My Aunt & Uncle

Another episode in my life that has been going on recently concerns my aunt and uncle.  Back in April I helped them down the rocky road of moving into assisted living.  It became a necessity when they both became disabled, my aunt with a broken foot, and my uncle with pneumonia.  They had to be housed in separate parts of the residence because of my aunt’s dementia.  This proved to be very disconcerting to them both.

In July they celebrated their 65^th wedding anniversary.

During the summer two of their nieces began investigating to see if there were facilities that would let them live together.  They made arrangements for the move.  I arrived the weekend before the move, and was shocked at how much my uncle had declined after the summer.  I questioned the move, and he backed out.  I regret how I handle all that transpired, but in the end, arrangements were put back into place, and they were able to move last weekend.

It has been difficult for all those involved, and because my aunt will not stay put, she will not be able to live with my uncle in this facility either.  The nieces who have been helping out have been working hard to make the transition as easy as possible, but I know it has been a heavy load.

I am learning so much about what to do and what not to do.  It is new territory, but I see in the future that I will need much wisdom about how to handle many of the loved ones in my life.

 

Betty holding Andy

When I visited my aunt I was not sure she would see me because she was very angry with me when she first moved into assisted living.  It was a great answer to prayer for my uncle and me to find that she had forgotten all the upheaval and received me with great joy.  I took some old photos to remind her of times that are clearer in her mind and to let her and my uncle know what a blessing they have been to me through the years.  Here are a few of those pictures.

Waiting for the cuckoo clock to go off was great entertainment at their house.

A visit with them at the Falls.

Ralph and Betty loaned us the money to buy this piano which Kathryn learned to play on.

They gave us this desk that Kathryn had in her room for a long time.

Will took his first steps on this visit to their place in Florida.