Dorothy’s Dementia- Chapter 2

Dorothy’s ride to the surgeon to get her staples removed was a delight for her.  She soaked up the sun, the fresh air, and the clouds.  She complained all the way to his office about pain and sourness in her left leg.  She asked me several times what happened to it.  I explained every time like it was the first time.  And listened to her ask me why she can’t remember that this happened. 

 When we got to the office- I had to help her out of the car and into her wheelchair- then I had to leave her alone in the shade to go and park the car- and pray that she wouldn’t wonder where she was and wheel off somewhere.    This was a first for me – I never pictured myself pushing mom in a wheel chair.  

 We made our way up to the office and as she sat in the wheel chair with her head was hung low- she looked very uncomfortable and old- all of her light was gone.  It was tough for me to see her like this- to watch her get so old right before my eyes.

When they came to get her- her eyes brightened- she sat straighter in her chair and greeted them with her beautiful smile.   They took her to X-ray and took all her vitals.   They brought the x-ray in just before the surgeon walked in.  We saw where she had broken her hip in two places- which was interesting to me – because they kept saying it was a broken leg.  You can see two rods (they told us they were only putting one in her femur) and just looking at the picture made me hurt.   The surgeon was in and out in two minutes- his first question was “are you in any pain”- she replied “no”- which I couldn’t believe. Dementia- it sucks!   He took her off of the pain pills and kept her on Tylenol and told her he’d see her in 4 weeks.  His assistant came in and helped mom up on the table to remove her 23 stables.   She took it like a champ- only said “ouch” once.   

After the assistant left, we just sat and relaxed for a few minutes before leaving the room.  I wanted to make sure that she wasn’t going to pass out or get sick from what just took place.   As we were talking and I was looking in her eyes I was trying to find her, she wasn’t in there.  Her eyes were “gone” and she looked at me and asked me where she was and if I could take her home now.   This literally broke my heart and the tears started to flow.  I almost hopped into the wheelchair with-her, I hugged her tight and told her I loved her and calmed myself down.  I could not lose it here. 

We made our exit and again I had to put her in the shade and hope she didn’t escape before I returned with the car.   We headed back to the Rehab center- I made a stop on the way to go in and get her a Snickers, and she was like a little kid when I gave it to her.  “A candy bar!”  She was so excited!

It was an exhausting afternoon for mom, so when we returned to her room all she wanted to do was lay down and take a nap.     I hope she rested well.

I hope she can graduate from Rehab and go back to her apartment and her friends.

Love and Light,

Cheryl Doreen