More Old News

Wifey and I are "blessed" to still have 3 of our 4 parents alive. My mother in law, approaching 87, is the sharpest and strongest, though now almost completely deaf. My ancient Mom hovers on, and my father in law descends more daily into the hell hole of Alzheimer's. The best metaphor, or cliche, when dealing with the very elderly is "waiting for the other shoe to drop." You just know something bad is coming...My mother has gone through many shoe drops, in the form of falls, crises in her condo, etc...but is now safely in the Miami Jewish Home. I visited her yesterday, and noted a negative development. Her hallucinations, previously happy, have darkened. She's starting to now think that her floor is a hotbed of intrigue... some of the staff is against her. Shortly after I left, my friend Mirta stopped by. She noticed my Mom's sad and scared affect as well... Meanwhile, up in Pembroke Pines, the fun was continuing. My father in law fell and was knocked out for awhile. My mother in law called 911. Wifey had been calling them all afternoon, and knew something was awry. I told her to forget it -- they were probably just asleep. But Wifey called their local hospital and sure enough found that her father was there. She drove up late Friday night. No fractures -- just bruises on his legs. Still, the ER doc and the hospitalist agreed -- time for "rehab." Wifey spent yesterday making calls, and, sure enough, the best place is where my Mom is -- good old Miami Jewish. It's a far trip for my mother in law, but Wifey found a driver who will take her for frequent visits. They're transferring him today, and my mother in law spent the night here -- she and Wifey will go over to help him get settled in, and Wifey has already begun the arduous process of getting him Medicaid eligible -- lest the $8k per month cost break my mother in law in a short time. Ah -- extreme aging. It's like the fun never ends...