For the time being, Joe is in Parkview Nursing Home in Paducah in Room 1004, bed 1 (out of 2). Anyone who wants to is welcome to visit him. I was there today, but I will not be going on Saturday. He has his nights and days mixed up. He is roaming the halls all night via a wheelchair. During the day, they are trying to readjust his time clock by keeping him in the chair and as awake as they can by doing that. Whenever I visit, all he does is plead to go to bed. The nurse told me they would start sedating him at night if it isn't turned around by the end of the weekend.
I understand what they're doing, but it's excruciating to see. My dad has turned into an old man sitting in a wheelchair in a hall in a nursing home. He doesn't know where he is. He doesn't know how to get back to his room. He doesn't know he has a room. In 10 days he's gone from a kinda whacky old man with obvious dementia to nearly witless and unable to finish a sentence. He's nigh onto immobile.
I bawled in the car after I left today. It is heart wrenching. No other solution is available. I cannot care for him at home. I cannot pick him up when he falls. At least if he falls in the nursing home, there are plenty of young people experienced in picking him up. If I were to bring him home, he would require someone sitting with him every minute, which I cannot do.
It is absolutely astounding how he went from being able to ambulate, speak, and live to nearly immobile, incapable of finishing a sentence, and practically unable to feed himself and enjoy life, if limited, in just 10 days.
There are no words to express my dismay. He exasperated the hell out of me, but I would rather that than what is now. It is nearly unbearable.
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