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Post by Tex on May 16, 2008 14:42:24 GMT -6
We are flying out of Houston Sunday to Jamaica. This will be a little different trip. My mom has hardly left the house in the years since my dad has had alzheimers and she really wanted to go to Jamaica. She is somewhat infirm but should be OK to travel as long as we are with her. We are staying at the Grand Lido Negril and intend to head across the road after her bedtime. I took her to the passport office, my wife took her shopping for clothes and helped her pack. Wish us luck.
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Post by wareagle on May 16, 2008 14:50:15 GMT -6
We are flying out of Houston Sunday to Jamaica. This will be a little different trip. My mom has hardly left the house in the years since my dad has had alzheimers and she really wanted to go to Jamaica. She is somewhat infirm but should be OK to travel as long as we are with her. We are staying at the Grand Lido Negril and intend to head across the road after her bedtime. I took her to the passport office, my wife took her shopping for clothes and helped her pack. Wish us luck. Good luck Tex. God Bless your mom, you three will have a good time. The Lido is a classy place. My mom is on her first cruise right now. Dad died a little over two years ago and they were married 57 years. Dad had a bad case of inter ear problems and he couldn't fly or get on a ship. I'm hoping mom will like this cruise well enough to go on a 3 or 4 day cruise to the Bahamas sometime next year. |
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Post by innit Geezer on May 16, 2008 14:51:31 GMT -6
Have a special time in Jamaica Tex! Enjoy!
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Post by ♥ COVID-19♥ on May 16, 2008 14:56:26 GMT -6
I took her to the passport office, my wife took her shopping for clothes and helped her pack. I hope she remembered the ping pong balls. |
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Post by Tex on May 16, 2008 15:07:30 GMT -6
One of her old friends that's pretty cool suggested we take her to Hedo and just hide her glasses.
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Post by ♥ COVID-19♥ on May 16, 2008 15:16:50 GMT -6
If you hide her glasses, she'll have to drink from straight out of the bottle.
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Post by lwink710 on May 16, 2008 23:41:47 GMT -6
Tex I hope your Mom really enjoys her vacation. I have my Mom living with us my dad recently passed on from alzheimers and believe me she had a rough time being the care giver. So she will really enjoy this.
Lew
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Post by Irish Stu on May 17, 2008 2:42:28 GMT -6
Good luck Tex. I hope you all have a great trip, and especially enjoy this opportunity to spend time with your Mom.
Simon
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Post by Tex on May 17, 2008 7:10:33 GMT -6
Thanks guys, depending on the internet facilities, I may give a progress report.
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Post by fencepost on May 17, 2008 8:49:02 GMT -6
Have fun. My mom suffers from Alzheimer's, so I know how difficult things can be. Perhaps I can pass along some kind words that were passed along to me here on this board... "Your mother's cunt." Those Dale Carnegie fuckers sure are a pistol.  In all seriousness, it will no doubt do her a world of good. Alzheimer's has a tendency to not only imprison those afflicted with it, but those close to the person. |
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Post by Tex on May 17, 2008 9:21:41 GMT -6
My dad has been in a nursing home for 5 or so years. He doesn't comprehend much, although when I saw him on his 90th birthday in early April, I told him "Happy Birthday" and he looked confused and I explained that it was his birthday and he said, "Well get me something." That was the first utterance from him that has made sense in several years.
My mom has early stage Alzheimer's/dementia herself although she still lives at home. One benefit from this trip was that when we were helping her pack, I suggested bringing one of those plastic pill trays with the days labeled on them and discovered that she hadn't been taking her medicine for nearly a year (per the pharmacy). I called her doctor and the pharmacy and took care of that.
My mom has flaked out at the last minute on every trip my sister and I have planned for her in the last several years, so I was ready for it this morning when I called her to remind her that we were leaving for Houston at 1 and she feigned nausea. My sister and I think she needs this trip and I told her that I would pull off the road on the way to Houston if she needed to throw up. I called my sister (she lives 2 blocks from my mom and I live 20 miles) and got her to go over and light a fire under my mom's ass.
I don't doubt that this will be a high maintenance week but think it will do her a lot of good. She begged us for a year to take her to Jamaica and although we believe the travel day will be a little strenuous for her, a week at Grand Lido and a few massages will be great for her. She traveled all over the world in her youth and she and my dad were good enough ballroom dancers that people would clear off the floor to watch them. She is pretty cognizant most of the time and when my wife took her shopping for clothes for the trip, she knew exactly what she wanted. My wife went through her closets and found a couple of beautiful outfits that my mom has not had occasion to wear for twenty years and had them dry cleaned.
If we can get her put to bed around 11 and go across the street, that will be time for a couple of stiff drinks.
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Post by Christinko on May 17, 2008 15:31:30 GMT -6
Dear Tex,
You are so nice to your mom. Good for you. Yes, she sounds like a lot of work, but when I think about my mom being a lot of work (she's been infirm for 20 years--my dad is the main caregiver), I just remember how long she took care of me and that makes everything better.
I heard a nice story about Alzheimer's disease (which we all need sometimes because the disease is SO devastating to so many families) ....A man was asked why he visits his wife twice a day in the nursing home if she has no idea who he is. He said "That doesn't matter. I remember who SHE is." Such love!
I betcha mom will go to bed before 11 pm and you can sneak over earlier (rooting for you two!).
Hope the trip is lovely on many levels.
Best,
Chris
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Post by Ardbeg... innit on May 18, 2008 8:57:10 GMT -6
Enjoy your trip Tex!
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Post by Merlot Joe on May 18, 2008 17:38:04 GMT -6
Enjoy your trip Tex.
Joe.
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Tex From Grand Lido
Guest
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Post by Tex From Grand Lido on May 18, 2008 22:10:50 GMT -6
Well, Chris was right, she slept from about 6 PM on through. We were at the Sheraton by the Houston airport this morning and we had a wakeup call at 5. We got a call at 3:45 and my first thought was that I was going to chew some ass at the desk in the morning. It was my mom. She had waked up early and called our room number that I wrote in big letters by her bed. The trip down went fairly well but my mom tells the same stories some of them five times between Longview and Houston. (200 miles)
We ran into Cheryl (old Cheryl's Pub) at GL and visited with her for a bit. She came over and chatted with my mom. My mom liked her room and we went to her room so that my wife could put up her clothes and lay out clothes for her to wear tomorrow. I called her about 7 to see when she wanted to eat and she said she was planning on sleeping off the trip, so we went across the street to Hedo. They had some very good musicians so we stayed until the band quit and came back over here and are going to bed ourselves in a bit.
One funny thing, we put my mom over here because she couldn't handle Hedo. They put her in a nice oceanside room by the Grand Lido nude beach. When we went to her room to help her get settled in, she said, "You aren't going to believe this, but a naked couple walked by my window and they have a nude beach here"
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Post by innit Geezer on May 18, 2008 22:36:38 GMT -6
Glad to see you're off to a good start. Funny how short a time it took before she saw some naked folks. Have fun.
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Post by Irish Stu on May 19, 2008 4:43:45 GMT -6
Tex
I'll echo what Chris has said about how good you are to your Mom. Sounds like you are all having a great time.
Simon (who saw a show about Jamaica on the Travel Channel yesterday and now is desperate to get back after a two year break)
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Post by jo on May 19, 2008 12:17:28 GMT -6
Tex,
You are a good guy but I knew that the moment I met you! Have fun at Hedo and hope your mom has a great trip as well.
Love,
Jo
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Post by Tex on May 19, 2008 15:53:12 GMT -6
I conducted an experiment this morning. Since my mom has started getting a little senile she has developed the habit of talking incessantly to strangers or anyone else who will listen. I ordered her a couple of mimosas at lunch today thinking that would either make the problem worse or better. It quieted her down and she has been reading and sleeping in her room all afternoon. We took her out to a shady beach spot this morning and everything is going along pretty well. I have no doubt that we can get her bed tomorrow night in time to go to PJ party.
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Post by innit Geezer on May 19, 2008 17:29:39 GMT -6
I'm enjoying the thought of an senior person getting some Jamaican sunshine and relaxing with her son and daughter in-law.
You're a good man Tex.
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Post by Harrybutt on May 19, 2008 19:33:30 GMT -6
Your mom is so lucky to have you. Hope the trip goes better than you could hope
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Post by Tex on May 21, 2008 10:07:56 GMT -6
Thanks everyone. She did have a little senior moment yesterday and thought the desk had called to remind her that she was getting married at 4 o'clock and that my sister had arrived. (I called my sister up in Texas to see if perhaps they had left a message and it had been garbled. She said not to look for her in Jamaica)
The staff here has been really good in taking care of her. The Jamaicans may not always be in a hurry but they are saintly when taking care of old people. My mom told us yesterday that she wanted to sleep all afternoon so I went sailing. My mom woke up and decided she was hungry and wanted to go out to eat. The restaurants were closed but the nurse came down and wheeled her to the Italian restaurant where the chef took time off of his schedule to cook her some bacon and eggs as she requested. When I returned from sailing, the sailboat guys had a message from the front desk telling me the whereabouts of my mom. I have violated the Superclubs tipping policy several times for some of the staff who have really gone out of their way to accomodate her. She gets her manicure and pedicure this afternoon.
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Post by New Mama on May 21, 2008 13:08:18 GMT -6
HOW did I miss this thread? Tex you lovely man you. I think you should get her into the nude pool. That way when she gets back home and tells a story over and over again you can enjoy it more. HA
It sounds like things are going just fine. I'm so glad for you.
Seems like you were just at Hedo. You two are still going for Spanksgiving aren't you?
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Post by Christinko on May 21, 2008 13:21:04 GMT -6
I'm lovin' the tales, Tex! Keep 'em coming. You rock! So glad it's all working out so everyone is having a vacation. I'm with Anita...wouldn't it be funny if mom wanted to try naked too?!
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Post by Tex on May 21, 2008 15:09:45 GMT -6
We got her an oceanview room and they put her at the very end of the nude (clothing optional) beach because that was closest to the dining room. She can walk slowly with a cane but we have been wheeling her around in a wheelchair for longer distances. I told her that it was a nude beach out there and pretty soon, I noticed that she had taken to reading out on the patio (facing the nude beach). She told of several times of a man who came by just dressed in Panama hat and sandals. She will have a story for the other old ladies in her bridge club. We got a manicure and pedicure for all three of us this afternoon.
Anita, we are booked for Thanksgiving week and another week in August - I forget the date. We had dinner in the Cafe Lido last night (very good) and ordered a couple of hummingbirds for mom. She was ready to turn in so we watched television for a bit and went across the street to the PJ party.
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Post by Tex on May 21, 2008 15:13:00 GMT -6
I'm lovin' the tales, Tex! Keep 'em coming. You rock! So glad it's all working out so everyone is having a vacation. I'm with Anita...wouldn't it be funny if mom wanted to try naked too?! It would be something if we came around the corner at 2AM and saw her in the hot tub taking a big hit. BTW, we were trying to get her to sample some Jamaican foods and I brought her some callaloo (which we like). My mom said it tasted too much like poke salad and reminded her of the depression, so she preferred something else thank you. |
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Post by ♥ COVID-19♥ on May 21, 2008 15:27:16 GMT -6
I'm lovin' the tales, Tex! Keep 'em coming. You rock! So glad it's all working out so everyone is having a vacation. I'm with Anita...wouldn't it be funny if mom wanted to try naked too?! If you saw your mother in the hot tub at 2AM, I would think smoking ganja would be the least disconcerting behavior you might observe. |
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Post by Tex on May 21, 2008 15:31:54 GMT -6
It would be something if we came around the corner at 2AM and saw her in the hot tub taking a big hit. If you saw your mother in the hot tub at 2AM, I would think smoking ganja would be the least disconcerting behavior you might observe. I might think that I had drunk the mushroom tea by accident. |
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Post by innit Geezer on May 21, 2008 20:08:32 GMT -6
You guys are a riot! Thank you and continue having a good time.
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Post by edie2u on May 21, 2008 21:20:53 GMT -6
Bless you, Tex!!! What a great son you are. It sounds like the trip is going well. Have fun...it sounds like you will have wonderful memories for the rest of your life from this trip!
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In all seriousness, it will no doubt do her a world of good. Alzheimer's has a tendency to not only imprison those afflicted with it, but those close to the person. 
