COMING TOGETHER--34

Today is Thursday, when my mother has one of her appointments to get her hair done. Her hair lasts one day, then it falls apart when she sleeps on it. But this is one of her times to be waited on by someone else, it's a pleasure for her. Unfortunately, the hair shop has moved 15 miles away, in a high-crime neighborhood.

She usually forgets what day it is, so we will see if she remembers. I hope she had a good visit with Jack and the grandkids yesterday.

I don't know how Mom is going to eat and get along today. I hope she does eat breakfast but I think she will use the hair appointment to avoid eating. I'm not going to fight her on this any more. Whatever happens to her will just have to happen.

It is 915am and she is not up. That is normal. I'm at the laptop in a quiet apartment. I don't know what this day will bring but I have prayed for my mother and myself.

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She got up in time for breakfast, which was good with a full glass of milk. That was hopeful but it didn't last long.

We went to her hair place, and on our way back Mom asked me to stop for lunch. She said I could choose it; I knew that was not the truth. I stopped at Boston Market. She ate practically nothing, so she took a piece of apple pie, hoping for the sugar. The pie was so bad, she didn't finish it. So she had me run to the bank while she stayed in her apartment to get to her secret stash of chocolate while I was away.

I knew this was what she was doing, but I've decided to stop arguing with her and just let her eat her chocolate and sweets until she collapses again. I'm not going to stuff her throat with good food. Maybe a retirement home employee would or a hospice would but I'm not qualified to do that. I'll just let her eat what she does.

She has slept the afternoon away, which is what she does when there is no nutrition in her blood. She has no energy for anything but laying on her sofa asleep.