The Mouse

My childhood nickname was Mouse.

Apparently I would squirm my way into every nook and cranny. My favorite spot was belly-down under the coffee table while watching TV. How the tables have turned. I've started calling my 84 year old grandmother Mouse. She's not doing so well as of late. Dementia, a possible lung cancer scare, perhaps heart failure. Its sad. This once proud independent women has been turned into an 80 lbs shell. I see her, but she isn't really there. It makes me cry.

She lives at home with me and my family. Her little bed is in the dinning room because there isn't another bedroom on the first floor. My super hero dad has been taking care of her. He washes and feeds her. Occasionally he yells at her. I know this is hard to believe, but he yells out of love. I know, I know, how can it be? It is the way it is because he fears for her safety. He thinks the louder he tells her the more she'll remember to be careful, don't try to eat the plastic grapes, you'll choke, be careful, don't walk around the house by yourself you'll break a bone, be careful be careful be careful. I don't want to put you in an old folks home! I want you to die a home. With me.

Today was a hard day. A very hard day. She's really earning her new name. See, he has created a makeshift barricade to keep her in her own little spot. Its a comfy spot. We even got her a genuine hospital bed. She wants to escape. Escape to where? We don't know how she does it. Have no idea. A little mouse, creeping in one hole and out the other. One minute she is in her spot, the next she is walking around the house. The weird thing is, no one can figure out how she does it. Its like she's Houdini. Step right up folks, and be amazed!

Don't get me wrong, she would be free to go anywhere in the house. She's no prisoner. She could go to the sun room. She could go in the living room, she could go into the kitchen. She just simply can't go there alone! She needs an arm to hold her up. Funny enough when we take her to where she wants to go, she'll simply gets up and goes to another spot. It is weird I tell you. Weird.

I feel for my dad cause he's about to lose his shit. Three nitro pills downed today.