Don, John and the Righteous Brothers

Every Tuesday and Thursday, John goes out for breakfast with his friend Don -- and they often go for a drive, or back to Don's house to sing Karaoke. Don has been taking John out two days a week for months...he started doing it last winter.

Here's the thing. The VA approved John for 11 hours a week for a "home health aide" -- but John could not bond with the young women the agency sent (all with a cellphone appendage). It's a long story -- but let's just say that plan did not work out.

After John got home from Memory Care, I stopped trying with the agency. Luckily -- all summer -- Don came every Tuesday and Thursday. Like clockwork. And John LIVES for his "Don Days".

Then, it dawned on me that the agency SHOULD HIRE DON to be John's "home health aide"...!!

So, now, Don (81 years young) gets paid $15 an hour for 11 hours a week. And I officially have TWO WHOLE DAYS OFF. Don picks John up at 9:00, and brings him home sometime after 3:00.....Don lives a very musical life -- he has 125,000 karaoke songs on his laptop. And NOTHING COULD BE BETTER FOR JOHN than spending a whole day away from me -- singing songs he remembers.

Don and his wife Bernie -- at an outdoor concert...dancing...

John and Don at the concert (this is my only picture of them).

I am SO GRATEFUL that Sue encouraged me to sign up for John's VA benefits.  These 11 hours a week make all the difference in the world.  Did you know that the VA provides "durable goods" to ALL veterans -- regardless of their income or need. That means -- wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds, Depends, etc.

John has no sense of time or days of the week.  Every single morning, the first thing he says when he gets out of bed is, "is anybody coming today?"  (he can't remember Don's name).  And I know exactly what he's thinking ...(please, please, please let this be a Don Day!)

HEY -- me, too, John...me, too....