Well, I am back in TX with my parents. Traveling with them was not as bad as I thought, due mainly to a stream of really nice people in the airports and on the plane, with the notable exception of a bitch at the gate, who really worked my nerves. Having two people in wheelchairs makes you bypass the entire line at security, which was really good considering the mile-long line.
My Dad barely made it through security. He was wearing a money pouch around his neck, and it kept setting the thingy off. He had to wait in the Plexiglas booth to be patted down and he kept trying to get out, poor thing. It turns out he had the money in the pouch was clipped together with metal binder clips, so it had to run through the X-ray by itself. A serious source of consternation for him. But it came back OK, and thank God for my President's Club membership, so we could go sit in peace for two hours. When we went to the gate it was chaos.
Traveling with somebody with Alzheimer's is interesting. While they are completely lost the whole time, you can easily lead them around, with occasional corrections. The plane ride was completely uneventful and my Dad sat next to a very helpful nice man who helped him with his tray table. We were in first class where the attendants are really nice and that helped too.
One interesting moment when we were wheeling my folks to the gate: this woman just strode right out of a store and got hit by my Mom's wheelchair. The woman nearly shrieked "Excuse Me!!" in an indignant manner, to which my mother replied "Get out of my way you bitch, I'm old!!". I nearly pissed myself!
SHG picked us up at the airport and ferried us home with a food stop at Burger King. We all had burgers back at the house. He got his first glimpse of me dealing with my parents, and I think the pity quotient just went up considerably.
Today being Easter we went to All Saints Church here in the Heights. My Mom being diehard Catholic was less than impressed with the church, but I cannot go around previewing all the Catholic churches for her. I thought it was a cool church, a century old and beautifully restored or kept up (I dunno which). My Dad napped afterwards and my Mom and I enjoyed the thunder and torrential rain from the front porch for a while. Then sandwiches for lunch and they are napping now.
So far so good.
