Keep Your Fingers Off!

I went and met my brother for lunch. He was agitated when I walked in. He was cursing his Parkinson’s because his legs would not move. I offered to help but he wasn’t concentrating on my voice. He was all about his pain.

The good thing was he hadn’t had any chest pains so far today. I didn’t ask but he must have had a good night also. He was tired though, but I would be too if I was constantly badgered with tremors.

We did eat together and he came back to realizing I was there and he talked about seeing the movie, The Bible on television. He loves to watch shows that he has watched before. His mind doesn’t have to work at trying to keep up with a plot. He goes on his memory and his memory is very sharp about the good word.

He went from smiles to tears and anger in less than 60 seconds. He couldn’t eat the meat that was on his plate. It was supposed to be some type of pork roast. It was the strangest piece of meat I ever saw. It was formed, well mine was. His was pureed and mine was cold and a little tough. Usually the meals aren’t bad if you can find some seasonings lying around.

For Al he tried a few bites but he kept chewing and chewing and finally spit it out. I didn’t even ask Al, I went to the kitchen door and said that he couldn’t chew it. It was too cold, too dry and I wanted him to have something safer. They made him a grilled cheese. They had also given him Brussel sprouts. I used to love these when I was a kid, but Mom over did it and I learned to hate them.

For Al he couldn’t chew them up. They were too hard so I had those pureed for him. It must have been a bad day in the kitchen today. Usually all goes smooth. By then he was upset about his meal so the increase of the tremors sped up. Staff kept looking in our direction as they heard the constant clatter of Al’s silver ware clacking on the plate. By the time he got to his ice-cream he was a total mess. Clacking and slopping and big tremors. He was embarrassed and he cried.

I tried to help but I didn’t do a lot of good. I wanted to say something to the constant stares but I didn’t. Maybe they never saw someone with speedy tremors. LOL. I hope I am seriously joking here. Other wise I am going to go in and swipe him out quicker than you can wink.

Cheryl the lady who takes him on outings came. It was his day to go to Day program. She was also going to take him to an antique store. This should have stopped the tears and brought a smile but it didn’t. He was already getting used to the routine of going to Day Program so why in the world was she adding another place? This was his problem, he just didn’t understand they could do other things too.

When you mess Al’s routine up you get problems until his brain can catch up with the change. She and I cleaned him up and took him down to his room so he could go tinkle before they left. I got his jacket out and he asked for his wallet.

Al said there was a five dollar bill in it but guess what, there wasn’t anything. Oh wow, this upset him and me and Cheryl. Chery and I both knew that there had been. It was there when I took him to the ER.  Although Al has been talked to many times about having money in his room he refuses to have an empty wallet.

Because I was with him the last time he should have gone on an outing he really did have five dollars left over. He was at the ER so he  had missed his outing. We knew that some strange fingers had helped themselves to his money. He cried and cried. He just couldn’t figure out why someone would hate him so bad to take his money.

We went down to the little bank where I keep his money and I pulled five more out for him. I reminded him that if he had any left over from his outing he may want to put it back in the bank. I know he won’t do it. A man likes to have some green inside their wallets. I get angry that others take advantage of someone like him. It isn’t just him it is many residents that get ripped off. From money to jewelry, it happens way too often.

I walked outside with them and waited for him to be lifted up into the van. Tears were rolling down his face as I told him I loved him and to have a good time. I waved and he cried. He left and I came home.

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