Cat Naps and the Three Stooges

I don’t know what has been wrong with me this week, but I have been dragging but all week. I am so tired that I feel it would take me a week to catch up and fee re-energized.

Yesterday I met with the Hospice nurse to check on Al. I was shocked but happy that he was in an awesome mood. He was cutting up, cracking jokes and laughing.

Who was this person I thought? I like it, no I love it. He seems to be in better spirits at Day Program. I asked the nurse why he doesn’t act this way when he is home and she stated, “he is probably tired by the end of the late afternoon.”

This made sense to me. His teacher says he cat naps during the day off and on. He transports to Day Program to and from in his regular wheelchair. In the beginning he used to come home complaining of side and back pains. His feet were so swollen from hanging down all day that Hospice got him a new wheelchair just for his Day Program. He can be in several different positions and he can get his feet up and also nap in it. Below is a picture of what  it looks like and he doesn’t complain nearly as much. He still has pains from being up so he gets regular doses of medications. He is now much calmer and happier.

Last night he came home pretty good-humored, but as the time went by he became more disoriented. He wanted to nap after supper. His nap consisted of five hours. I tried to wake him up to change his brief and give him his medications.

He didn’t want to get out of bed so I did everything from him lying down but raised the bed so he could take his medications and eat his night snack. After wards he watched TV and then of course that made me have to stay up later.

Neither of us got that much sleep, well I should say I got less because I didn’t nap.

This morning I went in to get him up and he was just placing his feet on the floor. Once again I explained that his body couldn’t hold his weight to stand and he must never do that again.

He cried instantly and this time I didn’t feel as bad. I know that even though Al’s short-term memory is fading, I still have to be responsible and at least continue to que him on what he is able to do.

His tremors were terrible this morning, in fact, they have been bad all week. I ended up feeding him his breakfast. It has been a rough start this morning but hopefully him watching The Three Stooges, he will return to some of who he has always been.

I hope that when he takes his real nap, laying in bed nap, that although there are always things to do here at home, I am going to nap also.

I want to thank Natalie H. for sending a card to Al. He enjoyed it. I read it to him and he smiled. He and I appreciated what you did for him Natalie.

If anyone wants to send Al an inspirational or cute card, please email me at

tellmenolies2004@yahoo.com

for his address.