I wasn't prepared for this either

A little break from the drab, dreary world that Alzheimers brings us all to...


This was a ray of sunshine!!


As I walked down the hallway yesterday to visit Elbert he was in his usual place by the nurses station and a residents daughter, Susan, was talking to him. I saw him glance up and see me coming down the hall... and his eyesight is awful and he won't wear his glasses so I know his sight is atrocious. But, there is this huge grin on his face and by the time I reached his chair he was just beaming. So, was I!!!


After lunch I started pushing him around the nursing home and occassionally we'd stop in this 'living room' or that waiting room or the front entrance hall for a few minutes to give him and me a change of scenery.... and me to catch my breath. That man is heavy.


I was totally amazed at his focus and the things coming out of that man's mouth. Once he noticed one of the aides helping feed someone at the other end of the table and he said, 'I think someone down there is pretty'. I asked if he thought she was pretty and he nodded his head. A compliment out of him. Good.


Once he commented on what a big house that was. Yep, he's got that right.


I got to testing his arm muscles, giving a little squeeze and asked him what he had done with all that muscle, that it was gone. And his reply was 'it would be good if I had some'.


There was more chatter... something about what I thought of Miami.... Miami, where did that come from? We've never even been to Miami.


And, he was paying attention to other people talking so he was enjoying himself tremendously.


But, the best part of all was when I started to wheel him down the hall that little stinker stuck his feet out in front of him, started making the varoom, varoom sound of a car, put his hands out and started 'turning the wheel'. He was driving!! I just wish I had someone in front of us with a video camera. It was just the funniest thing and so alert and fun loving, just like he used to be.


Just look at this picture..... He's right in the midst of telling a big tale here, his favorite thing to do.