Dear Tatum,
I spent the early
afternoon with Grandma at the French Prairie. The name is deceiving; it has nothing
to do with France or prairies. It is the name of the “skilled nursing
facility.” In a town populated by retired white people and Mexican and Russian
Orthodox immigrants, it seems an odd choice for a name. Maybe it’s supposed to
bring to mind a calming field filled with lavender, but it couldn’t be further
from it. Even Grandma calls it weird.
After she
ate lunch and we waited for her bathroom break, we went for a drive. I had to
ask permission to take her and was told she couldn’t leave often because of
insurance. Apparently if she is well enough to go for a car ride they may think
she does not need to be there. Because really, it’s healthier to be locked
inside sitting in a wheelchair or lying in a bed all day. It’s clear these
places, and insurance companies, really do have the patient’s health and well
being as their biggest concern.
Grandma
wanted to see her garden, so we went to her house. The first thing she did was
start weeding. I had to tell her to stop. I’m having to tell her to stop doing
a lot of things, including driving. She’ll say, “I can’t drive for now,” and
I’ll say, “You can’t drive ever.” She makes a face at me when I say this, but
she knows. There is a sense of finality for some things that is hard for both
of us, albeit in different ways. I wonder, will I have to hide the car keys or
give them to Vick and Millie, the neighbors, when I leave?
We drove out
to the farm stand after sitting for a few minutes with a glass of juice. I
didn’t think she would want to leave home but she was ready to go. I got her a
farm donut and we shared some cherries as we drove to Mt. Angel and back. By
the time we returned to the Prairie it was a rush to get Grandma to the
bathroom, but we made it just in time. We probably shouldn’t eat on any more
car rides if we want to avoid accidents.
I’m trying to
figure out what’s best for Grandma, and while the Prairie doesn’t seem
horrible, I don’t think it’s the place for her. I’m off to spend the evening
with Slip and Arrow.
Love,
Gin
Gin
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Decorations from Grandma's room. A nautical theme for the French Prairie.
