Update on Dad 12-6-11

Hi, Everyone,

I'm sorry to be even slower than usual this week, but glad to be here and glad to have some news to give you about my dad. My report this week comes from my sister Martha and from my conversation with Dad today.

Martha and her son Jeff visited Dad recently, and Dad was glad to see them. Martha thinks Dad knew who Jeff was, and she said Dad seemed to follow their talk about Jeff's family. Martha had also brought a Christmas letter from the Hoers, dear friends of Mom and Dad's from their China days. The letter talked about their two sons who left at the same time for Chinese-speaking missions, the one to Taiwan, the other to Australia, Mandarin-speaking. Dad seemed to know who the Hoers were and responded to the story about the sons and their missions.

Martha also mentioned that in the last meeting at the care facility about Dad, she was told he'd lost "another" 10 pounds - I'm not sure I knew about previous weight losses, but it's been clear to me from what family members have been saying that he's not eating much these days. Martha says he now weighs 135 lbs. She says the staff gives him a protein shake when he doesn't want to come to dinner.

I spoke to Dad today, and as usual, I had two stories about my grandchildren to tell him. The first was that Jeffrey and I have been collecting pine cones for Martha. Jeffrey's enthusiasm is delightful. He picks up a pine cone and says, "This is beaUUUtiful! Dad didn't have much reaction, maybe a bit of a chuckle.

Next I told him about Evelyn playing with a toy at the library that has a mirror on one side. She was squatting down and then standing back up--playing peek-a-boo with herself. I said it was very cute, and got again a slight response, but Dad told me, "You sound wonderful!"

I told him I'd heard from Elmo Flenniken recently (a friend he grew up with in Arkansas). Dad said, "Oh my!" I said he would be in the area for Christmas and wanted to visit. Dad said, "Oh, how nice!" I asked if Dad remembered the story Elmo told about taking his father's new car out on the highway (described in my last post), he said that he didn't remember it. Then I told him that Elmo had talked about little shows they used to put on, and Dad said, "Oh, yes!"

Dad told me again that I sounded wonderful--a stock phrase, but I thought perhaps it meant he was enjoying the conversation. I told him I'd be coming to see him in a few weeks. He responded, "Well, good." I told him, "Much love from me and all of us," and he replied, "Much love, but it isn't from all of us, just me"--much more than a stock response. Then Dad said, "It's wonderful to hear you."

I felt like he warmed up as we talked and that I need to plan enough things to say to get him to the point where he's talking more. It was nice to hear something other than stock phrases from him by the end and warming to be able to feel like both of us enjoyed our conversation.

Thanks for reading and I hope you're all having a lovely December!

Alison