Nana's Blog

Sandwiches

2005-06-27T16:12:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, ohn and I " ride the bus"
This means that in our new mini career, we ride in a motor-home like vehicle to various long-term care facilities [AKA God's Waiting Rooms ] around Austin.
We do barium swallow studies on those who can no longer swallow food, and it is actually quite rewarding to hear our speech pathologist, Kathy, tell them that after all, they can partake of something more tasty than clear fluids.
But, this is not the point of this blog;
We spoke to my parents psychatrist in Cheshire, UK, or, rathet , John did as I was a little emotional on this subject.
He stated that after his asssesment, he finds them both to be demented.
Now, I have been a physician for 40 years, but this was still hard to take, until he told us.
I should not be surprised; the incidence of dementia is about 85% after age 80,- but These Are My Parents!
Now, he is 91, and she is 87, so?
Also, we all label Dementia as Altzheimers' Disease, yet the individual etiology varies as much as the presentation
My father, for example is frozen into a Parkinsoiamism state, and possbly, as a result, he has become aggressive verbally, and even physically, given his restricted limits, especiaaly at night.
It must not be easy for a Member of the British Empire, {M.B.E] to be called "Ken, Poppet," when having his bum whiped.
My mother, this vereified by the Phyciatrist, is far more cognitivally impaired, but "nice".
Oh My!
My brother and his wife bear the brunt of this, as they visit the care- center daily.
Some of the euphemistically labelled places that we visited last week, and shall again tomorrow, are not as acceptable as the one where my parets, unknowingly, are paying to exist.
Food for thought.
Sddening, as we revel in the joys of grandparenting; it is all over before we know it, yet we all get so wrapped up in the petty peeves of life that is it over before we know it, literally; we may still be here on earth, but not know it.
How bitterly sad.
I could weep each day that I try to break through to my parents over the wires that stretch across the pond.
A final note of pthos; today it is their 63rd. wedding anniversary, and I'll bet very few remembed, especially them.
God bless you both, Mum and Dad, and look down on you in you solitary little room.

Why Sandwiches?
Well, we are the

Welcome to Our New Life!

2005-06-05T09:53:00.000-07:00

Our New Life officially began over Memorial day weekend. Prior to that, after we had sold the Practice and the professional building in late February, our life was a hectic rush of having our new house in Austin, Texas, built, and camping in it, whilst the dear old family home in Friendswood went on the market.
The house is still on the market, and we are still camping on inflatable mattresses, but we have hardly noticed. Life has been so exciting!
On April 15th. Arden Miriam Egerton pushed her way into our world, and now the sky is bluer, the sun is brighter, the trees are greener, storms are majestic, and life has taken on a new meaning.
All four of us grandparents were bonded to her within an hour of her delivery; her drug free entrance, and ever since it has seemed that the entire Universe revolves around Arden.
Roz and Jeff flew in from New York every weekend, and we all camped up here in the hills.
But as memorial day approached, our pitch of excitement reached a great high; we had so much to celebrate.
On Thursday evening, we met Gareth, Karen, and the twins, Simon and Trevor, at the Austin Airport. The boys are seven years old, and so bright and polite and well-spoken.
First stop was at Owen and Jodi's new little cottage in funky fashionable south Austin. There they met Arden!
Then we all drove up into the hills to our house (camp) on (please don't laugh, now) House of York. At least we don't reside in Prince Charles, which is just round the corner, and which would have been totally unpalatable to me. Nor do we live on Edgerton Street, which is as well, as the spelling is wrong. Such is our neighborhood; we enter Westminster Glenn Drive, then we turn into Prince William, and finally into House of York, narrowly and fortuitously avoiding entering Prince Charles. As yet, we do not have Camilla Alley, and I am seriously hoping that this will never happen.
At our house, the boys immediately baptized our new swimming pool.
We all ate big hamburgers and hot dogs, before crashing onto the floor.
On Friday, Allen and Annwen, and dog Cholula, arrived on us, and Roz and Jeff arrived on Owen and Jodi, complete with Aunt Maddy, Uncle Ed, and cousin Jenna.
So Saturday found us all, The Arden Fan Club, up in the hills, and whilst the brisket slowly simmered for our evening barbecue, we drove over to The Oasis restaurant for a margarita, and lovely views of beautiful Lake Travis.
As family, we were almost complete; we were missing Gwyn, in Hawaii, and the Shermans were missing Jodi,s brother Brett, in New York.
On Saturday evening, all the clan drove into Austin to watch Owen's show.
I stayed with Arden, Simon and Trevor, could not get the new TV to work, or Arden to stop fussing.

Welcome to Dr. Nana's Blog

2005-06-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

Hello