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Day 2
By juliezavala in My Turn
February 23, 2010

Dad's a sweet man. When we were growing up he worked hard to support us six kids and my Mom. It's sad to see him so frail and confused when he used to be so sure of himself and could fix just about anything from a bicycle to a washing machine. As I mentioned before, my Dad has Alzheimer's.

At night he seems to get agitated and restless. I've been trying to think of a way to get him to wash up and get into his pajamas when it's bedtime.

Dad's fingernails were getting pretty long so this evening I sat him down at the table and gave him a manicure. While I trimmed his fingernails I told him about the train derailment in Bloomington. He smiled and said that that sort of thing happens all the time. Dad is a retired railroad man. He worked at Southern Pacific for years as chief clerk at the yard office in Beaumont, Texas. He told me that he mostly enjoyed working there but that he mainly has a fondness for trains. My oldest sister, Jan, has ordered several DVDs of trains for him to watch and he gets a kick out of seeing them over and over again.

After I finished his manicure I could see he was getting sleepy so to seal the deal I gave him a back rub. By the time I was through, his eyelids were drooping and he was telling me he needed to go to bed. I laid his pajamas out on his bed and hugged him good-night. As he walked down the hall toward his bedroom it hit me that I've been given this wonderful opportunity to give back just a little of all he's given me over the years. If I can bring comfort to him during his last days on earth, then I am a lucky woman. Not everyone gets this chance and I understand what a blessing it is.