Alzheimer's...the Winding Road

It was a bit different at Brighton Garden's today. I arrived about 12:30...but the usual people dining at that time had already departed. Instead of Mary at my mom's table there was a gentleman that had recently moved in.

The staff seemed a bit sparse or otherwise occupied. Gayle had not yet finished her lunch. In fact it looked like she had barely started to eat. But she was obviously not hungry. She had a mouth full of food which she did not swallow without some encouragement to chew and take a sip of juice. After a while I persuaded her to not worry about the sandwich she had been holding for 10 minutes and instead finish up her cake. She has a sweet tooth so that didn't take too much persuasion.

Needed to set up a new remote control for her TV and DVD player. Weird things happen there...don't ask me what. But I have three remotes from the past that mysteriously stopped working despite new batteries...and one that disappeared altogether.

Today Gayle wanted to see a serious movie...not a comedy...so we watched Apollo 13. What a great movie! It's been a while since I've seen it...but now I remember why I like it so very much. Great casting, acting, and script...Ron Howard is one of our best movie makers. He does quality work...quality in every way. He manages to draw out authentic and intriguing performances from each of the actors. Apollo 13 is very compelling...kind of hard to go wrong with Tom Hanks in a movie.

Gayle was not very verbal today. That's not to say she was quiet...but instead was mostly humming. Not as in singing...but as in humming in place of words. She was kind of feisty...and it strikes me that even now she tries to pretend that she is normal or okay. Probably not with the same intent as it was before she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's...but I think it's kind of a habit.

I saw or met a number of new employees at Brighton Garden's today. All in all they seem to like Gayle...and appreciate the fact that she is usually cheerful. Not that she's always easy going...but even when difficult...she is in a good mood about it.

I wonder what she thinks about all this. I mean the real Gayle...the Gayle that is slowly disappearing each day. One day in heaven I hope to find out what she would say.