Returning to Posting Soon

A grace-filled Pentecost Octave, y’all!

Mama is safely in a Catholic Memory Care facility now. After being unable to stand even with a walker last Christmas afternoon, she ended up in our excellent community hospital for the Octave, the latter few days of which were a suspenseful time of searching for a rehab that would take her, not an easy task when the patient has dementia/alzheimers issues that require day-long company because of World War II PTSD incurred through living in said war's hell as a child.

Growing frantic as the Octave progressed, I reached out to my Godbrother, David (We were both Baptized and Confirmed on Christmas Day in past, different years.). He had me pray to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower, and, not surprisingly, she sent down the rose of a CATHOLIC rehab in our metro, so that, on the evening (not eve) of the Feast of Our Lord's Circumcision, she was already safely ensconced there. I really owe you, Godbro! (And St. Thérèse!)

After three weeks of fruitless rehab, and cognitive decline continuing, she was moved upstairs to the Memory Care unit. She adjusted there very quickly: the constant company of about a dozen-and-a-half fellow residents, including another Ukrainian speaker, plus a truly caring staff meeting all her needs, has enabled her to finally be the interiorly secure woman that she should have been had WW2 not PTSDed her. (Here she is proclaiming wisdom.)

When my relatives and/or I come to visit, she now reacts to us as if we were just another of her fellow-resident buddies coming to say hello. It's a huge load off my mind, having been her primary caregiver, to see her so content!

I squared away her paperwork on February 12th, exactly fifty days after Christmas, plus the fourth anniversary of my Dad's entrance into eternity. Like a personal Paschaltide for me, with Daddy's help!

Am saying this because, after roughly eleven-and-a-half years of full-time caregiving, with relatively infrequent respites, I was suddenly experiencing three unexpected things that struck forcefully:

1.) PTSD: From years of almost constantly living on edge, not knowing what the next calamity would be, or when. It resolved pretty quickly.

2.) Bewilderment: analogous to a soldier returning home after many years on the battlefield, not knowing how to adjust to peaceful civilian life again. That has largely resolved, and am enjoying actually living my own life!

3.) Weariness: masked by years of chronic adrenaline. This is still resolving. Have not recovered my past stamina, and still get quickly tired by mentally taxing activities, hence the long time to resume posting.

Three much-needed vacations were given me by Our Lord these past months…Florida, Wisconsin, and Montana…through my airline points and the generous hospitality, local transportation, and funds provided by dear friends: Leo, Dan, Kathy, Danny, Joe, Jackie, and (also traveling companion on two of the trips) Tate!

[I love to fly: if anyone has a million airline points collecting dust, please consider donating! (I'm not shameless. Why do you say that? 🤣)]

Topical posts will resume soon…stay tuned!!

Our Lady of Guadalupe, guide and protect us!

(The dizzying view from near the lower but still high-altitude (1400 ft above the distant Jefferson River) entrance of Montana's Lewis and Clark Caverns. The entrance is at about 5300 ft above sea level.)

(Hair-raising, in fact. That's yours truly.)