Something gained in translation

[bobhamlin]

Drove down to the Eastern Shore this morning to drop off the Nomad parts to the painter. While down there, I visited a couple who are friends from the old days.

They apologized for the clutter in their home. The husband's 91 year old father had passed away in December and they were still sorting out the possessions. The conversation then led to stories about his father--here is the highlight.

The father had always looked life straight in the eye. For example, when he didn't like the way a doctor gave him the news about lung cancer, he declared her to be "f*cking crazy," walked out and didn't return to ANY oncologists. That was 10 years ago, and he didn't die of cancer.

When he realized he was really near the end, he accepted it. In fact, he seemed rather impatient. Drawing things out was not him. Let's get it done. He seemed frustrated that his inner strength kept him going long after he saw little purpose.

After he had fallen and split his head, the family worked with hospice to get a visiting nurse.

After the first visit, the nurse called my friend very upset. She told him that the father had asked if she was there to "Whack him off." She just wanted them to know.

My friend and his wife were embarassed and a bit upset. Since part of the agreement with the hospice included bathing, they had to deal with the situation. How do you scold a 91 year old about sexual harassment. He was a straight talker, but that was unusual for him. Was dementia setting in?

That night, they got another call from the nurse, who started out apologizing so profusely, it took a long time to understand the problem. It seems she had gotten her metaphors mixed. She told her husband about the 91 year old man who had asked if she was there to kill him. And that had upset her. She had felt responsible to tell the family about his morbid question.

However, her mafia slang wasn't quite precise. "Whacked" or "Knocked off" may be synonymous. Her husband told her the meaning of the phrase she told the family.

It took a while for her to get used to the father's sense of humor.

[pablo]

Thank goodness for caregivers. I have a soon to be 90 year old father who does have dementia and needs a lot of care. He is still living at home thanks to a crew of caregivers that take good care of him and the house. I am sooo tankful that we have these people to help us. There is no way we could provide the amount of care and attention he needs.
Pablo