Research Topics, Good Neighbors and Applesauce

Saturday post actually posted on Sunday morning:

The other day when I was getting Joe checked into his new facility, one of the staff was questioning me about his medications, not in detail, just in general. I said he didn't take many.

She laughed, shook her head and said, "The Alzheimer's rarely do."

I asked, "They don't?"

She replied, "Nope. It's almost always like that. They rarely take as many medicines as our regular patients."

Makes me wonder if that's a facet some brilliant researcher ought to be looking into. An Exploration of the Ratio of Medication Requirement in the Late Stage Alzheimer's Population Versus the Non-Alzheimer's Population. It might make a dandy paper to be published by some medical journal. Chuckle. It might make a dandy thesis. Except, do physician's do thesis (what's the plural of that?). Wonder what field that falls into.

Uncle Charles stopped by today, and I was glad to see him as it's been a few days. He looked well. He's planning on visiting Daddy tomorrow. I'm glad for that, also. I've hesitated to go by because I wanted him to settle in without my presence agitating him.

The phone has not rung today with a medical crisis for Joe. It's amazing that in and of itself that is an unbelievable relief. I was beginning to not want to answer the phone. If I played ostrich, maybe the crises would go away.

Mother slept late again today - until nearly 3:00 p.m.. I tried to wait until she seemed somewhat awake before going into her room. She used to be more confused if I let her sleep late, but today it seemed she needed it. She was awake and not disoriented. She's happily watching The Classic Movie Channel as I write. I'll get her an apple at 9:30 p.m. and give her medicine at 10:30 p.m. Maybe she'll go to bed by midnight.

Our meals the last two days have been whatever 1 thing is easiest to heat and eat. The kitchen looks like no one has cleaned it in a month. I have been so absolutely wasted and not caring. It's a small kitchen, so it only takes 2 days to make it look like a cyclone hit it. I'll have to wade into it tomorrow morning unless the kitchen police raid tonight.

Knock on wood, I may have escaped coming down with a cold. Neither my throat nor my nose have been as irritated today as they were yesterday. My temp is about 1 degree above my normal, so I'm thinking it's just seasonal allergies. Whew.

Our neighbor, Larry, mowed his lawn today, and suddenly I realized he was on his mower in front of our living room window. I went outside to let him know he didn't have to do ours, too, but he just shook me off and continued mowing. The kindness of neighbors can almost be overwhelming at times. I feel uncomfortable letting him do it while at the same time so relieved someone else has handled it.

I don't think that bushel of McIntosh apples I bought is going to last very long. Someone told me they must be very overripe. Not being an apple expert, I don't know, but am beginning to think so. They aren't aging as well as I expected apples to age. I'm beginning to think the best thing is to turn them into applesauce. Sigh. Since my family doesn't eat a lot of applesauce it seems like an extreme waste to me. Well, if I make it and can it, it'll last for years. It'll probably still be hanging around in 2016.