Dad's April Trip to FL

 It's been quite a while since I updated the blog. There has been a lot going on. 

Dad's trip to Florida was wonderful. Aside from our small argument on his first day there, everything else went smoothly thanks to C. I truly appreciate her. Like I do, she knows that keeping him busy is the key to keeping him happy, and I'm incredibly thankful for everything she included him in while he was there.

On April 22nd, C reported that he watered the plants and the grass and was happy. She told him no heavy lifting or strenuous work because he had just had his surgery. He was complaining to her that I worry too much. 

I told her that he wasn't allowed to lift anything over 10 lbs and encouraged him to drink more water. I also let her know that if he had shortness of breath, he needed to go immediately to the ER, as that could be his aortic valve needing help. I also let her know that if he does have a UTI or any other type of cold, it would impair his cognition and that before he left, he was thinking he was in the 1970s and early 80s, asking about his apartment in Miami and hyper-focused on his time preaching on the Eastern Shore of MD. 

Thankfully, she said he was happy to follow her plans for the day, and she was able to keep him occupied. She confirmed that he was talking about that era of time and could not recall other past events. She told me about his cognitive loop on paying for the antique store he has a booth in, and worrying about his baseball card collection, CDs, DVDs, and financial book. I told her where everything was, and when I spoke to him, I reminded him that everything was taken care of and that he should enjoy his time with his friends. 

On April 23rd, they went to Fisherman's Village:

On the 25th they went to Selby's Botanical Garden in Sarasota, FL:

She took him to her friend's birthday lunch, and they spent the day at her home, before it was time for him to come home.

She sent me all the photos with information about what they were doing and let me know that she knew he wouldn't remember most of what they did while she was there. She did take him to church on Sunday and then lunch at a friend's house, and my sister took him to dinner around 5:30 p.m. that day, too. 

When Dad got home, he was in good spirits but apparently called her and said he wanted to do his treatments at her place and that he was desperate to go back. I wasn't too terribly surprised. He has a hard time adjusting after traveling or being away from a place for more than a day. I let her know that I had her back. Thankfully, he was fine after a week being back, and I kept him busy, played the music he liked, and put on shows and movies he enjoyed. 

Dad still talks about going back to visit, and I'm thankful that C and I are in agreement about his treatments being done before another trip to FL. Unfortunately, since he had a UTI at the appointment where he was supposed to start treatment, we had an extra week added to the timeline, so it won't be until the end of June, provided things go smoothly. 

I can't imagine how bittersweet it is for his friends when they spend time with him. It's hard for me since I have to remember he's not the Dad I knew growing up, he's "Alzheimer's Dad" now, and that means recognizing that he really is lost in time and needs lots of love and compassion. I also can't imagine how scared he must be some days, so I do my best to take care of us all and enjoy the present moment.