Mom TRIES, yo!
K, so I heard sum more of what went on when Mom started her few-day stay w/Gramps. It seems Gramps was using his walker and had a storm cloud over his head while Mom was folding a towel. Mom told him, "Iris is only going 2 B gone 4 a few dayz, Dad--and we're going 2 have a gd time!" Poor Gramps, do U have the impression that Mom's plan was "remind Gramps every 20 minutes that Iris is away and Mom is staying w/him 4 a few dayz"? Yeah, me, 2.
Mom went on w/"We'll go outside, we'll watch movies, we'll make sum popcorn, and...." Gramps did a big "SNORT!!" and began 2 clump away from Mom, towards his armchair. As he was sitting, Mom was like, "Look. I know how hard it is not being able 2 talk, not being able 2 do the things U used 2 do. I know..." Gramps cut her off w/a "PFFTBLTTT." Then Mom stooped down 2 slitely below eye level w/Gramps and she went, "OK. So I DON'T know how U feel.... But I TRY!!" And it seems Gramps either smiled or smirked @ her.
Jeremy thanx w/yr help last nite making sure Gramps wd B safe. U R super-smart, yrself!!!
Apes
Mom went on w/"We'll go outside, we'll watch movies, we'll make sum popcorn, and...." Gramps did a big "SNORT!!" and began 2 clump away from Mom, towards his armchair. As he was sitting, Mom was like, "Look. I know how hard it is not being able 2 talk, not being able 2 do the things U used 2 do. I know..." Gramps cut her off w/a "PFFTBLTTT." Then Mom stooped down 2 slitely below eye level w/Gramps and she went, "OK. So I DON'T know how U feel.... But I TRY!!" And it seems Gramps either smiled or smirked @ her.
Jeremy thanx w/yr help last nite making sure Gramps wd B safe. U R super-smart, yrself!!!
Apes
posted by April Patterson @ 8:47 AM
5 Comments:
At 9:38 AM,
Anonymous said…
I laughed at your Gramps razzing your mom like that. I guess he's showing what he thinks of her caring for him, or lack thereof.
At 10:53 AM,
Anonymous said…
The only thing she's trying is your grandfather's patience. The impression I got from this is that she "apologized" in the same tome of voice that got him angry in the first place. She didn't and won't realize tha talking to him like a five-year-old is what's got him angered.
At 10:56 AM,
Anonymous said…
april, anothah weird mornin’w/ur dad while ur mom iz @ur grandpa jim’s. wut wuz up w/hiz sayin’, "elly is only going 2b gone 4 a few dayz, april--& we're going 2 have a gd time! we'll go outside & play w/model trains & no1 will bother me all day long.” then u sed, “i think friday iz 1 of the dayz u work, isn’t it?” then ur dad did a big "SNORT!!" u followed aftah him & sed, "look. i know how hard it iz not being able 2 do the things u wanna do. i know..." & then ur dad cut u off w/a "PFFTBLTTT." then u sed, "ok. so i DON'T know how u feel not gettin’2 play w/model trainz all day, but i try 2 run the house while mom is gone & u do nothing!!" & then ur dad either smiled or smirked @u. then u sed 2 me, “i think i need 2 sleep ovah @ur place 2nite, jeremy. do u think ur mom will mind?” & i sed, “no.”
‘course all the way 2 the vet clinic, u were like, “i dunno, jeremy. dad may starve 2 death, if no1 is there. i shudn’t let him get 2 me like that. i don’t wanna go back 2 the house & find him dead.” so, weird mornin’. lemme know wut u wanna do. mom sez it’s ok if u stay ovah. & she also sez ur dad cud stand 2 skip a meal. also, I luv u, no mattah wut u decide.
At 11:13 AM,
Anonymous said…
April,
Formerly little sis. Your story today was a classic example of why our mother is so wonderful. If it were any other person having to spend days with Grandpa Jim, their thoughts might turn to jelly at Grandpa Jim’s relentless bad mood. Not our mom. Ever since Grandpa Jim got his stroke, he has been nonstop, constantly angry. I remember when I told him about my first novel, and he cursed at me. I thought he was crazy, but I later learned it was the anger, poisoning his mind against me, a best-selling author and only grandson.
The only good visit I had with Grandpa Jim was when he was in a coma after stroke #2. There was less of the anger then. I guess the time Deanna and I took Elizabeth in Grandma Marian’s old, fake dress was not too bad, since Grandpa Jim spent most of time projecting thought balloons about Grandma Marian and trying to grope Liz. Nevertheless, I could always tell there was that anger seething underneath that groping. The amazing part about our mother is that she instantly knows that this is the problem. Grandpa Jim can’t talk or do the things he used to do, and it makes him angry, like an exasperated, furious monster straining against the chains of his own body. Our mother looks at him, and knows all this, without anyone saying a thing to her.
It makes me sad to think about it. Sometimes I wish Grandpa Jim was like he used to be: Leering at women, insulting everyone around him, bathing infrequently, talking all the time about how things used to be better in the old days. Then I realize a silent, angry Grandpa Jim is actually much more pleasant to be around. Despite this happy thought, I know I wouldn’t be able to stand living with him for a few days. I don’t know how mom is going to do it; but that is one of the reasons our mom is so great. She can stand for a few days what other people can only tolerate for a few hours.
Love,
Michael Patterson
At 7:19 PM,
April Patterson said…
i m @ jeremy's house. his mom convinced me that dad won't starve. after all, he didn't starve in 1979 when mom left him alone in the house. mental note: replace the peanut butter when i get home. no doubt, dad is eating rite out of the jar. over the jar. ::shudder::
mike, of course u think everything mom does is wonderful. that's not news.
dc2, that sounds like mom, all right. totally indignant.
patrickrsghost, yeah, he can't say many words nemore, but that def. gets his idea across.
apes
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