Mistletoe

Nurse Helen was allowed to wash dad today. Maya and mum have been preparing dad: it can't always be mum or Maya, sometimes they need a break. "Don't I get a say in the matter?" dad had said. But Maya insisted it's very important to wash every day, so eventually dad accepted Helen's help.

Dad had some tea and toast with miso for lunch, and then also wanted miso soup which Maya went and made. Then dad had a rest until the doctor came for a visit. The doctor asked how everyone was doing, and gave dad some mistletoe injections which is supposed to help dad feel better. The doctor mentioned that all the mumbling dad's doing and the stories he's telling could be a way for his soul to deal with the things it needs to deal with. It might be slightly to very incomprehensible to us, but it's necessary for dad to go through this process. We should thus keep in mind that if we do give dad haloperidol if his hallucinations get unpleasant, we also take this process away from him.

Dad's niece Katherine (Matthew's youngest daughter) came to stay for a visit and to help around the house. Dad was pleased to see her, and we were all especially excited because she's brought English presents! (PG Tips! Yay!) But of course, even if there hadn't been any presents, it was nice to have Katherine over. There was a mini adventure for Katherine and Galen when Galen went to pick Katherine up from the airport... They'd taken the bus back, but they got out at the wrong stop, convinced the stop they needed didn't exit... and then Galen phoned me for further bus instructions and his phone battery died! Luckily, I had Katherine's number so I texted her instructions... but her phone was on silent! So they spent ages in the freezing cold wondering what to do... they did eventually get on the next bus and get off at a more logical stop... and an hour or so later they arrived home safely.

It's getting hard to understand dad. He mumbles a lot, and takes a long time to set his thoughts straight to be able to say something, or even to say the second half of a sentence. So anyone listening to him has to wait for a very long time... such a long time in fact, that often the listener even forgets what the first half of the sentence was, or what the conversation was about entirely. But dad also sometimes forgets. For instance when he wanted some tea this morning. Maya rushed down and got him some, and made some for mum and herself as well. She came back up with tea, and dad said "Ah ya can't get a cuppa tea round here can ya!" Dad has no idea I don't think that talks with him take so long. Maya was holding up a drink with a straw for dad, when he started mumbling about something or other. Maya patiently waited... and waited... and eventually asked, "Do you want the rest of this drink?" and dad replied with, "Gah, so impatient!"