September 24th Tennis Morning & Pictures

Dad was getting wheeled out of the bathroom on my arrival.  I was actually 5-10 minutes earlier than I usually get there and here he was all up and dressed.  The OT had helped him do his morning stuff. Since he was ready to go, we headed for breakfast.  Tom was scheduled to come by soon and take Dad to watch some tennis and have coffee with his friends.

We turned the corner to head toward the dining room and one of the employees looked straight at me and raised her hand and said, "Hey, I got the..." whatever thing she thought I wanted.  She excused herself, she thought I was one of her co-workers.  She went on her way and I took a knee in front of Dad.

"Dad, do you remember about a week ago when you told me about the physical therapist that came by?"

"Yes"

"And, how you felt terrible because you thought it was me.  You were talking to him just like you would talk to me.  You felt terrible and confused when at the end of the session you found out it was actually someone else.  And you said you must be getting  pretty bad 'cause you couldn't even recognize your own son anymore."

"Yeah."

"Well, some woman who works here just walked up to me like I worked here too.  You're not the only one seeing someone who looks like me.  She works here and can't tell us apart!"

"Good.  At least I'm not going crazy, too."

We headed off to the dining room.  He told me about having Sunday dinner with Tom and that after I left on Saturday, Lori, who I think was one of Jim's first girlfriends, came by and brought some flowers.  "You know that has to have been over thirty years we've know her.  That's GOTTA be some kind of record!"

He ate fairly well - scrambled eggs and part of a muffin.  We tried to talk about the football referees and how they were ruining the game.  He kept thinking it was basketball.  Oh well, wasn't it last year those refs ruined that game?

Just as a side note, if his kidneys have failed him, the components the doctors measure in his blood, the BUN and creatinine, you know the ones that have been slowly going up.  Well, if they continue to rise we can expect his thinking to become a bit more mumbled.  They may have taken those tests today and Bill may get the results.

After breakfast it was back to his room for a quick pit stop, and his morning meds.  While he was in the bathroom, his roommate remarked on the level of his determination.

We loaded him in Tom's car and got him to the tennis courts.  His friends were pleased to see him and they got to visit for awhile.  Dad watched for about 15-20 minutes just sitting in the sun.

The game goes on.

It was time for Max and I to head for work, we had to leave, but they were all going for coffee at Burger King and then back to Rosewood.

Here are a few more pictures:

Al asking Dad if he wants to get out and hit.  Dad hit him.

Tom, Frank and Dad watch intently.  Max checking for foot faults.

The Motely Crew.

Nedra making sure Dad is comfortable.

Dad helping to call lines.

I think he wanted to be out there.