COX CLAN COMMENTS: After Christmas Visit!!

Isn't this a wonderful picture of my Dad and Mom Joyce? It was taken at my Dad's surprise 80th Birthday party last April. They are spending a few days with us, and we are so grateful to have this time together. They flew into Love Field the day after Christmas, and we are enjoying every minute of their visit. We no big plans...a little shopping maybe (boosting the economy!), a movie, cooking, etc. We're just enjoying the relaxed time. Benjamin has to work part of every day they're here, but he's coming over after he's finished work or in the morning before he starts. He's trying to get as much time as he can with his "Papa and Niney"! Daddy is doing okay, but it's not hard to tell that finding his words is becoming increasingly more difficult. We can follow him most of the time, and just patiently wait for him to gather his words. He's gotten turned around in our house a couple times...I told him that's okay, other visitors have done the same...heck Irby and I got turned around here for awhile! But Alzheimer's is taking a cruel toll...playing cards is much more difficult than even six months ago, starting to get events and family members mixed up in old pictures, asking questions over, asking people's names, etc. Not always, but it's happening more. He's still very funny and witty at times and, as always, a sweet, gentle man. Mom Joyce is a trooper. We're so very glad that Kim (my sister) and her husband, Eddie, moved back to Mt. Home from NC this past summer. Daddy and Joyce are still independent, but Kim and Daddy have the same sense of humor - okay, maybe Kim's is a little more quirky, HA! - but they "get" each other. She can lift his quieter days. They've both said they don't know what they'd do without Kim in Mt. Home. She checks on them every day and when needed, drives them to appts., runs errands, etc. etc. etc. And Eddie is the pearl of great price! He moved to Mt. Home ahead of Kim while she finished a school year and is the family "fix-it" man who LOOKS for things to do for Daddy and Mom J to make their life more comfortable. The entire family loves this guy and is grateful for the way he cares for our parents. When Daddy's 6 mos neurologist appt was suddenly changed in Nov...I fly there to go to these appointments with them...and Kim couldn't go because of school inservice rules, Eddie cheerfully took off, drove them the 2 1/2 hours and went to the appt. There will be more on this blog on the Alzheimer's topic in the months and years to come...