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Respite
By juliezavala in My Turn
March 29, 2011

Last weekend we took Dad to the nursing home. We needed the time off and we had a great time. We were able to sleep late, go to the movies, eat out and just talk.

We picked my dad up on Sunday around 4 p.m. When we first got to the nursing home, we couldn't find daddy. The nurse said, "Oh, he just went by a few minutes ago." She didn't seemed panicked so Robert and I looked up and down the halls for a little while. Finally, one of the staff said, "There he is."

Robert walked toward the direction they had pointed. Daddy was sitting in a wheelchair, all by himself, looking out the window at the very end of the hall. Robert walked up and said, "Hey, what are you looking at?" Dad looked surprised and said, "The clouds. What are you doing here?"

About that time I walked up and said, "Daddio, are you ready to go home?" He fairly jumped out of the chair and said yes I am! We gathered his things and went out to the car. On the way home we stopped at Long John Silvers and got Dad's favorite fish and shrimp dinner--sort of a consolation prize for his having to stay somewhere away from home.

Those two days spent away from Dad made me realize just how badly Robert and I needed to get away from the responsibilities of caring for our elderly parent--if only for a little break. We will do it again soon.