Grandfather update
I have two exciting updates regarding my grandfather. Well, actually more than that. Number one is that he's finally realized he's staying at the nursing home, and he told my uncle some of what he'd want to keep and what we can get rid of concerning his personal effects. Great. So, number two, that means mom and her brother have set a date to be out of the apartment: December 1st. We have two months. Things seem to have calmed down a bit from our hectic summers, and while things will never be totally calm, this is now a better time to get a handle on things.
My grandfather has been put on antidepressants, if I haven't mentioned it. The nursing home staff was very concerned with him not getting out of bed, not wanting to eat the food they brought him, not wanting to be changed and bathed. Yeah, well, that's actually the slovenly life that got him put into the nursing home to begin with; it's normal for him, sadly enough. We kind of wonder if the ADs have helped him realize he's a permanent resident of the retirement castle and he should get used to it. The good news is that he has gotten out of bed, in part because he can't get to his computer otherwise; I mean, apparently, he used to spend the entirety of his days there in bed. At least now he's in his wheelchair. I think maybe he had physical therapy but I don't know how often or for how long. Otherwise, bed. And, the biggest news of all, he actually went and ate a meal in the dining room yesterday. That might be the first meal he's done that for. Grandma has been talking to him about getting his strength up to go out on field trips, and it almost sounds like he might be amenable to that. That would be so awesome. It feels like the family as a whole has been pulling teeth with him to get him to do anything; he's spent his life acting like a spoiled child and it hasn't gotten him anywhere. Now, finally, he's cooperating. Thank God, literally. We just want him to get some sort of enjoyment out of his life. Lying in bed doing nothing isn't a life. Actually doing something and enjoying oneself at least approximates one.
My grandfather has been put on antidepressants, if I haven't mentioned it. The nursing home staff was very concerned with him not getting out of bed, not wanting to eat the food they brought him, not wanting to be changed and bathed. Yeah, well, that's actually the slovenly life that got him put into the nursing home to begin with; it's normal for him, sadly enough. We kind of wonder if the ADs have helped him realize he's a permanent resident of the retirement castle and he should get used to it. The good news is that he has gotten out of bed, in part because he can't get to his computer otherwise; I mean, apparently, he used to spend the entirety of his days there in bed. At least now he's in his wheelchair. I think maybe he had physical therapy but I don't know how often or for how long. Otherwise, bed. And, the biggest news of all, he actually went and ate a meal in the dining room yesterday. That might be the first meal he's done that for. Grandma has been talking to him about getting his strength up to go out on field trips, and it almost sounds like he might be amenable to that. That would be so awesome. It feels like the family as a whole has been pulling teeth with him to get him to do anything; he's spent his life acting like a spoiled child and it hasn't gotten him anywhere. Now, finally, he's cooperating. Thank God, literally. We just want him to get some sort of enjoyment out of his life. Lying in bed doing nothing isn't a life. Actually doing something and enjoying oneself at least approximates one.