Right now, it seems like each and every week, there's a new challenge. Which, when I think about it, isn't really very different from what was happening before Alzheimer's. Maybe that's just life...
The big difference is that I used to have challenges I actually ENJOYED. Working on a new seminar topic, painting a suitcase I found at a thrift store, planning a girls' trip to New York City, sewing a few criss-cross aprons, or mapping out the next Grandma Camp activity.
Those were the days, eh?
In my new AA life (After Alzheimer's) -- the challenges are things I would never have voluntarily done before. Some things I actually HATE..... Dealing with all the finances...lawn work....cleaning the basement...getting rid of my Art of Homemaking collection...giving John his insulin injections every single night...signing him up for his VA benefits....buying a new house...driving to Pennsylvania...and a lot of other stuff you really don't want to hear about.
Last week, the challenge in front of me was clearing out the garage...
Oh, yes. IT WAS TIME TO CLEAR OUT JOHN'S GARAGE. This is gonna be painful on sooo many levels. First of all -- he gets very agitated when he sees anything go out the door. Cal said it's because John thinks I am "getting rid of his stuff". I laughed and said, "Which is exactly what I'm doing!!"
Anyway -- it's time. Here are some BEFORE pictures...
The complete chaos inside John's garage is a perfect metaphor for what's been happening in his brain for the last coupla years...
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Looking at the rotted, rusted, chaotic mess inside his garage -- I realized John's brain has probably been failing him for a very long time.
Oh man, what a challenge. Is there stuff in there that you're keeping or does it all go? Can the hauling away be done when John's with Don?
ReplyDeleteMy initial plan was to have most of the hauling done when John was with Don...but that plan didn't exactly work out. Tomorrow -- a major update!
DeleteOh, yeah....it seems like his brain started to scramble a while back. We don't always see it right away. It was that way with my mom, too.
ReplyDeleteWell, dear friend, you have a job ahead of you! Hope you have someone who can help you with things. Some will be easy decisions, some won't. But I know you'll meet this challenge, too. Each one we meet and master makes us stronger! I'll be right behind you, praying you thru.