Adventures in Alzheimers: Over the Grapevine

Mike stopped by Grampy's single-wide in the Greenacres Senior Homes Trailer Park the other day for his daily visit to check on his dad, make sure the water faucets and stove were off and to dispense his medications. Grampy was huddled in front of Bonanza on the TV, shouting at Hoss and Little Joe to "Look behind you! Look behind you!"  Dragging his eyes away from the TV screen, he greeted his son (the only son/caretaker he has) with a frown and a glare and asked "Why the hell do you come over here everyday? Why don't you leave me alone?" Mike sighed and ignored the question. 

Imaginary Grampy on the Grapevine...

Grampy went on— "You're lucky you caught me at home, I just got back!" "Is that right?" Mike asked, knowing a good story was coming next. Grampy is home-bound with only Mike or me for transportation to anywhere. "Yup. I just got back from L.A. Took a trip there for a couple of days to visit friends." "Well" Mike asked "How did you get there?" Grampy was nonplussed and gave Mike a look like he was an idiot . "In my car of course". "But dad, you don't have a car.” Mike can't just leave it alone and go along with the fantasies. He has to egg his dad on. Grampy got up out of the recliner and looked out the window to the driveway and the absence of a car. "Oh. Yeah. Well I went on my scooter" he decided. His little motorized, glorified wheelchair is what that is. Mike pressed further, “How did that do over the Grapevine?” (mountain pass between here and L.A.) “Well” Grampy said “It was rough but I made it”.

They don't make shows like this anymore..sigh

Grampy really does think the stories he tells us happened. In his mind it did.  And I say, let him have his fantasies. Good Lord his life is reduced to trying to achieve regular bowel movements, the Western Channel and daily visits from Mike to give him pills. Let him take his imaginary trip to visit friends in imaginary L.A. ...no wait. L.A. Is real. It just SEEMS imaginary.

Mike decided it was time to change the subject and get back to reality. “So dad do you need anything from the store? Do you want to go down to the Save Mart with me and get groceries?” Grampy thought a moment. "No I don't think so. Mama will do that. Wait...where is mama? Have you seen her lately?” Oy vay. For the 100^th time Mike had to break the news to him. “Dad, mama died in 1997”. Everytime he hears this Grampy is surprised but not really disturbed by it. He always responds, “Well we had a good run of it. More than 60 years we were married and they were good years.” I think mama would have had a different take on that statement. They were married barely 50 years, he treated her horribly and they fought like cats and dogs the entire time.

But we let him have his fantasies. No harm, no foul. It's pretty much all he has left...well that and Bonanza.

#alzheimersimaginations #dementiaimaginations #grandpaadventures