Each morning as I go into Gordo's room to help him get up fo the day ... I am followed by two of his biggest fans. Carly (my black lab) and Beau (my orange Persian cat). So this morning I announced ... "Dad ... your fan club has arrived! Then he bursts into song ... "We're all in our places with sun shinning faces".
Oh good! He's in a great mood this morning!
I made him a special breakfast sandwhich. Afterwards I went to collect his dirty plate and he had only eaten 3/4's of it. So I asked him if he didn't like it. His ... reply ... "Pooker Annie ... I'm just saving room for ice cream. I figure for every day that I make it to another ... I deserve a treat. Don't you think so?"
"I absolutely agree ... how many scoops ... Dad?" He answers " only two".
Now ... that's a great start for the day!
Gordo is really starting to have memory issues. At first it made me very sad, but now at least he feels comfortable with telling me that he can't remember certain things. If I don't know the answer, I try my best to find it.
So it was no surprise when he woke up this morning, that the first words out of he mouth were ... "Pooker Annie ... I can't remember the name of Henry the VIII's 2nd wife ... you know ... Elizabeth's mother." ... "Yes dad ... it was Anne Bolelyn. He says ... "Oh yes ... she wouldn't just sleep with Henry ... she had him make her his queen". Then I replied ... "Yes and she paid a high price for that ... got her head chopped off ... well actually the executioner didn't use an axe ... she WAS the queen, so Henry had ordered that they use a sword ... as it was a quicker ... clean cut. In fact when she was about to set her neck on the block ... someone called her name to distract her and as she turned to look ... the sword came dicing down ... I guess it was their way of being humane. (lol).
Then he looks at me and seriously asks ... Wow ... how did you know all that? I just answered ... "I had a great teacher" ... and I winked. It was a bittersweet moment for both of us.
About a year ago Gordo was telling my granddaughter ... Presley that he was 81. She was 5 and simply piped up ... "So is Neil Armstrong!"
My dad was like ... Really? She was busy coloring, but replied ... "Yes".
So ... I had to know for sure. Googled it and Presley was absolutely correct.
She learned that in kindergarten.
Now she can tell Papa Cave that he has outlived the first man on the moon!
RIP ... Mr. Armstrong. You gave us one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind. Thank you.
Gordo woke up this morning at 4:30 ... awake and ready to get on with the day. That was special, but how could I get mad ... he is like a small child who has no sense of time.
So I handed him his book and told him that it was still early, but when his newspaper arrived ... I'd run right in with it. He looked at me and said "Pooker Annie" for God sake don't run ... you're not exactly graceful. All I could think to say was ... "Geez Dad ... at least I'm not as clumbsy as Bella" (referring to the lead female of the Twilight series). He retorts ... no one is that clumbsy ... well ... until you become a vampire. So I jokingly said ... when I become a "vampire" I'm going to visit you first. All I got back in response was .... "Oh Pooker Annie ... you're so silly" and he returned to his book.
Just love starting my days with Gordo.
Gordo is home and resting comfortably.
Thanks to the stellar folks at Methodist West Hospital who have ... again helped ... as dad puts it ... "dodge another bullet".
Thanks to all of you who always support our journey with Gordo. You have no idea how truly appreciative me and my family are for the kind words, prayers and well wishes.
God Bless,
Cora
