Feeling Feisty

On any visit, I am never sure who will greet me.  Will Mom know who I am? Will she be happy? Confused? Quiet? Energetic?

On this day, the best word to describe Nana would be "feisty," but in  a happy way.  Nana was convinced that her family was all moving in this day.  She saw me as I entered the unit.

"Hey, you're here! Terrific.  Let's go see the Director, so we can get your room."  Hmmm... We walked into the Director's office, where the Activities Director was working on some paperwork.

"Nancy is here. Is her room ready?"  Michelle looked Nana in the eye and said, "It's just about done."  Nana smiled. "The rest of the family should be here soon.  Are you sure there is room for everyone?"
Michelle assured her that there would be plenty of room. "Oh good," says Nana. "I think you will get along with everyone.  We are a very merry bunch!"

We went to Nana's room to wait for the others.  I dropped my stuff, took off my coat, and left Mom to go get a key to her medicine box, which I refill at every visit.  When I came back, she was hanging my coat up in her roommate's closet.  "Your room will probably be smaller than mine, so I will keep your coat up here." Okey dokey.  Following the first rule of calming Alzheimer's patients, I went along with her plan.

"Next, we need to get you fitted with one of these," she says, looking down at her walker. I told her that I was OK for now, I didn't need a walker yet.  "Oh, yes you do.  It's a rule around here. EVERYBODY needs to have one."  She was quiet for a moment.

"I have an idea. Let's go ahead outside and walk around.  If anybody says anything, look innocent and say, 'I'm sorry-- I didn't know that was a rule."  She burst into giggles.

"Oh, please don't tell anyone that I am encouraging my daughter to be naughty." We laughed.

I walked with Nana for awhile, and we had a nice visit. By the time I left, Nana was no longer thinking about everyone moving in.  I said my goodbyes, grabbed my coat and headed to the car.

That's when I realised that she hid my sunglasses somewhere in her room. .....
That was two weeks ago, and nope-- they still haven't reappeared.