AFTER THANKSGIVING

Oh ... I had so many things I was going to do today ... none of which happened!  We did go to see Diana and Frances.  I took the dogs with so I could take them on the Steamboat ditch trail walk for some exercise to work off some of yesterday's fantastic dinner at the Clark's.  After the walk, we all visited a bit and when it came time to go home, Lizzie refused to leave and insisted she didn't want to go home because it's more fun at Di's house.  She was quite argumentative, and Di simply suggested I leave her there and let her spend the night.  Sounded like a good idea for me since I had plans to go out with friends in the evening.  So I went home and got dolled up for a night out of dinner and dancing before I went back to Di's house with Lizzie's things for the night.  To my dismay, she had done a 360 and was crying while telling me she wanted to go home.   Eventually (30 minutes later) she was calmed down and wanting to stay.  She ended up having a great time, going to bed early, and when I went to pick her up the next day, she started the cycle all over by not wanting to come home.  This time, however, home she came and yes, she had a good day!   Flip-flop, flip-flop!

HOW TO ADD YOUR OWN POST

Every day I learn more about blogging ... my new hobby (although I haven't yet figured out why the photos sometimes disappear).  I will be sending an invite-to-post to all of my friends I have an email address for at this time.  This means that if you follow the directions, you should be able to create a NEW post of your own on this BLOG.  If you just want to write a COMMENT in response to another POST, simply click on the COMMENTS link located directly under the post itself.  This is easy, actually ... it just takes a while to figure it all out. If you do not receive an invite, please tell me in the COMMENT section below this POST, and I will include you ... it's that easy.  I am wanting to create other BLOGS as well, and you can find the links to them in my profile (way down at the end/bottom of that page) on this BLOG if you are interested.  I remain TheGreekDiva now a.k.a TheHappyBlogger ... HA HA HA HA HA!

MY FIRST POST

Today is Thanksgiving Day, 2008, and in spite of the day itself, I found myself feeling an overwhelming sense of thanks to God for all the blessings He has so graciously bestowed upon me ... Blessings of friendships of which are more like family than friends, friends and relatives who I know love me, a terrific (and hopefully secure) job, a warm home with a fireplace for the winter nights just around the corner, my wonderful pets, the knowledge of and love for my Lord Jesus Christ, and my twin sister Elizabeth.

 

In the wee hours of this morning, our beloved cat (of 14 years) Java Bean Galine died.  Even though she was only visibly ill for a week, the progression of what happened to her is a long story.   At this hour, I am able to simply say she was our “Kitchen Cat” who will be missed dearly.  My greatest dilemma sitting in the Veterinary ER was “what will I tell Elizabeth?”   You see, in the past when we have lost a pet (and there have been many because we both LUV animals), my sister’s responses have varied from the most practical to the most detached form of despair which has resulted in either a total inability to express herself verbally or to function on a most limited cognitive level.  Everyday with Elizabeth is different these days, and I did not know what to expect or how to tell her the news when she awoke this morning.  I chose to wait until she came into the kitchen for breakfast, and I asked her to sit down with me because I had something to tell her.  Yes, her reaction was different than it was 2 years ago when we lost our beloved Ali Dog.  Elizabeth simply threw her hands into the air and then slapped them down onto her legs, and asked, “Why did God do this?”  "Who is going to sleep with me now?"  "Can we get another one?"  And then she wanted her breakfast. 

 

I broached the subject a few times during the day (probably because I needed to talk about it more than she did), and each time I merely got a brief expression of exasperation from her.  Yes, totally different.  And Elizabeth is different in many ways.  Hopefully the readers of this blog will learn a bit about what it’s like to live with an adult with Downs Syndrome as well as the process of dementia characteristic of adults with Downs.  It’s my understanding from the research I have read that my journey has and might continue to be totally unique to Elizabeth.  Time will tell, I would suppose.

 

Elizabeth loves to drink a cup of tea after dinner and tonight not only did she LUV the tea itself; she was totally engrossed with the cup.  This cup was white with a decorated border of pears, leaves, and other fruit around the top of the cup.  My sister sat totally focused on this border for a good 20 minutes.  She held it in both hands as she turned it around and around and around, all the time expressing glee and pleasure at the pretty cup.  Interestingly, some one at the table suggested that it must be nice to be into one’s own little world like she was at that time and not to have the cares of the world like most of us.   I’ve been pondering that statement for hours and wonder, “Could this possibly be true?”