About my dad!

Some of you are aware that I take care of my father's well being. Remembering he is legally blind and uses the legal white stick. I am his only child so therefore his next of kin.

So I visit my dad in another city every week staying a night or two, and sometimes I visit 2 times a week and sometimes my husband comes with me.

The trip to dad's two story house from my house takes me 1-1/2 hours, that is from my garage into his garage. I have never missed, expect for when my husband and I travel to visit our youngest son, his wife and their little children in Queensland for 1 month each year. Yes, we need a holiday and break away.

I read him his mail, take him to the Dr. when necessary, do his shopping, pay his accounts, do his washing, and keep his kitchen and other areas of the house clean. Occasionally he will come to get the groceries with me.
I handle all his affairs, and together we make decisions as my dad is very lucky with a very good mind.
He tells me many stories, often they are repeated many times :) but I always pretend it's the first time.

A cleaning lady comes weekly.

Registered nurses: One comes 3 times a week and gives dad a shower. Another comes each Friday and changes his Leg bag, then another comes every 6 to 8 weeks and changes his Suprapubic Catheter.  Being 90 years of age my father is doing a marvelous job dealing with this latter unavoidable on going treatment for his problem. I have to made sure he has all that's needed and buy all things needed for him as in urine day bags, night bags, then catheters.

Dad had prostrate cancer years ago, and had Radiotherapy treatment for many weeks, which cleared him of his cancer. Now the nerves have all gone in the bladder area and around so hence the need for the catheter. So the Radiotherapy did it's job at the time but has come back to haunt him in another way.

Meals on wheels are delivered 3 times a week, and consist of meat, veggies, soup and a sweet.
These meals cost $8.90AUD per one complete meal. Dad hates cooking and is quite capable of doing it, but with the meals delivered and me taking down some food, he gets by.

He doesn't wish to go into a 'home', and it's not necessary as he would be lost in one, for a blind person of his age is much better in his own surroundings.  If the time comes for a 'home' he will hopefully let me know, or I will see plus the people that come to his house will see. We don't cross out bridges until we come to them.

Dad has a good sense of humour and now says he has spare parts that are not any good to him :)
Slowly over the months he is becoming more reliant on me and the Registered Nurses. I see a man of great standing in the Community of his City going down hill health wise, especially since October of last year.

Occasionally a man calls to take Dad to Rotary where he's been made an Honary Life Member, and several years ago he earned a Paul Harris Fellowship.  I say 'earned' because in some countries the Rotary Member pays money to become a Paul Harris Fellow, all though you can also pay to become one here in Australia but it's much nicer to 'earn' one.

So what does dad do all day - not much as he can't watch TV, he can't see it, he can't follow a movie or a TV series or show because the dialogue isn't good enough.  He does like the Cricket so some times he can vaguely see the white ball on TV but that's it.  He listens to the radio, his iPod, walks down stairs and backup again, then down the ramp and back up again for exercise.
There is talk of someone taking him for a drive each week, which will be a great thing, even though he can't see anything but a shadow or faint outline of a figure...we wait and see.

Dad is a JP. has an OAM both of which he has had for many, many years.
OAM = Order of the Australia Medal for Services to the Community which was given to him by the Queen of England.

Dad's Birthday with GGrandchildren!

My dad's 90th Birthday went very well.  The family from Queensland arrived plus many guests during the afternoon and late afternoon.  My husband and I arrived home to our city about 10pm with the family waiting for us.
We both enjoyed their stay, and had our other son, his wife and child for dinner last night, it's the first time that we have been able to get together all in the same place for over 5 years. Plus two of the children were not born or even thought of.

The first photo is of dad and his 4 great grandchildren.  The little boy he has never meet until that day.
He is also the little boy now 2 years of age that I delivered on the side of the road in Queensland, the mum being one of my daughter in laws :)
The child on the left is aged 7, the one in front is aged 22 months and is their cousin, the child on the right is aged 5 and sister to the 7 year old and the boy.

The below photo is the Mayor of the city where dad lives, plus dad used to be a Deputy Mayor for several years, and before that on the Council.

This photo will appear in the Newspaper.

What's it like being Blind!

For those that not are aware, my dad is nearly 90 and legally blind, has been for many years. Still lives in his two story house alone expect when my husband and I go down every week and sleep for a night or two. Dad lives just over 100 km away. He is able to walk up and down the stairs, on odd occasions comes shopping with me, and his mind - well that is sharp as a tack!

I wrote these words back in February 2009. What I have written is so very true. (I did a post back then), infact I have been blogging for a very long time and have deleted all posts prior to 2009 including many in 2009 and onwards. Thinking I should have kept them there, too late now.

he walked into the room
and sat down on the chair
look out the window and said,
“what a beautiful sea”.
with surprise he said,
“i see that ship, it’s all coloured white, the size of a match box”,
he turned and looked at me
as i sat in my chair looking at him.
the sun was shining bright
glaring into the room
he said, “are you there, daughter, for i do not hear you,
where are you, are you there my daughter?”
i sat there in silence, listened to his words
as he looked straight at me
but of course he didn’t see,
for the sun was not shining on me. 

JMD

The Phone Call!

My blind 89 year old dad has been in a private hospital in the city where I live for just over a week.  He had a small operation early last week, and has been rather ill since, so another operation in the morning should fix the problem making him feel much improved and happier.
Tonight dad phoned me to 'thank me' for looking after him for these past 5 years (since my mum went to heaven)...So I think he wonders will he come through the operation, I reassured him he WILL. :)

The Daisy Reader!

Excitement in the house when the Daisy Reader arrived from Vision Australia for my blind father.
Pay a fee for one year or x amount of dollars per month and, receive the Reader along with 3 DVD books that read to you by Australian volunteers who like to read any kind of book to be recorded.
When the disc's are returned 3 more are received. Book a certain novel or whatever book you like online or phone, and these will arrive when free along with the normal 3. There is a time limit to when they are to be returned.  The cost is free to and from Vision Australia Library.
My father is having great fun and has already read about 5 books in his Daisy Reader. Each time I walk into his lounge room when I am staying there each week, it's SHHHH!!
Some of the DVD'S go for 20 minutes - over 9 hours, of course depending on what or how long the novel/story is.

The purple slot in the front is where the Disc goes.

John Curtin was a Prime Minister of Australia. John was born in Tasmania.

The Kitchen

Due to my circumstances I have two kitchens, one in each house in two cities. In fact I have two of most things, because that is just the way it is.

My late mother wanted a new kitchen before she passed on, so it was built and finished not long before she went, so therefore she didn't get to use it much.

A couple of my dear friends wanted to help take all the things out of the cupboards & put them back in when all was complete. The photo below is of them myself on the left (in red) and my dad next to me plus the mess :)  we had a lot of fun.

View from the dinning room.

Coming up Mother's Day

It's coming towards Mother's Day and this reminds me of my departed mother who died nearly 5 years ago.

The short story of her death is this:

Mum took ill 10 days before she died with a cancerous growth the size of a football which was attached to the outside area of her large bowel. There was no evidence of this, she had no pain, she had no large stomach, no weight loss, she was normal in every way. Approximately 6 months before her death she had CT Scan, plus lots of other routine tests, scans and other test which she usually had done each year due to a condition that she had had for 4 years not being related in anyway to her death or cancer. All test were as they should be, normal.  Yes, I saw the results and understand all.

Were my father and I shocked - NO! Cancer works sometimes in mysterious ways. We accepted her death and got on with our lives as my mum would wish us to. My father and I are much alike in many ways. 

Mum & Dad's 60th Wedding Anniversary in November 2004. My father was legally blind and still is.

Taken in the winter 2007 just over one year before my mum passed away.

Due to her condition she was taking Cortisone at that time, hence the fuller face.