Happy 89th Birthday

Although Dad never believes me when I tell him how old he is - today (Jan. 1 2009) is his 89th birthday.  I don’t have anything big planned for him.  I had thought we would go out to eat with my mother (his wife) - but she said  “Just do whatever don’t worry about me.”  To give her credit she did send a card for him.   I really think, even though he won’t remember it tomorrow, or maybe even an hour later - we should still treat the day like we always did with cake, candles, and gifts.  

I bought a can of oysters yesterday and I’m going to fix him oyster stew for his birthday dinner followed up by his favorite coconut cake.  He told me yesterday he didn’t like oyster stew - but I know he does, it was a favorite at the church soup suppers for over 50 years.

He was cute and cutting up and joking when I went to pick him up yesterday.  Mom told me that she had done up all his laundry.  He told me she had made him sit around naked while she did it.  He settled back into the routine here after a little bit of confusion after being gone for 10 days while I spent Christmas with my husband.  He did ask where ‘the old man’ was (Jim).   Of course everything is minute by minute - something could trigger a change at anytime.

I’ve made a resolution to try to find more things to keep him occupied. It’s a real challenge as his motor skills are poor, his eyesight is poor, and of course the ability to do a series of actions is limited.  He does NEED chores or jobs that he doesn’t resent - and a feeling of usefulness, as well as something to keep him from being so bored!  These will have to be chores he can succeed in, as being unable to do them create frustration.   I’ve really had my thinking cap turned on high for this one.  When he was in the nursing home, the aides would give some of the ladies there baskets of wash cloths to fold.  They would sit and fold them over and over again.  I’d really like to find something a little more ‘real’ than that.

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