the old folks and staff would react if she pulled it out of her pocket lol. She had forgotten about the knife by the time I left. I've started bringing some of her winter clothes home, the ones she doesn't need now it's getting a bit warmer, and the ones she hasn't even worn while there. She panicked a bit and admonished me to make sure I kept them safe cause you just never know who could be lurking to rob me. Yes, she said lurking lol.
As we made our way to the lift, she pointed to the doors to the staff only area,
"That's where they keep the mothers and children."
"What? Mothers and children?"
"Yes, they keep them separate so we aren't disturbed. It's a wonderful system."
"Mum, this is a Nursing Home for old people, why would they have mothers and children here?"
"Well why wouldn't they? It's a Nursing Home, they are nursing mothers."
She had a point, so I let it go, laughing maniacally on the inside lol. Every week it's something different, some new addition to where she lives. So glad I don't rely on her to direct me though, she wanted me to turn left instead of right to get to the car park. Her way would of had us tumbling off the cliff edge, my way led to the car park lol.
They had some therapy dogs there today, so cute in their little basket. I couldn't help but imagine Zeus there. He would absolutely love it, all the pats and attention he desired, he'd probably also knock people flying as he galloped up the hallways and slid on the well polished floors lol.
Catch yas.
Cathy
