Update on Dad 8-3-11

Hi, Everyone,

Sorry to be slow again--this time it was a summer cold that delayed me.

I've asked our friend Sally Perry from England who visited recently for something to put up on the blog, but I didn't think to ask her until today, so her report will be something for my next update. My sister Martha reported on a recent visit with him, I spoke to Dad very briefly on the phone on Sunday, and my brother Alan who was in Utah in late June/early July also reported briefly on my dad.

Here's Martha's report:

"I wanted to tell you that recently when Dave and I visited Dad, he was still in the dining room for dinner, but had eaten almost everything--with help, I'm sure. We had someone help him back into bed, and he introduced us to the aid as his oldest daughter and her husband. I have been sure that he knew who we were, but I haven't heard him tell anyone for a very long time. When we went a couple of days ago, it was after 8:30. He had been asleep and his roommate clearly was, so we just visited very quietly and briefly. We'll plan to see him again tomorrow."

When I spoke to Dad on the phone on Sunday, he took a long time coming up with an answer to my question, "How are you?" He finally said, "I'm not very active." I told him that at his age, being active wasn't expected.

I told him he will be 95 on Friday, and he promptly replied, "Well, I can't believe that!"

I mentioned to him that my brother Alan and his wife Janice will be leaving on their mission soon, but Dad interrupted me to say he needed to go to the bathroom. (He has a catheter, but doesn't remember that.)

So it was a very short conversation, but he certainly responded to the news about his age. He certain never believed he'd live this long!

Alan wrote:

"I had two visits with my Dad. The first one he was quite alert and the second one was short because he was falling asleep as I talked. I really don’t think he retains much from any conversation, but it is easier to tell him stories when he is at least making some response. The latest on him is that his blood sugar levels are too high, but nothing is happening yet that anyone could notice. From one trip to the next I don’t see a lot of difference in him, though he clearly has good and bad days. When he is being responsive, it is likely to be only a few words at a time, and perhaps the response is just a nod or a click of the tongue. I’m fairly certain he has no idea of what I am really doing."

I think you can see in the reports here the range of Dad's awareness--sometimes even within one conversation.

Thank you for caring about Dad.