mixed blessings

My Aunt Pam was at a conference in Atlanta last week so we decided to go visit Mom and Dad in Florida over the weekend.
The weekend really turned out much better than expected. I LOVE spending time with Pam. She has always been my favorite aunt and like a second mom to me. She is so generous and kind and I want to be just like her when I grow up.

I must say that before we got there to see my Dad at the nursing home on Thursday I was hopeful. Mom had painted a pretty rosy picture of how things were going. I felt like crying when I left there that evening. He was not doing well. I don't think he knew who we were. I couldn't understand a single word he was saying. He kept fidgeting and picking at his blankets. He kept trying to crawl out of bed. It was very discouraging.

Friday morning was not a lot better. It's hard to know if he is really there or not cognitively. He just has a continuous ramble. He gets agitated when we can't understand him.

My mom was not there until late Friday afternoon because she went to west Florida to pick up my second nephew who had been in juvenile detention for the last 9 months. So I had to tell my dad over and over where they were because he forgets things easily. We were in occupational therapy with my dad that afternoon and in walks my nephew. My dad looked up at him and it seemed like it registered who Brandon was immediately and he raised his good arm for a hug. He had tears in his eyes, It was then that I knew that my dad was in there and he was slowly coming out. We all cried. He hadn't been showing affection so it was extra special to watch that interaction.

Saturday, Mom decided to have a BBQ at their home. I couldn't believe how much my dad seemed right at home there. He had his bluegrass music playing. He just kept looking around at everything like he was inspecting. He recognized his cats. When he first got sick he would always ask about his cats. He just smiled his crooked smile and held each of them. He even remembered two of their names. It was a great day. He only got agitated a couple of times.

So we took him back to the nursing home Saturday night and got him all tucked into bed. He just kept jabbering on about who knows what. We can't understand what he's saying unless he gets angry. If that's the case , we can understand every single curse word that comes out of his mouth. :) I was trying to talk to him about the fact that I was leaving on Sunday to go home. And then all of the sudden, he grabs my hand and kisses it and says, "Red,(that's his nickname for me). I love you, I love you, I love you." Clear as day. Like he really knew what he was saying and really meant it. Oh my gosh, that just meant so much to me.

I cried like a baby.

I am amazed by how well my mom is doing. This woman who I always perceived as weaker has really turned out to be very strong. She is in the process of buying them a Doublewide to live in. She has done all of the business-y stuff on her own. She just finds out what needs to be done and she does it. She is not discouraged at all by my dad's progress. She is preparing to care for him when he gets out of the rehab center, and she doesn't seem afraid of the future at all. I don't know where this woman has come from but I am so glad she is here now.

So, it was a good weekend and I am encouraged and hopeful now.