We left Battle Creek at 1:00 on Sunday and got back by 7:00 ... but when asked how things went on the return trip, I would have to say "eventful" as opposed to "un-eventful" which is what I like to say, for example, after a flight to or from somewhere.
How was the flight? "Un-eventful!" Not this time.
By the time we left Sunday Gregory had developed a major cough and cold and he felt pretty awful. The ride home therefore was difficult for him. He dozed a lot. We did stop, however, and had a good time at Grandpa's Cider Mill for a piece of cherry pie, an apple cider donut, and a cup of hot mulled cider. Then we stopped at "The Chocolate Garden" and purchased the "tasting" and bought some truffles like: Cinnamon Dark Chocolate, Double Double Dark Dark Chocolate, Red Wine Dark Chocolate, and Cayenne Pepper Dark Chocolate. Yumm.
By the time we got home Gregory was almost catatonic on me. I could tell that he didn't know the lobby, or the elevator, or the fourth floor hall. I paused and he didn't know which direction to go in the hall.
When we go to the apartment he was able to open the door with his key (with help from my directions) but held the door open only a little way and didn't go in. There we stood with the shopping card full of our suitcases. I literally had to take him into the unit because prompts of "open the door wider" or "go on in" or "step out of the way" didn't help.
He roamed the unit like he had never been here before. I went into my Nurse Nancy mode, took his blood pressure and temperature (normal) and made him some tea and cookies. He didn't know how to sit in his purple chair so I helped. I put the tea mug and plate of cookies on the table and he arranged and rearranged the cookies on the plate like he wasn't sure what to do with them, and didn't know how to hold the mug let alone to drink from it.
I put on some soft Beethoven in the hopes of helping him calm down but it didn't help so I turned it off. He would pop up and wander around the unit. After a while, I would gently bring him back and this time suggested we sit at the counter. We did so but he still didn't recognize the mug or cookies. I tried to get him to lie down on the bed to rest but he didn't know how, even with my physical guidance, and didn't stay down for long.
He didn't know my name. Thought I was Greg. Wondered why we were playing cards. Etc. As you can imagine I was quite scared as I had never witnessed such a complete and speedy drop of most skills and awareness since his "Trans Globabl Amnesia" which you may remember from 2003 when I thought he had a stroke and rushed him to the emergency room.
Talked with our friend Roger and he helped me cope (he is trained in Geriatric Dementias as a social worker.) Roger thought that perhaps besides the illness and the long drive, dealing with his brother's stroke, Gregory did not having the words to process all of his emotions and that was part of the problem. Makes sense to me.
Finally I helped Gregory get undressed, got into bed, closed the lights, and he did settle down and slept fairly well. I administered cough and cold meds and drinks of water through out the evening. I held his hand or kept my hand on his shoulder or chest just so he would know I was near.
By this morning Gregory is much better. Seems like the usual demented person is back rather than the catatonic one. Talk about being grateful for what you have (had.) He has been napping on and off but has had breakfast and lunch and we have been interacting and laughing on and off. He is able to communicate his needs and seems quite comfortable, contented, and aware of his surroundings. The meds are keeping his cough under control.
All (enough) for now :-)
m
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