Independence...He gets a little more every day...

So, I am driving up to my Dad's nursing facility today, and as I drive by the front to park in the back, I see my Dad sitting outside smoking a cigar with another woman. I do not recognize this woman, so I assume it is someone from the facility, or a friend of his I just don't know.

By the time I park, and walk around to the front, my Dad is sitting there, alone, deep in conversation. I approach him, and stand about 2 feet in front of him, just off to left. Because of the left neglect, he does not know I am there, so I listen for a second or two...He is talking about the Grand Plan. So, I say, "who the heck are you talking to?" He looks up at me and says "Oh this is my daughter." So, I repeat the question, and he says "this nice lady, she lives on Madra." So, I let him know that there is no one else around...And he says "well there was..." I laughed and told him that he is lucky that I saw her driving by, or I might think he was a little off...:) We laughed.

I sat outside with him for another 45 minutes or so. We talked about the Grand Plan, and talked a lot about our friends and family that have stopped by to see him. I asked him how he got out there, and he told me that he wheeled himself out...But only after having spent "2 hours" searching for his cigars. We keep his cigars in the bottom drawer below the closet in his room...There goes his confusion with time again. So, he is getting more control of his chair and his surroundings every day. A little more independence and control each and every day. I told him tonight that I am glad that their driveway at home is so steep, because I won't have to worry about him wheeling away after he gets home. He said that he is pretty sure he can get strong enough to get as far as he wants to! Man, he is just determination personified.

So, we got some good news yesterday. We met with a friend of my Aunt and Uncle's and we went over the Long Term Health Care Policy that my Dad took out in 1992. Not many people are willing to put a couple hundred dollars a month into a policy like this, especially in their 50's. But this group policy was offered at work, and my Dad began paying into it for both he and my Mom. Because of his efforts, we are going to be able to take care of him for a good long while, without incurring significant debt. This is such a weight off of our minds. We will be able to get the care he needs and deserves, at home or in a facility because he was always prepared, and always put his family first. My Dad cries every time he thinks about how this is helping his family, and he keeps saying "aren't we lucky?" I tell him that there is no luck involved..It was all him.

If you have a family, make the effort to protect them before it is too late. Protect them with a Living Trust, or at least a Will, and look into Long Term Health Care Insurance...It can make all the difference in the world if someone suffers and event that requires them to be cared for. If there is anyone out there interested in looking into a Long Term Health Care policy, please send me a note, and I can give you the name and number of someone who can help get you started.

So, I am going down to witness PT tomorrow. I am looking forward to see how he has progressed, and find out what he can do now. I will let you know how he does tomorrow.

I spent a great evening with friends down by San Diego Harbor, having a good meal, and watching fireworks. I hope everyone had an equally good 4th of July!

Love to all.