Interesting evening with Auntie last night. I understand from others that sometimes she gets a bit angry, but so far I have yet to see that side of her. Last night, I think I got my first taste. Okay, well I should say my first taste since her Alzheimer's really kicked in. I've known her my entire life, I've experienced the full brunt of her ire on other occasions, and also experienced the months of being banished that follow. I am curious to see how things are tonight. With her memory failing, will her anger be forgotten, or will it linger?
I think that what has her upset is that her friend she was staying with has sold her home. She has been told repeatedly that this was going to happen, and that this is why she has moved to my father's house. But I think she was holding out hope that she'd be able to move back perhaps. And I gather from our talk yesterday that her friend will be moving down to Long Beach with another friend. And this, I believe, is what has her panties in a bunch. I think, although she did not say, that she is peeved that she was not invited to join them. She always planned to move down there after she retired from Boeing, she just never managed to actually make the move.
In my aunt's mind, she is perfectly capable of living on her own and she can still drive a car. She has no idea how much everyone does for her. She doesn't remember her accidents. She doesn't realize she forgets things. She can make toast, and she would happily live in filth and eat peanut butter toast for the remainder of her days. Or a day or two until her lack of taking her meds did her in, or until she fell and couldn't get herself back up. So of course, in her mind she is very hurt that her friends aren't inviting her to live with them because she doesn't realize she needs a caregiver.
So last night she informed me she was going to move away, but when I asked where she didn't say. Then she once again revisited her perfect driving record with me, and when I pointed out that I remember several accidents, she tried to tell me she wasn't driving for those. At which point, she went to her room, and never came out again. When my father came home, I warned him that she had spent the evening in her room, so he is prepared for whatever today brings. Interestingly he said that she had told him she is going to take a bus to Spokane.
Spokane? Really? I wonder why Spokane? She knows no one in Spokane. The family was stationed there at some point in the distant past. I only know this because I know my grandfather bought my grandmother a mink coat when they had to move there because he felt so badly about it. But I don't think the kids were living with them at that point, I think they were older. So, my big ponder for the day is...why would she decide, in her mental state, that Spokane is where she is going to run away to?
