Each Friday night, I spend with just my mom. It is our "girl" time to do her nails, bath her, and spend time watching whatever movie she has chosen for us. Some nights are walks down memory lane where I revel in the joy that I get from spending time with her. Others are not so enjoyable, in fact, they are extremely exhausting. Today was an exhausting day-Children did not nap and we visited with Great grandmother (not the best combo). Very fussy and difficult children this afternoon had created a very tense mother. With no down time between the arrival of husband and heading off to mom's, I was not in the most patient state of being.
I knew I was in trouble when my mother and father did not get back from the dentist until 5:30. Last night he was invited back home and has been running ever since. The difficulty with my mother is that when you are with her, she monopolizes your attention dictating your every move. Poor dad received no rest with the exception of breaking away for a bit this morning. Dad, thinking ahead had another set of dentures made during yesterday's visit. So today was the final fitting for the second pair. Now with two partials in hand, my parents arrive home. As Dad walks up the sidewalk, something glimmers in the light. He scoops down and there in the front lawn is the original partial that started this whole adventure. Some time back, my mother could not find her partial anywhere. After extensive searching and a few weeks later, we gave up the search. Ironically on the last day of the dentist, the originals were found. She went from none to three in one day :).
I arrive at 7:15 and mom is as distraught as ever. For 45 minutes she takes her partial in and out showing me non existing cuts and slices that was the result of being butchered yet again. She cries continuously and mutters incoherently. She is placing blame on Dad and I for making her get her teeth and getting more and more agitated. Finally I am able to distract her from her teeth and begin the movie-Pride and Prejudice a five hour long movie (yikes-I have children that are waking up at 7:30...)We settle down to watch the movie and for the first time in a while, she is not watching with me. Up and down to the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, back in bed, back up. She takes her teeth in and out places them in one place and searches for them five seconds later. She gets very frustrated and then is over it. Another half hour goes by and she becomes hot. Up and down again turning on the air, cooling down until she is too cold. Back up to turn on the heat and cannot do it so she starts slamming the box. I help her turn on the heat and she gets too hot. Dad comes home and all is ok for the next hour until she notices that her dog is not in bed. As she goes to search for her, she sees the dog in my father's room. She becomes very upset because my dad is drinking milk in his room. Tomorrow he is to go back to my grandmothers. She yells at him and heads to her room. This sets her off for the next half hour-she rants and raves about being a mother to my dad and is upset over milk. She slams things and throws her clothes about the room. As she settles down, she begins to get hot and cold again. This time with fans blowing ac on, she strips down. As she cools down she becomes too cold and wants to put her clothing back on. However, she cannot do it because she is too upset. She tears at her clothing as if willing it to magically fit. She curses the disease and is screaming at the unfairness of it. I am finally able to convince her to let me help her. Watching her struggle with her underclothing and pj's for fifteen minutes breaks my heart. Finally dressed and settled back in bed, we watch the remainder of the movie in happy bliss. 1:00 comes around and the movie has finished. Mom is oblivious to the time and has apologized for her actions. She wants me to clip another nail and take the dog out. I oblige and as she tries to get me to do more, I tell her that I must go because it is late and I do not want to worry Jason. The night ends on a great note and I even get a hug goodbye.
I arrive home to the fresh smell of bleach-my husband has cleaned the entire kitchen floor-scrubbed it clean and even moved the stove out to clean behind it. My house sparkles and I am grateful for this precious gift. I am blessed beyond words to have such a supportive husband.
I knew I was in trouble when my mother and father did not get back from the dentist until 5:30. Last night he was invited back home and has been running ever since. The difficulty with my mother is that when you are with her, she monopolizes your attention dictating your every move. Poor dad received no rest with the exception of breaking away for a bit this morning. Dad, thinking ahead had another set of dentures made during yesterday's visit. So today was the final fitting for the second pair. Now with two partials in hand, my parents arrive home. As Dad walks up the sidewalk, something glimmers in the light. He scoops down and there in the front lawn is the original partial that started this whole adventure. Some time back, my mother could not find her partial anywhere. After extensive searching and a few weeks later, we gave up the search. Ironically on the last day of the dentist, the originals were found. She went from none to three in one day :).
I arrive at 7:15 and mom is as distraught as ever. For 45 minutes she takes her partial in and out showing me non existing cuts and slices that was the result of being butchered yet again. She cries continuously and mutters incoherently. She is placing blame on Dad and I for making her get her teeth and getting more and more agitated. Finally I am able to distract her from her teeth and begin the movie-Pride and Prejudice a five hour long movie (yikes-I have children that are waking up at 7:30...)We settle down to watch the movie and for the first time in a while, she is not watching with me. Up and down to the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, back in bed, back up. She takes her teeth in and out places them in one place and searches for them five seconds later. She gets very frustrated and then is over it. Another half hour goes by and she becomes hot. Up and down again turning on the air, cooling down until she is too cold. Back up to turn on the heat and cannot do it so she starts slamming the box. I help her turn on the heat and she gets too hot. Dad comes home and all is ok for the next hour until she notices that her dog is not in bed. As she goes to search for her, she sees the dog in my father's room. She becomes very upset because my dad is drinking milk in his room. Tomorrow he is to go back to my grandmothers. She yells at him and heads to her room. This sets her off for the next half hour-she rants and raves about being a mother to my dad and is upset over milk. She slams things and throws her clothes about the room. As she settles down, she begins to get hot and cold again. This time with fans blowing ac on, she strips down. As she cools down she becomes too cold and wants to put her clothing back on. However, she cannot do it because she is too upset. She tears at her clothing as if willing it to magically fit. She curses the disease and is screaming at the unfairness of it. I am finally able to convince her to let me help her. Watching her struggle with her underclothing and pj's for fifteen minutes breaks my heart. Finally dressed and settled back in bed, we watch the remainder of the movie in happy bliss. 1:00 comes around and the movie has finished. Mom is oblivious to the time and has apologized for her actions. She wants me to clip another nail and take the dog out. I oblige and as she tries to get me to do more, I tell her that I must go because it is late and I do not want to worry Jason. The night ends on a great note and I even get a hug goodbye.
I arrive home to the fresh smell of bleach-my husband has cleaned the entire kitchen floor-scrubbed it clean and even moved the stove out to clean behind it. My house sparkles and I am grateful for this precious gift. I am blessed beyond words to have such a supportive husband.
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