Lot's to catch up on since March

First and foremost, his Alzheimer's symptoms have been progressively getting worse. There are shorter periods of remembering things. He gets stuck believing he lost his baseball cards - they are in his room- he believes he was buried alive at some point in his life - that's news to me as I always thought it was his father. He is also stuck on going to the Eastern Shore to see where he used to preach during his seminary days, thinking it's a super quick drive, but it is not. I'm mapping out a trip, but he doesn't recall it and keeps asking to go this weekend. 

Last Sunday he helped out at the community Easter Egg Hunt. It was fun but windy! I'll have to find windproof crafts for next year. My dad really enjoyed his time there. I look forward to sharing more community events with him. My favorite is the Fall Festival, but I think I can get him interested in the pool events even though he is not a pool person. 

The kittens have made him happy when he goes to the room to see them. We are getting closer to letting them roam the whole house and I know he will enjoy their company. At night they sleep between me and my husband all curled up and purring. I'm so thankful for the joy they have brought back into our lives. 

This weekend, he can't go to the Eastern Shore because his Bladder surgery is on Friday, and it's pretty likely he will stay overnight (I'll be staying with him if that's the case). We did his CT with contrast this morning for the heart surgeon. It maps the arteries they could use in case my father has a coronary emergency while under anesthesia for his bladder. The emergency would require his aortic valve to be replaced.  I'm hopeful things will go well, and it's all precautionary. 

My husband and all three children have been sick. I'm writing some of this in the room at Patient First with my youngest. The oldest has a sinus infection (saw the doctor yesterday), the middle child has bronchitis, and we await the youngest diagnosis. I'm tired. * He has an upper airway infection and needs a nebulizer and steroids. Pray they get better soon and that my father and I stay free from illness. 

In addition to all the illnesses and the extra support Dad needs these days, I was upset to find that the people who caused unnecessary drama in our lives for the past two years have started showing up purposefully as of late. 

The first two encounters were during the week of March 17th. I dropped my middle child off at school and then went to 7-11 to pick up my youngest and his friend to take them to school so they wouldn't be terribly late. He saw me as I was leaving the parking lot of 7-11, waiting to turn right to get back to the street for the school. He whips his car to the turn lane to go to 7-11 and looks at me with his girlfriend in the front seat doing the same. I kept my eyes looking for an opportunity to turn and ignored them. I saw them in my review mirror, parked in the parking lot that has other stores, and just sat there.

Then, another day that week, I was dropping both of my middle school children off as they were exiting the school drop-off, and I watched as he turned left to the barricade and was trying to look at the back of my vehicle. It was unsettling. Some of my friends believe this behavior occurred because I have a new vehicle and they probably took pictures of me in the car from the front. The weird barrier turn was for images of the back of my vehicle to disseminate to their friends to keep tabs on me 🙄. They could be right, but still, why do they care?! 

Then, as I was dropping my oldest off at the high school last week, he flashed his lights at me as he was driving in the opposite direction to get my attention. No idea what for but it was weird. I keep ignoring them and minding my own business. Still, they seem to not get enough of my presence because on April 3rd (I believe that's correct, but I am not sure because I've been super busy), I'm walking my dog with my youngest, and I am walking towards the park by the school and I see them drive past. I pray they didn't see us, but on our walk back my youngest and I see them parked on the street that leads to our neighborhood with their windows down. I purposely avoid eye contact, focus on the dog and my kid, and walk home. On my way back to wait for my middle child, I checked the mail, and my neighbor came out. I pointed their car out to them, and they told me they saw them pull in earlier, and they took a picture of their car being there. I haven't crossed paths with them for about a week now, so I feel safer. 

The worst part is that I don't think about them until I see them, which makes me sad and anxious. I do pray for them when I see them and wish them well. I really hope they move away and move on. Last year I hadn't even thought of them until they tried to destroy my life. I will keep it vague and use the language he used when telling me about her - she will destroy your life - it's his life she should be focusing on as I've already heard rumors about his behavior. I have nothing but compassion and wishes for peace for them. When I was done - I was utterly done and never thought of them until they started to pull me into their made-up drama. 

I don't like having them in the back of my mind when I already have more important things to focus on, like my father and my family's health. I don't have time for stupid petty shit. I barely have time for myself. 

Anyways, back to Dad, the same day they parked there, he was going to go for a walk after I got back, but I went with him just in case they were still parked there. I don't need them talking to him. He has become more reactive, which is sometimes scary, and he knew what they did. Does he remember? I don't know, but it's not worth worrying him over something that may not happen.  Dad walks a lot and enjoys working at Barlowe Field when the weather is nice. I'm happy my neighbors want to help by asking him for help with their yards 🥰. 

The lousy memory days are becoming almost the norm, and I'm sad for my dad. I can't imagine how anxious or scared he must feel at times. I spent the entire drive to the hospital for the CT scan reiterating the purpose of the visit, why the scan was needed and that it was precautionary for his surgery on Friday. He is having malignant tumors removed from his bladder and there was one on the wall they want to remove quickly so he can keep his bladder. After the surgery there will be six weeks of treatments. 

He is not happy about this six weeks because he really wants to see his friends in FL again. I told him we can make plans once we talk to the doctor and see how things are going. In the meantime we will take that trip to the Eastern Shore to hold him over. If you have free time Friday, send me a text or message if you want to help me pass the time and if he stays overnight maybe grab some dinner with me? 

Wish us luck and I'll let y'all know how the surgery went. In the meantime enjoy my new favorite song:

 https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=jkrwJ8Tr3po&si=LksAWmFmBAvvRQym