The Blackboard

Those visiting longer are aware that my father has been having severe memory lapses.

In early October, I flew down to Florida and persuaded him to get on a airplane and come to Illinois. We put him in a lovely assisted living facility in Highland Park, Il. Mary Beth, my sister has been taking him to various physicians, including some who specialize in memory loss.

Dad was put on Aricept and and some other medicines. Mary Beth was just getting ready to ask the doctor how we will know if this worked.

At noon today, Dad himself revealed the answer. Not only had he been chatting up a storm with Phil Levine– a very chatty resident (who told me I was very attractive when I lunched with Dad and Phil) but Dad could now remember things. Lots of things. Moreover, he could tell that he’d lost about a years. Watching the news, he realized that he’d know Obama was running, but couldn’t remember who won! Dad also figured out that it was November now 2009 and that meant he’d had a big memory lapse for at least a year.

Because his memory had returned, he also knew that he used to live in Florida, but he was clearly no longer living in his condo.

When my brother-in-law Kevin arrived for lunch, Dad had a lot of questions!

Naturally, one of the first things my sister did when she got home was call me. I then wrote my husband who is in Boston saying:

Hi,
You will never guess what!!!!

Today, when Kevin went to have lunch with Dad, Dad had a list of things he wanted:
1) A Library card.
2) A subscription to the Chicago Tribune.
3) A nice suit to dress up.
4) Old Spice to smell g–ooo–ooo—d.
5) Information to fill in the past many months that he realized he could not remember. (What about his bills? His condo? Etc.?)
6) Peter’s phone number so he could phone.
7) His sister Chi-Chi’s number so he could phone.
His cousin Lucia’s phone number… so he could phone.
9) Our phone number so he could phone. (He hasn’t yet– but then again, Mary Beth told him he’d see me tomorrow.)

Dad is thrilled to have been ‘kidnapped’ and placed in such a nice establishment. Dad He loves his comfy chair, the food, the company. He had good conversations with talkative Phil Levin. He is glad to hear that his condo has been cleared out and is on the market, and thinks we showed splendiferous judgment in kidnapping him to rescue him from himself. He is ready to argue politics until the cows come home (and I think the talkative Phil will be as well. So, that’s going to work out.)

Kevin took Dad shopping to get his favorite Old Spice, toiletries and whatever it is he prefers now that he can remember and think again.

Football at Mary Beth’s will be fun tomorrow!!! Fun!!!

Yipee.
Love, Lu

In case you are wondering about the ‘kidnapping’, that’s what bringing Dad here felt like. Dad, went along willingly, constantly asking, “Ok? What are we doing next?” But he would forget what we’d discussed every 10 minutes. Then, he would ask again. I have to admit that I told him he was coming for a visit, and not to stay forever.

Sometimes, during the flight, Dad would decree that he wanted to go back to Florida. On one flight, he said he was going to book a flight back and travel on his own as soon as he arrived in Florida. Then he asked me to write down his address because he didn’t remember it and would need the address to instruct the cab driver. I told him his address, but also said I wasn’t going to let him go back home alone. If he really wanted to go back, I’d go with him.

Of course, 10 minute later, he forgot to he’d planned to book a flight back to Florida. More importantly, he completely forgot when we arrived in Chicago, and especially when he greeted Jim (who immediately began to engage him with discussion about the world series past and present.)

Dad’s memory is back, Dad totally approves of our having hauled him up here even if it was by hook or by crook. Needless to say, Dad will be staying in Highland Park — because he wants to!

We wanted him to regain his memory, but naturally, we were a bit worried that once he did, he would think he should move back to Florida where it is warm and he was recognized in all the fun Cuban restaurants. (Who can blame him?) Plus, he had friends there.

These include the very lovely Anita who lives in the condo above Dad’s. She assisted us and kept telling us how glad she was that someone was taking Dad in hand. I’m going to have Dad phone her and tell her how he is doing. She will be thrilled. We’ve already organized various gifts for her. Plus, a twinkly eyed cutey like my Dad never lacked for female companionship when he wanted to go watch a minor league baseball! So you can imagine why he might want to return.

Here in Illinnois, Dad will to make do with his daughters, their in-laws, football on Sunday, and his new friends in the assisted living facility. But with that the twinkle is back, a brand new library card and a subscription to the Chicago Tribute, Dad’s going to do fine.

Thanks everyone who asked about Dad periodically in comments. I can now report that the real Popsie Wopsie is back!