Roles Reversed

This photo showed up on my "Facebook Memories."

During this time, October 2013,  I was still cooking for Gregory and me. It was a new skill for me as he used to be the chef and I the sous chef.

Then the roles reversed. I was so "proud" of my new abilities that I posted a lot of "food pix."

What A Wonderful Visit

Today Mark Jr. and Colleen, Gregory and my nephew and niece-in-law, visited with Gregory. We brought flowers and Ole Fashioned Home Made Strawberry Short Cake. The flowers pleased Gregory and he "Yummed" throughout the shortcake eating! A great time was had by all.

Happy to receive the flowers

Assembling the Shortcakes

The only reason for Shortcake ... is the whipped  cream!

Yummy.

Listening to some of Junior's Frank Zappa.

This Evening at Lieberman

I spent three hours with Gregory today.

From 2:00-3:00, Barbara, a volunteer, played piano. I think she is older than many of the residents on the floor and her energy, or lack of it, showed in her playing.

I am not criticizing, just describing. Many residents slept, many stared, a few clapped their hands or sung. Each, in their own way, enjoyed the performance.

Back in Gregory's room, we partook of some of the food treats I had brought in: pitted cherries, fresh figs, animal cookies, refrigerated chocolate covered mini donuts, and pretzel rods.

The way to Gregory's heart is through his mouth ... really! Manny was placing a cherry on Gregory's specially handled and weighted fork and Gregory was methodically able to bring the cherry to his mouth, pull it off with his teeth, and enjoy the wonderful taste with his eyes closed.

At one point I asked Gregory to give me a cherry. It was already skewered onto his fork, I put my face close enough to him and he actually put a cherry in my mouth! Oh joy!

Later when I gave him a pretzel rod, I labeled it out-loud to him, "Pretzel! Can you say that." Without much thinking, Gregory responded, "Pretzel." Manny and I were elated, applauded, and Gregory smiled.

Gregory noticed the photograph of Julia Child which sits in a black frame on his window sill. "Oh wow!" he said, as if discovering not only the photo for the first time but also the memory's return for the first in a long time. Tears (of joy) came to him and I gave him a hug. I asked if he wanted me to tell the story? He shook his head, "Yes."

I proceeded to retell the story of how Julia Child used to live in the same neighborhood as Gregory when he lived in Boston. They used to run into each other at the butcher and developed an acquaintanceship over discussing the various cuts of meats. Gregory has always prided himself in this story and told it many times over when he was able.

On listening to my retelling with rapt attention, the tears flowed in abundance with the look of such pain, longing, remembering, being overwhelmed, uncontrollable grief, not sure exactly which emotions were really present.

I hugged him and we rocked and cried together. Sometimes I am grateful that Gregory still has emotions and is able to express them but this time I wondered if the pain was worth their recalling.

A little later he started calling, "Momma ... momma ... momma." He did this chain of three several times and the tears began again. I am not sure what prompted this or why and according to Manny, it was a first. We rocked and cried again.

Now that it was getting close to dinner time I decided I needed to try to cheer him up so I asked him if he wanted me to do "The Teddy Bear Puppet Show?" He responded by shaking his head, "Yes."

His Teddy Bear, named Peaceful, is large enough and flexible enough that when grabbed by the back of its neck, one can do a pretty good imitation of having the bear dance, sing, act silly, wave, give kisses, whatever.

So we did the usual show, Gregory began to smile, kissed Peaceful in return, and we all broke into giggles as how silly I was being.

The other day, during a similar puppet show, Gregory instead of kissing the bear, grabbed its nose in his mouth, bit hard, shook his head back and forth, and "Gurrrrrrred" as if he was a bear himself.

The Teddy Bear's name is "Peaceful." "Peaceful," Gregory repeated and we went off to dinner.

Spoiling Myself

Gregory's facility, The Lieberman Center, is approximately two minutes away from an IHOP (International House of Pancakes.) Lately I have been visiting the establishment as a way of being mealtime good to myself before or after a visit to Gregory.

Reality Check

Hey, I woke up this morning. I can see. I can hear. I can smell. I can taste. I can touch. I can get up early and make coffee. Before JRC I can drive to McDonalds so we can have a fast breakfast of Egg McMuffins. I can drive to JRC, a Jewish Temple in Evanston to attend Sabbath services and to witness our friend Jan's first ever reading of the Torah as part of those services.

I can take a nap with both kitties joining me: one purring in my groin, the other draped across my neck and face. (P.S. The kitties are in favor again. Perhaps my niece Colleen's support helped me to look at them with new eyes.)

I can talk on the phone with a close friend John about life, love, Alz, God, religion, Judaism vs Catholicism, opera, kitties, art, creativity, and more.

I can look forward to some kind of dinner and then a movie on NETFLIX. I can look forward to a good night's sleep and to an empty day tomorrow, waiting to be filled - both the day and me.

So if my last few posts have given you impression that I am "in trouble," you were correct. But if you know me well enough, you also know that I recover pretty easily and pretty quickly. My psychic said, "You are resiliant!" She didn't know how right on she was ... or did she?

This was one of today's prayers at JRC. Fitting! A huge list of temple members who are ill was read.

Next, the Kaddish was said for a HUGE list of JRC members or family who have passed away.

Puts a proper perspective on life and the living, doesn't it? P.S. Sometimes "complete healing of body and soul" might mean not in this life as we know it. But none the less healing and peace.

Back to Normal

Slowly Gregory is getting back to normal, whatever that means. His cold/cough is much better and many of his usual routines have returned. He made his own breakfast this morning and that pleased me. He has been joking around (mostly his sense of humor doesn't work) but he has actually been funny. He "assisted" me as I had my first attempt at baking bread with our new Cuisinart Stand Mixer. The first adventure is a braided raising Challah (egg bread.) I think I need to purchase a "Bread 101" book. Attached is a picture of the results: