Linda Terriberry

On Saturday, July 22, 2017, Robbert Broughton wrote:
I am not my daughter and cannot figure out how to even address most of you on facebook; Maybe when Linda vists, she can get me set up on a secure thing. Ellie, I'd like Katie to be hooked into this and don't know if the Poffs or Nye's want to be part though I must say I really, really enjoy their posts.

to begin. Linda is in hospice for dementia ...? related to vascular as she bled profusely into her left brain 3 years ago or underlying Alzheimer's -- who knows. It is what it is. I spend my free time here helping her get dressed, encouraging her to eat when she will and recording moments which I hope will be something good to remember in future dates. I have a sitter with her during the week and Marilyn is infinitely nicer and more patient than I. I thank God for the money to be able to do that and hope I will be forgiven for using it for her comfort vs the boat people crossing from Africa to Italy or the Syrian refugees. Likely not. But I do what I am able.

Linda spends most of her time now in her bed sleeping. She does get up to eat her meals but she doesn't always eat them and my son Robbie is supportive of letting her do what she wants. She is amazingly determined and surprisingly cunning for someone so lost. I cannot manage to keep her out of her bed despite any trick I try, so lately, I have learned to embrace our new reality.
today, she tells me she spent the night on the floor in someone else's room and that "they were very nice and let me stay"; But I did find her in her own room this morning, somewhat lucid about the night's events. Turns out she visited the two 100+year old men who eventually obtained a staff member to get her back where she belonged.
today was also the first day she could not remember how to bee-line from breakfast back to her room... that pattern appears to be lost now, as am I and all her family. I am the "jack-ass" that comes sometimes.
For myself, 66 looms in 53 weeks, which I find really exciting. I have just started working toward a triatholon to hopefully do with Robbie, Mike, Jenny, Priya and Consuela in Oct 2018... maybe. It appears to me that Robbie, Mike, and I are the only ones really training. I started July 2 and am biking daily, swimming 3 days a week but no running yet. Its ridiculously hot with the fake global warming. I still practice yoga almost daily. And now, my trainer says I need to loose 15-20 pounds to a BMI of 22% prior to the event. O well.

I wanted to thank Katie for the info about the senior park pass which I have shared with others here. (I don't have her email); my goal is to do some seasons w the park service as a senior volunteer as it is unlikely that Rob and I will visit on vacation. He is happy in his home w his cats.

I maintain the nature conservatory outside mom's room which at least still entertains the sitter and myself...we have Mr Racoon, squirrels, a million birds with really distinct personalities, deer, cats, and a red tailed hawk who clears the field when visiting. We've even had a black snake.

I cannot express the pleasure I get from the posts you all put on line. While they may be a quickie incidental moment for you, they are a connection for me to the family and the world outside of my everyday. As the ACA waffles, my patients are more and more desperate and I am more and more frustrated with what I cannot get for them. I look at them looking at me and I know that they know that I know we are stymied ... despite all efforts, most are doomed due to inconsistent meds, inaccess to specialties and hard choices... we still have people living in cars, relying on friends, family for food, $4 meds and transportation to job etc.. living paycheck to paycheck and unable to get anything but part-time work. Its a whole culture that's pretty intricate. Our country is really messed up in it's concern for humanity. We judge others about human rights, but we are just as guilty only in a more subtle and sinister way- and that's enough of that.

anyway, I'm here and appreciative of all of you. Thought I needed to include the Thomsen folks re: Linda. Love to you all and I know I don't have to say it to my family but I shall as a reminder to myself...be kind to each other. Judy Broughton