Mom and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary is next month, and Dad asked me
to take her shopping for a new dress. She has tremors in her hands, so I
was thinking something easy to slip over the head, no buttons, no zippers.
She has no opinion on anything, so I'm doing some selecting and she's
agreeing to "at least try it." So we get in the little dressing room,
the two of us, several dresses in various sizes. I get her out of blouse
and sweater. Now I discover why everything she owns has buttons. She
cannot get anything over her head unless it is very stretchy, such as a
cotton knit top with a wide neckline. She cannot lift her arms above her
shoulders.
We finally found a dress that would work with a zipper up the back. She
isn't too sure about it. I think it looks nice, but it is not as dressy
as what I think Dad had in mind. (They are renewing their vows during
the Sunday morning church service and then my aunt and I are hosting a
small drop-in that afternoon.) So we agreed to buy it and hold onto the
receipt in case we find something better.
The incontinence issues are getting worse, so after about an hour I
suggested a trip to the ladies' room. She declines assistance (which is
fine by me -- let her do as much as she can). She comes out of the
stall, and is fussing with the waistband of her pants. I ask if she is
having trouble getting her ****rt tucked in, and she says, "No, it's that
other thing," meaning the Depends. They are halfway down her thighs, and
she has just pulled up the pants. So I got her put back together. She
goes to wash her hands and picks up the bright pink soap dispenser and
says "I wonder what this stuff is." I had commented on the flamingo pink
soap dispensers on the way in not 10 minutes before.
Her blood sugar also dropped and we had to stop for a snack, but I was
prepared for that. It had dropped to 67 yesterday, and the nurse gave me
a headsup to watch for the same mid-afternoon drop today. So we stopped
for crackers and watched children on a huge jungle gym. She enjoyed the
kids -- had to compliment every parent who walked by on how adorable and
beautiful their children were. They all walked away with big smiles,
which I guess goes to prove everyone has something to contribute to the
world, even if you can't dress yourself and can't recognize soap.
|
