Trip to Oxford, MS to see dad
Well, the trip went well. We stayed at the Baymont Hotel (not Beaumont, sorry, Lillie) in Grenada and then went up from Grenada to Oxford. Y’all, don’t’ stay there…….it’s not that great. They put the blankets in the drawers and you can’t find them easily, and the carpets are stained………
So, we visited dad on Saturday, Sunday and Monday…………………..
Anyway, we got to John Cossar State Park Saturday about mid-afternoon and then we went up and visited dad, late Saturday afternoon. At first, he was not very social and he was polite but he wanted us to all go……..he made a sweeping motion with his hands. We joked with him and made the sign of the cross from the Pope and he rolled his eyes. So, we knew from that that old Ken is still in there.
The Veteran’s Home, located between old Highway 7 and the new Highway 7, is very nice and is handled by the State of Mississippi with subsidies from the US Government. With the state operating the home, it is very hospitable and nice……..not luxurious, but nice……..with good, light paint, artwork on the walls from some of the residents, American flags everywhere and a bulletin board where they can put their military pictures. They have a full schedule and there are fun things to do for coherent residents and the staff is very very caring and respectful. Coherent residents even get to go to places like Memphis and eat out and stuff like that. The Bingo is run by an ambulatory, coherent Vietnam Vet. The Activities Director is Mr. Singletary, and he is very good with the residents; one wonders if he is a preacher or something.
Dad cannot eat; he has a feeding tube and he cannot speak, although he attempts to. He cannot walk at all. His right hand is immobile and his left hand is curved. He can’t breathe very well so the vocal chords can’t vibrate and then the parts that produce speech (tongue) are pretty much shot. Dr. K, was much more settled when he saw us Sunday. We saw dad for a moment in physical therapy and he just doesn’t try; he’s tired of fighting.
Sunday, we went outside to the courtyard on the side and dad DID try to make conversation. He joked with us through gestures, he “played dead” with the nurse and mocked “surprise” when he saw his old Navy picture. His eyes speak volumes and volumes. Most humans cannot communicate with their eyes like dad can. We think that he was trying to tell us about his youthful days as an ensign, but he just was breathy and we could only make out “how” and “why” and “and” and “the.” Dad is reading now, and John, my brother in law from New York is a nurse practitioner and says that the brain normally takes about a year to heal. Dad’s long hair (he’s part Cherokee) is beginning to thin out and there isn’t much there anymore.
Dad’s roommate is very young, a Gulf War Vet and is only 53. He was in an accident. He stays in bed and doesn’t do much. Mostly, he has pictures of Jesus and horses and he’s pretty much gone.
Both beds sit near the floor and there is an apparatus which helps residents to stand up.
The football crowds were STILL THERE right before we left. The population swell didn’t go down until Monday. Dad was exhausted Monday and we didn’t have that great a visit.
Miss Judy, my common law step mother also will need respite care in about another year-her mind and mobility are going and her behavior is regressing. Judy’s mom was very mean and cruel to Miss Judy and Miss Judy is regressing into child-like behaviors from that time.
I have never eaten that much in my life-We ate at Newk’s ; we went to two coffee bars, one Japanese and one Indian Restaurant. We walked it off but we ate and ate. Yesterday, my stomach told me how much it loved me. BTW, Jocelyn and Sharon got to meet Meredith and Robin! Meredith and John her husband are leaving New Orleans tomorrow; an old high school mate, Skip Nolan, left them a key to a condo in the New Orleans Garden District for overnight stay.
I used some of my diplomatic/social skills learned from you all when dealing with Miss Judy and in dealing with my super yankee sister Meredith. Y’all pretty much saved me from a lot of grief and didn’t even know it.
Dr. Ken’s picture from 1954-56.
So, all in all, it was a nice visit. I hope one day, dad can talk again.
So, we visited dad on Saturday, Sunday and Monday…………………..
Anyway, we got to John Cossar State Park Saturday about mid-afternoon and then we went up and visited dad, late Saturday afternoon. At first, he was not very social and he was polite but he wanted us to all go……..he made a sweeping motion with his hands. We joked with him and made the sign of the cross from the Pope and he rolled his eyes. So, we knew from that that old Ken is still in there.
The Veteran’s Home, located between old Highway 7 and the new Highway 7, is very nice and is handled by the State of Mississippi with subsidies from the US Government. With the state operating the home, it is very hospitable and nice……..not luxurious, but nice……..with good, light paint, artwork on the walls from some of the residents, American flags everywhere and a bulletin board where they can put their military pictures. They have a full schedule and there are fun things to do for coherent residents and the staff is very very caring and respectful. Coherent residents even get to go to places like Memphis and eat out and stuff like that. The Bingo is run by an ambulatory, coherent Vietnam Vet. The Activities Director is Mr. Singletary, and he is very good with the residents; one wonders if he is a preacher or something.
Dad cannot eat; he has a feeding tube and he cannot speak, although he attempts to. He cannot walk at all. His right hand is immobile and his left hand is curved. He can’t breathe very well so the vocal chords can’t vibrate and then the parts that produce speech (tongue) are pretty much shot. Dr. K, was much more settled when he saw us Sunday. We saw dad for a moment in physical therapy and he just doesn’t try; he’s tired of fighting.
Sunday, we went outside to the courtyard on the side and dad DID try to make conversation. He joked with us through gestures, he “played dead” with the nurse and mocked “surprise” when he saw his old Navy picture. His eyes speak volumes and volumes. Most humans cannot communicate with their eyes like dad can. We think that he was trying to tell us about his youthful days as an ensign, but he just was breathy and we could only make out “how” and “why” and “and” and “the.” Dad is reading now, and John, my brother in law from New York is a nurse practitioner and says that the brain normally takes about a year to heal. Dad’s long hair (he’s part Cherokee) is beginning to thin out and there isn’t much there anymore.
Dad’s roommate is very young, a Gulf War Vet and is only 53. He was in an accident. He stays in bed and doesn’t do much. Mostly, he has pictures of Jesus and horses and he’s pretty much gone.
Both beds sit near the floor and there is an apparatus which helps residents to stand up.
The football crowds were STILL THERE right before we left. The population swell didn’t go down until Monday. Dad was exhausted Monday and we didn’t have that great a visit.
Miss Judy, my common law step mother also will need respite care in about another year-her mind and mobility are going and her behavior is regressing. Judy’s mom was very mean and cruel to Miss Judy and Miss Judy is regressing into child-like behaviors from that time.
I have never eaten that much in my life-We ate at Newk’s ; we went to two coffee bars, one Japanese and one Indian Restaurant. We walked it off but we ate and ate. Yesterday, my stomach told me how much it loved me. BTW, Jocelyn and Sharon got to meet Meredith and Robin! Meredith and John her husband are leaving New Orleans tomorrow; an old high school mate, Skip Nolan, left them a key to a condo in the New Orleans Garden District for overnight stay.
I used some of my diplomatic/social skills learned from you all when dealing with Miss Judy and in dealing with my super yankee sister Meredith. Y’all pretty much saved me from a lot of grief and didn’t even know it.
Dr. Ken’s picture from 1954-56.
So, all in all, it was a nice visit. I hope one day, dad can talk again.
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