Ran the gamut again yesterday....

Yeah, Gamlitz... for the first time in three weeks, he wasn't sleepy, it was a picture-book perfect fall day, warm, and sunny. He was willing to go outside for a walk. He is still pretty weak, but I started to get him dressed, and noticed his Depends were wet, so got a nurses' aide to change him, and she got him into his wheelchair, and off we went. When we got to the entrance near Admin, the Director came out and greeted him kindly. And as we left, some woman was waving cheerfully to me from the terrace they have between two of the wings. I didn't know WHO the hell she was, but I smiled and waved back. And the rest of the visit was just as surreal....


Up to his last episode, if he were out with me on a 'jaunt', he'd patter on about politics, and all sorts of things, but he was very inwardly directed. 'Oh, the sun!....' 'Mmmm, the wind.. ' (It was just a slight breeze.) He'd been cooped up in the room for nearly a month with mostly his tee-vee. I tried out the path along the brook that runs near the house. We got a ways down to see what it all looked like, then rested under a willow.

And he said, 'Oh, the brook, it sounds so nice.' 'Yes, it is so quiet here.' 'Listen to the birds.' 'Yes, that is very restful, don't you think, Peter?' We stayed there a while, enjoying the beautiful landscape, the softly rolling hills, the vinyards, the verdant flora. I discovered they have lady slippers growing wild there. I thought they were only native to North America.

I didn't want to tire him out, so rolled him back, and asked him if he would like to go to 'our' café down on the corner, sit outside a bit more, and if he would like something there. He said yes, so we spent another half hour in a courtyard set off the street with an abundance of flowers, he had a mineral water with lemon, and then we wheeled back up to the complex.

I left him for a little while in the sun, he seemed to enjoy that. Then we went back up, I undressed him and got him back into bed, and he seemed exhausted. There were still ninety minutes before my bus came, so I said, 'Would you like to take a nap for half an hour? I'll go out and read on the terrace and smoke.' 'You'll come back?' (fearful) 'Of course I will. Just try to rest a little, ok?' 'Ok...'

So I did, came back in, he was awake, and I asked, 'Couldn't you sleep?' 'No, 'they' kept coming in and asking me if I needed anything.' (Not true.) 'Charlotte sends her greetings...' 'OH, did she call while I was downstairs?' 'No, she was here.'

Uh-huh....

'Really? Am sorry I missed her...'

He knows he's losing it, and is frightened, and has his moments of clarity, but coming in and seeing that he was watching a pool tournament on the sports channel chilled me... That would have been the LAST thing he would have watched two months ago.

Soooo... greetings and hugs that I had to bring as emissary, (you know him and know who you are...) were duly delivered during one of his 'clear' phases. He was touched, and said to return them, so mission accomplished.

Da V. hates nursing homes. Says they are full of people with blank stares. Not so true there. There is a 'coven' of gossiping oldies on a sofa grouping near the dining hall, with a small radio tuned in to an oldies station, and they gossip, and comment loudly about the passersby. When I wheeled him back from our 'jaunt', one woman said, 'Look, the man with the missing leg is back!' Peter was irritated, and hissed, 'Did you HEAR that?' I was too busy giggling, and hissed, 'Later!'

But that meant he hadn't been out of his room in nearly a month.

On my way out, I ran into 'my guy', a Grazer who worked in a machine factory. His wife had two strokes, he can't take care of her, but it seems he is there every day of the week, and takes her out walking. But she's alert, and always greets me in a friendly way, and he is always, 'Servas'. 'That's a familiar greeting, sorta, 'How's it going?' Nice man.

So it was, 'Servas, how's 'da Boss'? Is he really going to be transferred to Wiesbaden, in Germany?' I was so taken aback. And said, 'No, he's weakened, and it will only be in his imagination.' (I had thought we'd gotten through that...)

So that was surreal part two.

In one of my smoking breaks outside, Juliana from Admin came out and asked me if I would like a cappucino... 'It's my treat...' I guess I often wear my worries on my face, and people read me easily. And I said, 'Oh, thank you, that would be very nice.'

So... we're back to health care. I've been down there since March now weekly, almost never the same day. And keep my eyes open. And think that the facility is exemplary. The staff is exceptional. They don't talk down to people, and seem to genuinely care for all their charges. I couldn't imagine having to do that day for day without going to pieces inside. So I think they are special. And some have an extra antenna, and if you visit, and they see you are upset, they stop and have an extra minute with you. Warm, friendly, direct, they don't gloss things over. That is special.

Tja, and that is socialised medicine. Some people in the US should have it so good.

Hmm... going to Gamlitz isn't my idea of a 'good time'....

And can be surreal at times....

But everyone gets treated with dignity.