I got this doozy from Michelle, the Activities Director at Nana's home.
Michelle was having a discussion about God and spirituality with the residents. In order to solicit responses, Michelle asked, "If you could be God, what is the first thing you would do?"
Nana was the first to pipe up with a response.
"I'd resign!!!"
heeheehee
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Monday, June 11, 2012
Church with Nana
Anyone who knows my Mom well knows that she is a devout Catholic. Not a holy roller, you're going to Hell and I 'm not because I'm Catholic kind of devout, but a never miss a Sunday Mass you know I'm a Christian by my Love kind of devout... She believes deeply in God and trusts that He will help her through whatever he has planned for her.
Alzheimers is an interesting disease. When one has worsening Alzheimer's, one tends to lose a timeline-- so she could go to Mass every day and never remember, or she could go once a month and think that she has gone every day. Taking her outside her "comfort zone", i.e. her home at Compass, is often quite confusing for her. So my philosophy was that if she asked to go to Mass, I would find a Catholic church closeby and I would take her to Mass. Last week, she told the CNA's that she missed Mass. So this past week, I investigated the local parish and found a daily 9am Mass.
We entered the chapel Friday morning, about 10 minutes prior to Mass. The priest, a quiet young man, was making copies at the copy machine outside the chapel. I walked over with Nana, quickly introduced myself and then introduced Nana. He seemed rather disinterested, looking at me fleetingly, shaking our hands and then grunting while walking away. Okaaayyyy.... I feel welcomed. Sigh.
We walked into the chapel and sat down in one of the pews. Others shuffled in and sat down in various pews around the altar. One woman walked in carrying a glass of water and a notebook, and proceeded to study the contents within while sipping from her cup in the front row. (Really, I thought, if you are going to multi-task and pay only half-attention, perhaps you should sit in the back row?)
The priest finished setting up the altar, put on his vestments and stood to the side of the altar. Everyone stood and read the entrance antiphon as he moved towards the pulpit. Once he had everyones attention, he started Mass. With the musical lifting of his hands and his quick gestures and expressions, I realized that the priest was deaf and the Mass would be in sign language. The woman in the front row? She was the interpreter, and she was reciting the Mass for those of us who couldn't understand sign language-- she had a cold, the priest explained, which was why she was sipping the water. I am a bad, bad person for making such quick judgments, in church of all places! Ha!
After Mass, I asked Nana if she noticed anything different about the priest.
"Oh, he seems very nice. And he is very expressive!"
"Did you notice that he was deaf, and the woman in the front row was interpreting for him?"
"No! Really?" She was silent for a moment, then continued, "I guess it is getting harder to find good priests nowadays." Oy... :)
And if you ever get the chance to go to a Mass for the deaf, please go. I have to say it was probably one of the best Masses that I have gone to in awhile....
Alzheimers is an interesting disease. When one has worsening Alzheimer's, one tends to lose a timeline-- so she could go to Mass every day and never remember, or she could go once a month and think that she has gone every day. Taking her outside her "comfort zone", i.e. her home at Compass, is often quite confusing for her. So my philosophy was that if she asked to go to Mass, I would find a Catholic church closeby and I would take her to Mass. Last week, she told the CNA's that she missed Mass. So this past week, I investigated the local parish and found a daily 9am Mass.
We entered the chapel Friday morning, about 10 minutes prior to Mass. The priest, a quiet young man, was making copies at the copy machine outside the chapel. I walked over with Nana, quickly introduced myself and then introduced Nana. He seemed rather disinterested, looking at me fleetingly, shaking our hands and then grunting while walking away. Okaaayyyy.... I feel welcomed. Sigh.
We walked into the chapel and sat down in one of the pews. Others shuffled in and sat down in various pews around the altar. One woman walked in carrying a glass of water and a notebook, and proceeded to study the contents within while sipping from her cup in the front row. (Really, I thought, if you are going to multi-task and pay only half-attention, perhaps you should sit in the back row?)
The priest finished setting up the altar, put on his vestments and stood to the side of the altar. Everyone stood and read the entrance antiphon as he moved towards the pulpit. Once he had everyones attention, he started Mass. With the musical lifting of his hands and his quick gestures and expressions, I realized that the priest was deaf and the Mass would be in sign language. The woman in the front row? She was the interpreter, and she was reciting the Mass for those of us who couldn't understand sign language-- she had a cold, the priest explained, which was why she was sipping the water. I am a bad, bad person for making such quick judgments, in church of all places! Ha!
After Mass, I asked Nana if she noticed anything different about the priest.
"Oh, he seems very nice. And he is very expressive!"
"Did you notice that he was deaf, and the woman in the front row was interpreting for him?"
"No! Really?" She was silent for a moment, then continued, "I guess it is getting harder to find good priests nowadays." Oy... :)
And if you ever get the chance to go to a Mass for the deaf, please go. I have to say it was probably one of the best Masses that I have gone to in awhile....
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Banging your head against a wall
Nana had a check up last week. Becky and I headed to Compass to pick her up, and Nana was very excited to go. We packed her up into the car, and we headed to Worcester.
"I miss my car. I've been thinking of picking up another one, just so I can run an errand or two."
Uhoh.
"Oh Mom, I don't mind picking up stuff for you. And if you want to go somewhere, just let me know."
"I hate to be a bother. And it might be nice just to get out once in awhile. Although when I think about getting a car, I start thinking about the cost of gas, the taxes, renewing my license..." (not knowing where you are going, I think to myself...)
"True! I don't think it would be worth it." I laugh. "I think it would be better if you just got yourself a driver. That way, you won't get lost and you won't have to worry about all those taxes."
"A driver? Oh no. I am not in the market to get another husband!" Hmmm.
We arrived at the doctor's, and Nana greeted everyone with a smile and a laugh. She was brought into the office and weighed-- she has lost 12 pounds since moving to Compass. (This may have a lot to do with the fact that she no longer forgets that she has already eaten... And she is no longer eating pancakes with sugared strawberries and whipped cream every morning.. but I will keep my eye on this.)
She greeted the doctor and said that she is feeling great. As always, her vital signs were perfect-- heartrate 60, bp 110/64, afebrile. She showed the doctor a few spots on her skin ("I think my Alzheimers is showing") and spoke of how happy she is in her new home.
The doctor looked at Becky and I and said, "Her laughter is back." I looked at her, a little puzzled.
She went on, "It is clear that the move to a dementia care unit was the right one. Your Mom had lost a bit of her laughter and her wit at the last visit, which was worrying. But it is definitely back. Her other home was nice, but she needed more but didn't even know it. It's like when you are banging your head against a wall and you have a headache-- but you don't realize that you have a headache until you stop banging your head."
We headed back to Compass.
"This has been fun! I've enjoyed this visit with you two."
Becky and I agreed.
"I've been thinking about picking up a car, so I can run an errand or two..."
"I miss my car. I've been thinking of picking up another one, just so I can run an errand or two."
Uhoh.
"Oh Mom, I don't mind picking up stuff for you. And if you want to go somewhere, just let me know."
"I hate to be a bother. And it might be nice just to get out once in awhile. Although when I think about getting a car, I start thinking about the cost of gas, the taxes, renewing my license..." (not knowing where you are going, I think to myself...)
"True! I don't think it would be worth it." I laugh. "I think it would be better if you just got yourself a driver. That way, you won't get lost and you won't have to worry about all those taxes."
"A driver? Oh no. I am not in the market to get another husband!" Hmmm.
We arrived at the doctor's, and Nana greeted everyone with a smile and a laugh. She was brought into the office and weighed-- she has lost 12 pounds since moving to Compass. (This may have a lot to do with the fact that she no longer forgets that she has already eaten... And she is no longer eating pancakes with sugared strawberries and whipped cream every morning.. but I will keep my eye on this.)
She greeted the doctor and said that she is feeling great. As always, her vital signs were perfect-- heartrate 60, bp 110/64, afebrile. She showed the doctor a few spots on her skin ("I think my Alzheimers is showing") and spoke of how happy she is in her new home.
The doctor looked at Becky and I and said, "Her laughter is back." I looked at her, a little puzzled.
She went on, "It is clear that the move to a dementia care unit was the right one. Your Mom had lost a bit of her laughter and her wit at the last visit, which was worrying. But it is definitely back. Her other home was nice, but she needed more but didn't even know it. It's like when you are banging your head against a wall and you have a headache-- but you don't realize that you have a headache until you stop banging your head."
We headed back to Compass.
"This has been fun! I've enjoyed this visit with you two."
Becky and I agreed.
"I've been thinking about picking up a car, so I can run an errand or two..."
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