Insanity and Ugliness

Yeah, I have been missing in action for a long time. However, I've good reasons: my Dad's Alzheimer's has advanced and the cretin he married stuffed him in a skilled nursing facility WITHOUT telling any of us five children for 3 weeks! Lovely woman. Ugh (3 of us kids were all on vacation when said cretin did this.)

He's not completely out there but he needs assistance she refuses to give. Her comment to me previously when his diagnosis was made was: "I didn't sign up for this shit." Stay classy, eh?

Dad spent the entire summer with me in Michigan, did well, was walking well, laughing and made great progress. Well, hell, I am a nurse and I've cared for many patients in his condition. Anyway when he returned home the cretin had locked him out of the house, told him to get he fuck away from her house, threatened my sister and lawyer husband and then called the cops. It was insane and has been so ever since.

So NOW that we all know where he is I drive every other week to Iowa to spend 3-4 days with him. Needless to say I'm less than thrilled with the cretin but as his oldest child I really have no legal rights to assist him---and THAT bites. I'm working on that too. So while I may not post as often I will try to throw some happier things up as I am able. Wish me luck and I promise to behave when seeing said cretin since jail would NOT be a good place for me! }: >~~~

Here, have a photo of Puerto Rico...which was where I began my vacation when the insanity began:

A Bad News Day

Yes, today I received bad news---about my Dad. He visited my MI. home for 3 weeks this summer and I noticed he wasn't the same man. He would forget things I had just told him although his long-term memory was pretty good. Being a nurse, I called my stepmother and told her what I had seen. She, too, had been noticing changes. He was angry and argumentative and forgetful more than usual. I told her then he needed to see a Doctor. She did take him to see a Neurologist. The diagnosis is exactly what I assumed---Alzheimer's Disease. Damn! This bites. He's on meds but I know this is an ugly progressive disease. My great grandmother had it ( not his grandmother, my mother's). So, it falls to me to tell the rest of my siblings. What a sucky day.

My Dad knows and understands his diagnosis but he's trying to keep his sense of humor for now. I could just cry my eyeballs dry over this. I love ya, Dad. I'll be there for you.